The Golden Legend
The Company of the Morning Star
Table of Contents
1. A little village in the Mountains Page 5
2. The River of Life Page 8
3. The Pilgrim of Death Page 12
4. The Mystery of Advent Page 14
5. The Pilgrimage of Life Page 16
6. The Disappearance of the Morning Star Page 18
7. The Visit to the Abbot Page 26
8. The Arrival of Maurice and the Theban Legion Page 28
9. The Holy Lance of Christ Page 31
10. The Prophecy of Maurice Page 36
11. The Orphans of Saint Peter Page 40
12. The Mother of the Orphans Page 42
13. Julian Returns from Mount Jesus Page 44
14. The Departure for the Underworld Page 49
15. The Salvation of Christian from the Reptilians Page 51
16. The Rescue of the Lost Souls at All Souls Day Page 62
17. The Liturgical Year Page 66
18. The Feast of Saint Barbara Page 69
19. The Appearance of Saint Barbara Page 73
14. The Rescue of George, Maurice and Julian Page 75
13. The Castle of the Queen of Darkness Page 81
14. Saint Nicolas Visits the Orphans Page 88
15. The Morning Star rises over Saint Peter Page 97
16. The Eyes in the Darkness of Death Page 102
17. Christmas Celebration Page 103
18. Saint Stephen’s Day Page 107
19. The Twelfth Night Page 110
20. The Dark Knight Emerges from the Valley of Death Page 120
21. Epiphany Page 126
22 The Hunter becomes the Hunted Page 130
23. The Illumination at Mary’s Light Mass Page 142
24. The season of Pilgrimage Page 162
25. A Season for Love Page 163
26. The Graveyard of the Fallen Angels Page 188
27. The Dragon Abducts Jack Page 205
28. A Pilgrimage to Mount Mary Page 208
29. The Soldiers of Skulls and Bones attack the Orphans Page 216
30. Lights in the Night Page 224
31. The Return of the Enemy Page 227
32. The Monastery of Mount Mary Page 236
33. The Purification of the Virgin Mary Page 239
34. The Weeping Madonna Page 242
35. Brother George Slays the Dragon Page 252
36. The Adventure of Jack Page 255
37. The Beatitudes Page 259
38. Life goes on Page 263
39. The Discovery of the Temple of the Angels Page 268
40. The Flood Wave Page 270
41. The Good Samaritan Page 271
42. Preparations for the Fifth Season Page 276
43. A Pleasant Surprise Page 278
44. The Spring Carnival Begins Page 280
45. Winners and Losers Page 281
46. The Opening of the Games Page 283
47. Saint Peter Verses Saint Matthew Page 285
48. Saint Peter Beats Saint Matthew Page 288
49. Brother Timothy’s Invention Fails Page 289
50. The Giants of Village Football Page 291
51. The Great Final Page 292
52. The Joy of the Carnival Page 297
53. The Mystery of the Black Widows Page 299
54. Let the Feast Continue Page 302
55. The Victory Ceremony Page 305
This book is dedicated to my father and mother and all my friends who opened my heart to the spiritual world of Jesus Christ, Mary, the angels and saints. Many thanks to Peter Higgins from the Catholic Education Office and all my friends who helped me to write this book.
Introduction
The feast of All Saints has passed. The people of Saint Peter are waiting for the Morning Star to guide them into the new liturgical year. The Star initiates the emerging of a new liturgical cycle with the beginning of Advent and the birth of Jesus Christ.
The star connects the human soul with the angels, who dwelled on earth millions of years ago and opens the door to divine visions pouring from heaven at Christmas.
The morning star does not appear. Queen Jezebel abducted the morning star together with Christian. Catherine is very sad, when Steve leaves Saint Peter to follow George Julian and Maurice and the monks of the nearby monastery to find the morning star. They fight the Romans at hells gate and the reptilian army at All Souls day. They are confident to bring the morning star back to the children of Saint Peter before Christmas. But then George, Maurice and Julian get caught by the Queen of Darkness.
A Little Village in the Mountains
The church of Saint Peter was built in the mountains of Helvetia on a rock overlooking Lake Geneva. The snow melt trickled through the heather and high meadows of the mountains, down channels and gullies, along streams, creeks and rivulets that came together to form the headwaters of a mighty river. Still high in the mountains the waters of this river flooded a large valley to create a deep and dark lake before spilling over the lip of the mountain to flow westward down to the lowlands.
This river was called the Rhone and its life-giving waters had for millennia supported communities along its banks. The stream meandered through valleys in Gaul to the Provence, where the river divided into the Little and Big Rhone. The Little Rhone merged with the Mediterranean Sea in Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer.
It was the third century AD. The Christians were fighting against the occult rites of the Romans and other barbaric tribes, which stirred up the beasts from the depths of the abyss in the prison of the universe where God had imprisoned the enemies of mankind he killed in a battle millions of years ago. The bodies of the beasts were dead but their spirits were alive. They became the archetype of evil destroying the earth and haunting human beings.
