Synopsis: The best-selling novel The Da Vinci Code has sparked a vigorous debate by raising a number of provocative questions -- most notably, was the historical Jesus really a married man? Could he have even been a father? Do his direct descendants still survive today? In an hour-long ABC News special, "Jesus, Mary and da Vinci," Elizabeth Vargas explores these and other controversial theories about the lives of Jesus and Mary Magdalene, who some scholars believe was not a prostitute, as she is often portrayed, but rather Jesus' wife -- and perhaps even the mother of his child.

Da Vinci Code, a mystery novel that claims to be based in part on historical fact, contains claims that Mary Magdalene was Jesus' wife, that she fled Jerusalem following his crucifixion carrying their child - and that she was perhaps the legendary Holy Grail herself. In France, Jesus' descendants married into French royalty. This story, it is said, was long protected and perpetuated by a secret society of some of the most famous men in history, including Leonardo da Vinci and Sir Isaac Newton.

Vargas travels to the Holy Land, Italy, Scotland, France and other locations around the world to investigate what evidence exists to support some of these extraordinary claims in an effort to separate fact from legend. Among those she speaks with are religion and art history scholars, as well as a Scottish aristocrat who says he thinks his family married into Jesus' bloodline in the 12th century -- though he assures Vargas that, if true, the blood line, "by the time it gets to me...will be very, very, very diluted."

Vargas finds plenty of disagreement among theologians and historians about whether there is evidence to suggest that Jesus was married. "The weight of evidence that we have suggests to me the contrary, that in fact he was a celibate," says Elaine Pagels of Princeton University. "I think it's entirely plausible to think that Jesus may have been married," counters Karen King of Harvard University. "It was a normal practice for Jewish men. It would also be normal not to mention that he had a wife." In the Bible there is no mention of Jesus being married.

One thing several authorities interviewed agree on is that Mary Magdalene's portrayal as a prostitute is attributable to mistaken identity, and her importance may have been grossly understated -- or, as some charge, purposely suppressed by the Church. "There's no factual basis for that longstanding tradition that Mary Magdalene was a prostitute, a woman of ill repute," says Father Richard McBrien of Notre Dame University. "Mary Magdalene is one of the greatest saints in the history of the church."

Production Credits:
Elizabeth Vargas anchors "Jesus, Mary and da Vinci." Rudy Bednar is the executive producer. Jeanmarie Condon is the senior producer. Yael Lavie is the producer.

Airdates:
It debuted on Monday, November 3rd, 2003 at 8:00pm ET on ABC.