The Gnostic Church of L.V.X.

The Supreme Ritual

“A feast for the Supreme Ritual.”
“…to him is the winged secret flame, and to her the stooping starlight.”

- Liber Legis

Let a feast be made by the Officers of the Temple.  This Temple, into which they then retire, may be any convenient place.  An altar is necessary; also a vessel of wine; otherwise as may be appointed by them: e.g. the robes, etc., as in Liber Legis.  The officers are two in number, and seek Nuit and Hadit through Babalon and the Beast.

The officers meet and clasp hands above the altar.  Any preliminary operations, such as opening, banishing, etc., are now done by Osiris who returns, and they again greet, but as initiates.

Osiris & Isis       (face to face)

Isis                   What is the hour?

Osiris                When time has no power.

Isis                   What is the place?

Osiris                At the limits of space.

Isis                   What God do we wake?

Osiris                The Lord of the Snake!

Isis                   With what do we serve?

Osiris                Brain, Muscle and Nerve!

Isis                   The shrine in the gloom?

Gives the Sign of a Babe of the Abyss, which Osiris destroys by the Sign of Mentu the God.  (Left hand resting between his thighs, fingers clenched and thumb extended – the significance is clearly sexual.

Osiris                Is the Mouth of Thy Womb

Isis                   And the Priest in the Shrine?

Osiris                Is this Monster of Mine!

            Osiris repeats Sign of Men Tu and Isis gives Sign of Baphomet.

Isis                   And the wonder above?

Osiris                The Quintessence of Love.

Isis                   There are sacraments?

Osiris                Nine

                        There are music and wine

                        And the delicate dance —

Isis                   To accomplish?

Osiris                The trance

Isis                   And are these three enough?

Osiris                They are servants of Love.

Isis                   And the sacrifice?

Osiris                I

Isis                   And the preistess?

Osiris                Is thou.

                        I am willing to die

                        At thy hands — even now.

Isis                   Worship me first!

            Osiris seats Isis upon the Altar.

Osiris                Mistress, I thirst.

            Isis gives wine.  They drink.

Isis                   My mouth is on fire

                        To my lord’s desire.

            They exchange the holy greeting by a kiss.

Osiris                I kneel at thy feet,

                        And the honey is sweet.

            Isis plays music while Osiris worships in silence.

Isis                   Exhausted, I sink.

Osiris                I am dead, on the brink.

Isis                   Let us dance!

Osiris                Let us dance!

Isis and Osiris    The Lord give us power

                        To be lost in the trance

                        For an hour — for an hour!

They dance together.  A pause of perfect stillness and silence follows: until Isis, sua sponte (of her own accord), advances and places Osiris upon the altar.

Isis                   Exhaust me!

Osiris                Nay, drink!

Isis                   Ere I sink!

Osiris                I shall sink!

Isis                   Drink wine! Oh, drink wine!

Osiris                I am thine!

Isis                   I am thine!

            They drink and greet as before.

Osiris                Art thou armed?

Isis                   With a knife.

            Isis draws the dagger from her hair.

Osiris                Love is better than life.

            Isis cuts a  l  ., or if possible, the Sigil of NOX, on Osiris’s breast.

Isis                   Let us dance!

Osiris                (giving wine)  To the trance!

            They drink, then dance.

Isis                   Back to the throne!

            Osiris returns, and takes seat thereon.

Osiris                I adore thee alone!

Isis does so, plays music if so inclined, and continues as necessity or inclination may dictate.

Isis                   It is ended, the play:

                        I am ready to slay.

                        Anoint me!

Osiris                I rise

                        To the fire of thine eyes.

                        I anoint thee, thy priest,

                        Babalon — and the Beast!

                        And I ask of Thee now:

                        Who art Thou?

Isis                   Omari tessala marax etc. 

            The Ritual is now in silence accomplished.

                                                 IX  CLOSING

Osiris                Mouth to mouth and heart to heart!

Isis                   For the moment we must part.

Osiris                Time and space renew the illusion.

Isis                   Love is swallowed in confusion.

Osiris                Love sustains us eminent

                        Till the hour of Sacrament.

Isis                   I love you, and you love me.

Osiris                Now and ever may it be!

Osiris & Isis       Hand in hand is heart to heart

                        Love be with us, though we part.

            They greet, as before, and depart.