Antony, the abbot of the monastery of Saint Peter, was busy studying the sacred texts brought to him by pilgrims from all over Europe. Many of the scriptures were Gnostic texts written by Jewish, Greek and Egyptian scholars. The abbot had just finished studying the Apocrypha of the apostle John, Mary Salome, the mother of John, saved the book from being destroyed by the Romans, when she escaped from the Holy Land to travel to Saintes-Maries-de-la Mer. A pilgrim returning from a pilgrimage to Santiago di Compostella, discovered the book at a fair in Avignon. The book had travelled along the shores of the Rhone River to the monastery of Saint Peter. The Romans did not like the liberating teachings of Jesus Christ, which replaced the cruel gladiator fights with a more liberating life style.
Hundreds of sacred texts lined the wooden bookshelves in the library of the monastery, which was the oldest in Northern Europe, not far away from Lake Geneva. Brother Thomas, a monk, was walking fast up the small way to the monastery. He was carrying a collection of sacred scriptures under his arms. Half way to the monastery he met a hermit who just came from the market with basket filled with fruit and vegetables. The hermit was living in a little house in the mountains not far from village of Saint Peter.
“Good morning, Brother Thomas. How are you today?” asked the hermit.
“I am fine,” answered Brother Thomas.
“What are you carrying under your arm?” asked Brother George.
“I have gathered all the important script
ures of Jesus Christ. I will sort them and publish them in a book.
“The word of God is like millions of snow flakes falling from heaven into a river to melt in the water. Your book will freeze the word of God into a big ice block. Once the snow flakes are frozen, the dreams of God will cease to exist and you will never find the truth.”
“What is the truth in your opinion?” asked Brother Thomas.
“The truth is written in our souls. We will have to find our souls to find the truth. The soul has been given to us by Jesus Christ. I do not know when, where and why. However, I will find out. The only way to do that is to find my inner self connecting me with God and the universe.”
“And you think you can do that with your soul?” said Brother Thomas.
“Your soul has been created in another world. Not here on earth. The world of the soul is spiritual. If you can connect with your spiritual world you are united with God. We do not know much about the spiritual world. That is why we use symbols. You cannot see the salt in your bread but you can taste it.
“Can you explain further?”
asked Brother Thomas.
“Your soul knows the way to God. It is like a wagon waiting for you to bring you to God after you die.”
“What do you mean with symbols?” asked Brother Thomas.
“Symbols are relics. They shine like stars in the darkness because our souls have seen them in the spiritual world. The Morning Star is the light of Jesus Christ and the Holy Lance is the tool with whom the devil was defeated,” said the hermit.
“I am sorry but I have to go now. I have a lot to do today,” said Brother Thomas.
The River of Life
It was morning in Saint Peter. The sun climbed over the mountains announcing the beginning of a new day.
Saint Peter church was standing on the rocks inviting the congregation to a new adventure. The seasons were flowing through the church like the mild wind in the Mediterranean Sea. The feast days were like islands on a journey through joy and sadness. Saint Peter church was something very special and the spiritual home of everybody. It was a place to rest and follow the tranquility into a spiritual journey to meet with the Saints and Jesus Christ.
The celebration of All Saints, nearing the end of the liturgical year, had just finished. It followed the feast of Saint Michael, who fought against the army of evil at the End of All Times. The End of Times was like a wave rolling from an ancient world in the past into the present, and only Jesus Christ, Mary the Angels and Saints could rescue the world at the feast of All Saints. The feast of All Saints was dramatic and one of the most exciting celebration in the liturgical year. The victory over evil opened the way to Advent, the festival of lights shining into Christmas and the birth of Jesus Christ, signaling a new aeon and the season of winter.
When the sun lost its power and the nights become more powerful than the days; when darkness becomes a stone falling from heaven into hell; out of the heart of the night in the middle of winter and the end of times emerges the Morning Star, followed by Jesus Christ creating a new liturgical year.
Steve, a young man from Saint Peter was standing on a rock looking on the village. It was cold. Winter was approaching fast this year.
Steve could hear the voice of the choir from the nearby monastery resonating in the twilight of the evening. They were singing a song for the consecration of the Morning Star. The voice of Catherine rose above the rest. Her voice was beautiful like wings carrying the day to heaven to rest for the night.
Steve parents had been killed by Maximian, a Roman emperor, who ruled Western Europe together with Diocletian. The persecution of Christians, which had started under Nero in 64AD, was at its peak. The Romans raided the Christian villages and burnt Christians at stakes.
The Christians fled the persecution and were hiding in the mountains. They had built churches decorated with paintings of the Old and New Testaments, dedicated to the disciples of Jesus Christ and the martyrs who gave their life for Him. The small churches stood in the green meadows. They were brides standing in front of celestial altar of the mountains.
