Opus Dei Headquarters

Silas's Last Refuge

Under the malevolent influence of the Teacher, Silas - the murderous albino monk - seeks refuge in the London headquarters of the secretive Opus Dei. With the police closing in on him, he flees and in his delirium shoots his scheming mentor Bishop Aringarosa.The minority Catholic sect is very unhappy about their depiction in the novel. The hard-line, traditionalist group are keen to keep a low profile; membership is by invitation only. They have been criticised as the Catholic equivalent of the Freemasons, and despite the recent canonisation of founder Jose Maria Escriva, their close links to the Franco regime in Spain have not been forgotten. Former education secretary Ruth Kelly is reputedly a member. The novel has actually given the organisation massive publicity with record hits on their website since it was published.One of their buildings in London is indeed situated on Orme Court, opposite Kensington Gardens, exactly as described in the novel.