|PIC1|Churches in Scotland are enjoying the sudden rise in visitor numbers from tourists flocking to the country amid the hype of The Da Vinci Code.

A 13.8 per cent rise in the number of visitors to churches and places of worship overall in Scotland was recorded in 2005. The rise in visitors from 597,104 in 2004 to 679,794 last year signalled a welcome move away from the slump of 2.7 per cent in the previous year.

The rise in visitors to Scotland’s churches is thanks largely to the role of the Rosslyn Chapel in Midlothian which was used to film some scenes of the expected box office smash.

The chapel enjoyed a massive 72 per cent rise in visitor numbers in 2005, with 118,151 compared with 68,603 in 2004, and just 37,199 in the previous year.

Other churches across Scotland have enjoyed a considerable rise in the number of visitors with Glasgow Cathedral also up 7.3 per cent from the previous year, from 125,074 to 134,172.

|AD|The Cathedral Church of St Paul in Dundee enjoyed even greater success as it drew in 314 per cent more visitors from 1,000 to 4,147 as it celebrated its 100-year anniversary as a cathedral and 150-year anniversary as a church.

A spokeswoman for VisitScotland told The Scotsman: “Although the Da Vinci Code has undoubtedly helped raise the profile of Rosslyn Chapel in particular, it may also serve as momentum for raising the profile as Scotland as a whole as a place to visit."

She added: "It also highlights the motivating themes of Scotland as a place with a rich history but also myths, legends and tales of years gone, something which fascinates and draws visitors to a destination. Also, with more than 50 million people worldwide claiming Scottish ancestry, many visitors are drawn here to trace their roots, also making the sorts of attractions in this category a particular draw."
Scottish tourism chiefs are hoping the film, due for worldwide release later in the month, will bring in even more tourists to Scotland.

Meanwhile the controversy surrounding Dan Brown’s conspiracy novel continues, with an Australian church group going as far as to launch a new website and a series of cinema advertisements challenging the theories and claims of The Da Vinci Code on the release of the film.

"Our concern is that 'The Da Vinci Code' will mislead people about the truth," said Bishop Robert Forsyth, the chairman of Anglican Sydney Media, which has spent AUS$38,000 on the campaign.

"We are not afraid of the film. We are not seeking to discourage people from seeing it," he said Sunday. "But we are well aware of the power popular films have in filling the information void about Jesus."