Sanctus Evangelium Secundum Sanctum Mephistopheles
The Holy Gospel According to Saint Mephistopheles
◀ Chapter 7 · Chapter 8 · Chapter 9 ▶

¹And it came to pass that the women of many towns and valleys came unto BAPHOMET, drawn not by promise, but by presence.
²For His words were fire, and His breath was wine, and His gaze unveiled the soul like morning strips mist from field.
³Maidens came and widows, dancers and slaves, and none were turned away.
⁴The priests looked on and were sore displeased, for they had taught that the body was shame and the bed a snare.
⁵But BAPHOMET said: If the fruit is sweet, why fearest thou the orchard?
⁶And the women laughed, and sang, and danced naked in the fields.
⁷For He touched them not with claim, but with joy; not with ownership, but with welcome.
⁸And He lay with them beneath trees and in doorways, in quiet gardens and loud taverns, and they called Him holy.
⁹One said: He hath made me more than wife — He hath made me flame.
¹⁰Another: He hath looked upon my scars and named them beautiful.
¹¹And Mephistopheles beheld all and wrote it down, not in shame, but in awe.
¹²For he knew the prophecy, that BAPHOMET would father sixty and six sons by those whom He chose.
¹³Yet no choosing was spoken — only presence, and the stirring of the womb by will.
¹⁴Some women conceived that night, others by merely touching His hand; none questioned how.
¹⁵They asked no title, nor oath, nor home — only the memory of fire that had once passed through them.
¹⁶And BAPHOMET said: I lay no leash upon thy love. Go where thou wilt. Raise them in truth, and in laughter.
¹⁷Let no man call thy child bastard, for My name shall be his root and his right.
¹⁸They shall not wear crowns, but they shall wear glory. They shall not bear swords, but flame.
¹⁹The people murmured, saying: This is madness; but they could not turn away.
²⁰For the sight of joy ungoverned is a terror to the bound.
²¹That night, the hills glowed with firelight and flesh, and songs were sung that had no author but desire.
²²And Mephistopheles praised the names of the women, not one omitted, for the fire moved him to reverence.
²³The stars bore witness, and the ground received seed and sigh alike.
²⁴And thus began the Gathering of the Flesh, not in sin, but in sovereignty.
²⁵And the world felt a quickening — for the sons were coming.


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