ODYSSEY... some journeys are better left forgotten (partial chapters)

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Prologue

JULY 2, 1928: ROME. 

In these very early morning hours, in the Pauline Chapel somewhere in Rome, a man in a white cassock is laying facedown before the altar. The serenity of the atmosphere is pristine. It is further accentuated by the quiet aura of the marble floor, on which he prostrates in surrender before his master. Ahead of him, hanging above the altar is the crucifix. In the middle of the altar, however, is a golden monstrance, in which is displayed the consecrated body of Christ, which is flanked on both sides by burning candles. The walls around him are covered in frescoes; famous amongst which is the painting by Michelangelo titled the crucifixion of Saint Peter.

Through out the recorded times, many princes of esteemed royal bloodlines did take their communions in this chapel. Countless deposed rulers, overthroned by either civil or foreign revolutions in antiquity, did find consolations before this same altar. This is the private chapel of the pontiff of Rome.

At this hour, the supreme leader of the Universal Church, Pope Albany, is finding his own consolation before his God.

        Recently, his inner-circle of prelates informed him of the soaring possibility, barring any changes in the course of time, that the veil of the temple will soon tear from top to bottom!

    The pope cannot help but think incessantly. The bride of Christ must remain as one!

The church has already survived two schisms. The first was the one which divided the Eastern Orthodox Rite from the Roman Catholic Rite. The second is The Avignon Papacy, which seated the papacy in France for seventy years!  With each Schism, the power of the Holy Church weakened tremendously like the charisma of a king known for his habitual errors of leadership. In the current Church, any ascendancy of the French cardinal, Aimery, who is a sympathizer of the Avignon Papacy to the seat of the pontiff will unravel the Church and creates another schism within it.    

    This cannot be!

    The blame is all his! He has appointed, against the advice of his closest allies, thirty French bishops and priests from various dioceses around the world to the cadre of cardinals. He extended to the French such favor for their pivotal support of his papal candidacy. Those appointees now tip the balance of power within the College of Cardinals dangerously against Rome. If Cardinal Aimery is elected pope, Pope Albany is sure that the Vatican will be stripped of its spiritual authority as the Holy See, while the Avignon Papacy will rise again from the troubles of its past!

        This is the most trying time of his papacy, and he is unsure of how to prevail. Nonetheless, his faith in Christ, the husband of the church, is enough for him.

Here, in this hour, he fully surrenders himself to the gentle embrace of his master and God.

ODYSSEY (some journeys are better left forgotten)

Part One

The Nightmare Begins…

1

MAY 21, 1969: Boston

“Hearing the first waterfall;

And Lilith down the basin jump.

She swameth stronger than her weak mate;

And Lilith for her sin doth drown!”

He has died and gone to heaven. The angelic voices pull him down the path of light, shining with the beacon of eternal splendor. He smiles, responding to the sweetness of the music seeping through his subconscious. Turning around on his left side, he bunches the checkered comforter closely to his chest.