Steve was contemplating the frescos in the church of Saint Peter, which invited him on a spiritual journey. The journey took him through the celebrations of the liturgical year passing through his mind like a mystical river. He was caught by the Holy Spirit passing through his mind like divine clouds through a supernatural season beyond time. He could feel the joy of the Holy Spirit, inviting him to pilgrimages in the mountains to catch the visions God had put in his soul before he was born.
Visions of winter passed through Steve, images born in the immense richness of the Holy Scriptures molded by the seasons, nature and God. The frescos in the churches followed Steve through every step of his life.
He visualized the manger in the church of Saint Peter. The Holy Family and people from Bethlehem and the three wise men gathering around baby Jesus appeared in his mind. The contemplations and prayers of people were slowly descending on Saint Peter like a snow flake falling from the sky changing Saint Peter into a place of divine inspiration.
The Christmas play was crafted by the Lady of the Mountains, who was looking after her sick husband and four children. Her Christian art work decorated the church of Saint Peter like flowers in spring.
Today was a very special day: the consecration of the Morning Star and the beginning of the advent season. The lady of the mountain would carry the Morning Star from Mount Mary to Saint Peter’s church, initiating the beginning of the festive season.
It was getting dark. Marc, an orphan, was piling wood in front of the orphanage. He had lost his left leg in an accident. Jack had made crutches for him out of oak, the hardest wood he could find in the dark forests in the mountains. Marc had been picked up by Brother Martin and brought to Saint Peter on a cold autumn night before the celebration of All Saints. Jack was an orphan too. Abbot Antony had found him lying in the forest of Sapinar at the foot of the Mountain of the Angels half dead. Jack was like a father to Marc. They sat in church together and worked on the fields together.
Jack was full of fancy stories. He gathered the stories in the church or in the fishermen’s den. His stories were often not true but fascinating. It was as if he had access to the world of hidden mysteries. Some people thought that he could tell the future as many of his stories often became true. He gathered his stories by listening to the pilgrims coming from Mount Mary, the Mountain of the Angels and Mount Jesus.
He told Steve about warrior monks living in the monasteries of Jesus and Saint Michael and that they would climb into fountains in the night of Halloween and travel millions of years back in time to fight dragons and demons and the army of evil. He told him that they were fighting a war not against flesh and blood but against evil spirits rising from the abyss.
The Pilgrim of Death
Steve was looking into the mountains to discover the light of the morning star appearing in the evening sky. A noise rose in the darkness. Jack had told him the story of the black monk who lived in a cave in the mountains. He left the mountains to kill people at midnight. Warrior monks locked him once in a cave but he could escape into the underground. He had been spotted in his black cloth roaming the villages last night His dark eyes were glowing under his black hood. He had been seen with the sickle of death in his hands he had received from King Bloodstone, an evil King, living in the deepest innings of hell. There were not only the good relics of God such as the Holy Grail the Lance of Christ and the Holy Cross helping people to improve their lives but also evil ones bringing war, sickness and death over humanity. The sickle of death and the black cross of swastika were some of the most terrible weapons of destruction.
The snow was crunching under the hoof of a horse. The horse came closer. Hally, Steve’s sheep dog, opened its snout to bark. Steve kept the snout together with his hand. The noise became louder.
“What are you doing here? Go back where you belong and leave us alone,” said a voice.
/> “See here! A monk coming back from the inauguration ceremony of the Morning Star?” said the black monk, who drew his weapon which looked like a sickle in the darkness.
The deadly weapon rustled through the cold night air like the wave of death rolling over the sea of death at midnight. The sharp blade was creating an ear piercing sound.
Brother Benedict escaped the deadly blow and reached for his sword. Brother George had crafted the weapon for him. The long sword was suitable to fight enemies sitting on their horses.
Steve was watching his friend fighting against the pilgrim of death, who surrendered quickly.
“I will be back soon together with the whole army of evil,” said the pilgrim of death and disappeared.
“Are you hurt?” said Steve, who run to his friend.
“A little,” replied Brother Benedict holding the left elbow.
“I will go to Brother Leo after later,” said Brother Benedict.
“What brought you here?” asked Steve.
“I was wondering where you were. Somebody told me that you went into the hills,” said Brother Benedict still holding his sword in his right hand.
“Let’s forget about the incident and watch the appearance of the Morning Star. I hope the light of the Morning Star is very strong this year,” said Brother Benedict and sat on a stone close to the fire.
The Mystery of Advent
The Morning Star was a torch and a symbol of the light Jesus Christ brought in the world. The strength of the light indicated the intensity of the Advent Time. The brighter the light the more dramatic the Advent Season was going to be. The lights were falling in the darkness of winter.
People were scattered around the church like bees around a beehive, carrying visions of the Bible through the doors of the church. The visions opened the honeycombs to the mysteries of the Advent time.
A pine tree from the forest of Sapinar stood next to the manger in the church decorated with apples symbolizing the Garden of Eden. Plays about the expulsion of Adam and Eve from the garden were held at the monastery of Saint Peter in the advent time to open people’s hearts for the birth of Jesus Christ.