The Order of the Angels

Chapter 6 "The Angel is now praying, it is a miracle!"

     The Doctor awoke before sunrise, a time the monks were expected to dedicate to prayer. A knock came at the Doctor's door. He opened the door and brother Bernardo was waiting for him. He followed brother Bernardo to the kitchen who began blowing on the coals in the hearth with bellows. There were just enough coals to start some straw on fire, kindling was added and a fire was soon burning in the hearth, reheating the soup. Firewood was then added to the bread oven and lit. The fire felt good against the cold that had settled in the night before. The temperature was between the mid 50's overnight.  Brother Bernardo and the Doctor began mixing water, salt, and flour and some bread starter that had risen the day before and then kneading it for an hour. The two then went outside to wash their hands and returned to the kitchen to start cutting the previous day's bread into pieces for the other thirteen brothers that called the Chiesa de Carraro home.  

     The Doctor and brother Bernardo began the meal routine again for breakfast, they ladled soup into bowls and placed them on a table with bread from the kitchen. The brothers filed by, each taking a bowl of soup and a piece of bread on their way to the dining room. Brother Bernardo and the Doctor each took a bowl of soup and a piece of bread and followed the last monk into the dining room. Life in this period was very routine. 

     The brothers filed into the room and sat at a table placing their food on the table and waiting to begin eating. when everyone was seated brother Alonzo said a morning prayer and then began reading from the bible. The monks did not speak and listened intently as they ate breakfast quietly as they did all meals.  

     Brother Bernardo and the Doctor returned to the kitchen to prepare for supper. They cleaned the cauldron and returned it to the hearth. The Doctor added water until the cauldron was half full as brother Bernardo instructed. Brother Bernardo placed some wood on the fire so the water would simmer.  He turned to the Doctor and said, "Follow me, it's time to clean the church." 

     The Doctor's hearts quickened. He was wondering when he might see the weeping angels and it seemed the time was now. 

     Brother Bernardo smiled at the Doctor and said, You must be quite excited right now, you came all this way to see the miracle of the angels and you have not had a chance to see them and you have not asked about them. Brother Bernardo stopped at the side door of the chapel and opened it for the Doctor and several brothers who were bringing tables into the church for the townspeople to place offerings on.  The Doctor stepped inside the church into the south transept and squinted as it took his eyes a few seconds to adjust to the change in light from outdoor brightness to the reduced light inside the chapel. The Doctor dipped his finger in the stoup and made the sign of the cross. Brother Bernardo did the same and they walked until they were even with the sanctuary and both faced the crucifix made the sign of the cross and bowed slightly.  Brother Bernardo led the Doctor the rest of the way across the church to the North transept. Brother Bernardo made a sweeping motion with his hand towards the small knave on the north wall. 

     The Doctor descended one step down to the sunken floor and gazed with amazement. There was a niche carved into the wall where figures of saints would be. A slanted marble candle holder held many lit candles in front of the niche as well as a hassock for praying. Instead of saints, there stood three distinct figures. Three marble female angels. Two of the angels on either end had their hands covering their face the one in the middle had her head bowed slightly and her hands were together as if she were praying. The townspeople had placed flowers in bunches at the feet of the statues.

     The Doctor stood in stunned silence. Here were the original angels responsible for so much misery and sadness, but he couldn't help but admire their beauty. They were also one of the oldest species in the universe. The doctor did not want to destroy the angels, their existence was problematic on Earth unquestionably, but they were a lifeforce in the universe, and in the Doctor's eyes all life is precious. The Doctor was pulled from his thoughts suddenly when brother Bernardo made the sign of the cross and said, "Praise Gesu, It is Michaelmas eve and the Angel is now praying, it is a miracle!" 

     "The weeping angels." The Doctor said aloud. He followed brother Bernardo's lead and made the sign of the cross and kneeled on the hassock. Unlike brother Bernardo, he never took his eyes off the angels as he prayed. The two left the knave and brother Bernardo asked the Doctor, "What do you think of our angels, brother?" 

     "Truly spectacular and so beautiful, brother Bernardo." I do not know the whole story of the angels but I will tell you what I have heard. The angels were found in marble wholly formed." 

     "you are correct brother Luke, a group of stone cutters was cutting blocks of marble when they removed a large block and the angels were in the quarry wall. The stone cutters came to our church to explain what they had found and to notify the head of our church, brother Alonzo. He gathered a group of brothers, of which I was chosen, to witness this miracle. We went to the quarry and there were indeed three angels in the marble wall." Brother Bernardo made the sign of the cross. "No one knew they were whole at that time,  they were still in the wall but their relief was unmistakable and it would still have been a miracle. The proper authorities were notified and the bishop himself came to see the miracle. After much deliberation, it was decided the stone cutters could begin the work of removing the angels from the wall.  A full month was required to accomplish this task as they were very careful not to damage the angels. It was at this time everyone realized they were fully formed angels. The bishop declared the angels to be a miracle and our ladies were brought here to this church, to this very nave where they have been ever since."

     "How long ago was that?" The Doctor asked. 

     A voice behind the Doctor answered, "Ten years, brother Luke." 

     The Doctor turned to see the capellanus and brother Alonzo flanked by the captain. The Doctor and brother Bernardo bowed to the senior officials. 

     Brother Bernardo blurted out while making the sign of the cross, "You must see with your own eyes, the angel has changed positions, she is praying!" The senior officials made the sign of the cross. Brother Alonzo and the capellanus stepped down into the nave and brother Alonza cried out, "Praise Gesu, a miracle."