Episode Details

In this episode of pplpod, we investigate the Order of the Solar Temple (OTS), a neo-Templar secret society that shocked the world with a series of mass murders and suicides in the 1990s. Unlike the typical profile of vulnerable cult members, the OTS was composed of affluent, cultured professionals—including mayors, journalists, and business leaders—who sought a return to the spiritual heritage of the Knights Templar.

We examine the group's dual leadership: the charismatic recruiter and homeopath Luc Jouret, and the shadowy financier Joseph Di Mambro, who claimed to be a reincarnation of ancient figures. Listen in as we explore their eclectic mix of beliefs, which included "cosmic coupling," communication with "Ascended Masters," and the preparation for a "transit" to the star Sirius to escape a coming environmental apocalypse.

We also trace the group’s descent into paranoia following gun scandals and internal dissent, leading to the ritual murder of an infant believed to be the Antichrist and the fiery deaths of 74 members across Switzerland, France, and Quebec. Join us as we discuss the "mystical mood" of their rituals, the controversial trial of conductor Michel Tabachnik, and the conspiracy theories that still surround this deadly movement.