Konrad and Alexandra (pdf) - Rolf Gross

From the very beginning little Sophia’s baptism turned into a worldly and ecclesiastical
altercation. They had planned to baptize her following Niko and Claudia’s wedding, but Deda
objected. Would it not look like Sophia was Claudia’s child? In an Orthodox baptism the mother
is excluded from the service, she is considered unclean, and no ranting against these traditions
by Alexandra could sway the priest. The child is held by her godmother and is surrounded by
witnesses, most of them male.
In addition Claudia’s father, frowning, voiced objections against a church wedding:
Claudia and Niko were legally married under German law, so why was there a need for a
church wedding? Russia did not recognize a civil service, explained Alexandra, by Russian law
Niko’s was an illegal marriage.
The greatest obstacle, however, turned out to be the priest of the church the Dadiani’s
usually attended. He refused to perform the rites without Claudia taking instructions from him
and converting to Orthodoxy. Irakli, exasperated by the priest’s intransigence, turned to
another church and bribed its priest with a liberal donation. For once the universal poverty of
the clergy proved beneficial. The man consented, provided it would not be a widely publicized
event and take place on a weekday in the late afternoon. With another liberal bonus Irakli
enticed him to also perform Sophia’s baptism a few days before the wedding.
Sophia screamed throughout the entire ancient rite. She was submerged in a huge,
gilded cauldron of water, while the priest read his incantations over her. Niko and Otar,
Sophia’s natlimamanebi, helplessly poured a handful of water over the head of their roaring
niece. Aunt Sophia, who looked like a black angel in her severe widow’s dress, finally quieted
the child.
"Another unwilling soul pressed into the fold of the almighty church," joked Irakli, a glass
of champagne in his hand, at the reception. "Only this child," he pointed with his glass at
Alexandra, "rebelled louder against this ordeal than little Sophia, and you see what has
become of her, always of her own mind, always unruly."
Alexandra gave her father a kiss and excused herself. Professor Dahl glanced at Irakli.
"Alexandra once indicated that Georgia was a matriarchal society. She did not elaborate on her
remark, and all I see is a deeply entrenched patriarchal system."
Irakli tilted his head and smiled awkwardly. "She did not divulge our best-kept secret?
Yes, our patriarchy is a deception. But you should get that information from one of our ladies, I
am implicated by my vested interests." He pushed out his chest and twirling the tips of his
mustache laughed evasively. "You should pay a visit to the local synagogue. The Tiflis Jewish
community consists mostly of native Georgians who were converted in the first century. They
call themselves Mosaic Jews and are not Hebrews. Their rites are ancient, their history is very
interesting."
Dahl shrugged and said coldly, "Thank you for the suggestion, but what do I have in
common with Oriental Jews?"
Their conversation would have ended in an embarrassed stalemate had Alexandra not
brought the Bredows along.
"Papa, it is such a pleasure to see our best friends from Munich united in your house.
We spent many wonderful evenings at Mrs. Dahl’s house, she was like a second mother to
Niko and me. It is a pity that Friedrich and Katharina are not here."
Alexandra sensed that something had gone wrong between Dahl and her father. What
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