Prologue and Opening Song

Author's note

ACT I

OVERTURE

AT RISE:

A space for ritual. A large papal throne sits atop a platform and staircase. The HOLY GHOST, portrayed as a beautiful, winged young man with fire in His hands, hovers from a high perch above the stage. ACOLYTES sit at each corner, right and left. A scrim covers the playing area. The projection on the scrim reads: "Rome, 855 A.D." LUCRETIA sits downstage of the scrim, casting magical bones to tell fortunes.

LUCRETIA

OH HISTORY, THY WAYS ARE VILE AND DARK

TO CAST OUT FROM YOUR ROLLS THIS NAME UNKNOWN.

AS SHADOWS WASHED BY SUNLIGHT LEAVE NO MARK,

NO TRACE REMAINS OF JOAN, THE WOMAN POPE.

(SHE exits.)

ALL

(sung from offstage)

YOU ARE PETER, AND UPON THIS ROCK I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH.

(New projection appears which reads: "Pope Leo IV dedicates St. Peter's Church in the Lateran, seat of Catholic power." The POPE processes in during the HOLY GHOST's next aria.)

HOLY GHOST

ROME, CITY-STATE AND NATION,

FOR A THOUSAND YEARS THE RULER OF THE WORLD UNINTERRUPTED.

WHERE ONCE PROUD CAESARS REIGNED,

NOW THE HOLY MOTHER CHURCH IS BORN IN HARD AND PAINFUL LABOR.

(The HOLY GHOST lights the Paschal Candle with His Hands. Scrim rises. End of overture.)

Scene 1

June 29

-- Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul, Apostles

AT RISE:

The same ritual space. The scene essentially continues unbroken from the Overture.

(The following number begins with ENSEMBLE members representing the early Christians -- earthy, homespun, and few in number. As THEY relate the history of the Church, the appropriate new levels of hierarchy appear -- monks, priests, soldiers, nuns, etc. THEY may even "build" the performance space during the number, creating a high "platform" upon which the Curia and the Pope will appear at the end of the number.)

ENSEMBLE

(individual voices)

OUT OF THE ASHES OF THE CRUMBLING, TUMBLING ROMAN EMPIRE,

SPREAD WITH THE FERVOR OF THE EARLIEST DISCIPLES,

TAUGHT TO THE PEOPLE OF THE DESERT SAND,

BROUGHT TO THE PEOPLE OF A FOREIGN LAND.

ONCE A CULT,

THE RESULT:

THIS CHURCH WILL STAND.

FORGED WITH THE BLOOD OF THE SCREAMING, BEAMING CHRISTIAN

MARTYRS,

SPOKEN IN SECRET IN THE CITY'S DINGY SEWERS.

GROWING IN NUMBER FROM AN OUTLAWED BAND,

SO WERE THE FIRES OF THE FEVER FANNED.

GROWING ROOTS.

WHO DISPUTES THIS CHURCH WILL STAND?

WHAT DO YOU NEED FOR RELIGIOUS PROPAGATION?

ACOLYTE

A FIELD ORGANIZATION.

ALL

SPREADING THE TRUTH OF THE NEW RELIGION TO THE FARTHEST BORDER.

RISING TO POWER IN THE SUNSET OF THE ROMAN STATE.

OUT OF THE CHAOS, WE ESTABLISHED LAW AND ORDER.

LEARNING TO LAST, YOU MUST FAST ASSIMILATE

AND WAIT ...

ANASTASIUS

FREED FROM THE YOKE OF THE RULERS IN CONSTANTINOPLE.

NICHOLAS

RAISING AN ARMY TO PROTECT OUR INDEPENDENCE.

ABBOT

PLOTTING A POLICY TO KEEP OUR LAND.

NUN

NOT QUITE THE DOMINATION WE HAD PLANNED.

ALL

ROME IS SACKED.

ONCE ATTACKED,

CAN THIS CHURCH STAND?

BISHOP

HOW TO IMPEDE SECULAR SEDITION?

POPE

IMPOSE RITUAL TRADITION.

BISHOPS

NAMING THE SAINTS AND THE SACRED DAYS OF HOLY OBLIGATION.

MAKING THE EUCHARIST THE FOCUS OF THE PASSION PLAY.

CALLING OBEDIENCE AN ACT OF VENERATION.

ONCE WE CONTROL MIND AND SOUL, WE RULE THE DAY.

AVE, AVE.

HERE TO STAY.

ALL

HERE AT THE CENTER OF THE MIGHTY ROMAN CATHOLIC EMPIRE,

GUIDING THE DESTINIES OF SOULS AND LANDS AND FORTUNES,

BOWING TO PRESSURE AS THE TIMES DEMAND.

NOW OUR MILLENNIUM IS CLOSE AT HAND.

DEARLY BOUGHT.

WHO'D HAVE THOUGHT

OUR LEGACY WOULD COME TO BE SO GRAND?

GROUP 1

WE'LL TAKE EACH DAY

AND NAME IT.

EACH HERESY,

GROUP 2

ASSUMPTION. ADORATION.

GROUP 1

AND SHAME IT.

GROUP 2

ASCENSION. ANNUNCIATION.

GROUP 1

OUR EVERY ACT,

GROUP 2

CRUCIFIXION. CONSECRATION.

GROUP 1

PROCLAIM IT.

GROUP 2

RESURRECTION. VENERATION.

GROUP 1

GOD'S WILL.

GROUP 2

BENEDICTION. TRANSFIGURATION.

GROUP 1

AND STILL --

GROUP 2

AND STILL --

GROUP 1

THIS CHURCH

GROUP 2

AVE.

GROUP 1

WILL STAND.

GROUP 2

AVE. PLOUGH MONDAY. COMMUNION.

GROUP 1

WE'LL STAND.

GROUP 2

FAT TUESDAY. CONFESSION. ASH WEDNESDAY. CONFIRMATION.

GROUP 1

WE'LL STAND.

GROUP 2

MAUNDY THURSDAY. ABSOLUTION. GOOD FRIDAY. ORDINATION.

GROUP 1

WE'LL STAND.

GROUP 2

HOLY SATURDAY. HOLY WEDLOCK. PALM SUNDAY. THE VIRGIN.

ALL

WE'LL STAND

AMEN.

(The POPE falls over and dies. During the next scene change, we see SOMEONE cover the POPE's face.)

(End of Scene 1)

The Original Version of the Prologue/Scene 1

Scenes and Numbers

On to the next song

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