Konrad and Alexandra (pdf) - Rolf Gross

hoarsely, "Mein Gott, you are right!"
As soon as darkness descended a wild noise started. The horse pawed the ground and
neighed frenetically. Above the mad bustle the rhymed verses of the old crone could be heard.
A deep drum began to pound inciting the crowd to rhythmical shouts: "Yakkhos!—Yakkhos!—
Yakkhos!" Slowly the rhythm of the pounding drum and the pawing and neighing of the horse
increased until the fracas reached a fortissimo.
Abruptly the fray stopped and complete silence set in. From far away in the underworld,
the orgiastic scream of a woman was heard.
A deep sigh went through the crowd.
Alexandra, trembling, dug her face into Konrad’s arm. She was sobbing.
Carrying a torch, the Hierophant emerged from a door illuminating the dark choir. In the
uncertain light the priestess could be seen to rise from her seat and reveal a blood-soaked
cloth that had covered the phallus. Triumphantly she shouted:
"Brimo has risen!"
"She has given birth to a boy!
"His name is Brimus."
Under the ecstatic cries of the crowd shouting: "Brimus! Brimus!" Persephone walked
into the light. Her veil replaced by a wreath of red poppies, she carried a naked baby boy in a
winnowing basket.
The Priestess took the stained napkin off the phallus, showed it to the assembled
people like the bridal bed sheet after the wedding night, and finally covered Persephone’s baby
with it.
While the Hierophant with his torch distributed the phos, the light to the candles
everybody had brought, the Priestess began to sing to the old Greek Easter melody:
"Brimus anesti! Brimus has risen!"
A great euphoria broke out, the people sang, embraced, and kissed each other, friends
and strangers alike.
After all the candles in the sanctuary had been lit by the New Light, the scene changed
a third time: Twelve shepherds in wild and woolly burkas and hats, each carrying a baby lamb,
entered and lined up against the wall of the choir.
Persephone left the sanctuary with her baby and was replaced by a young, bearded
man carrying a cross: Brimus transformed into Christ.
The crowd, now led on by the Hierophant, began to sing the new Easter Message to the
same, age-old Greek melody as before again and again:
"Christos anesti! Christ has risen!"
The Priestess removed her crown and Christ kissed her. With his cross he touched
Yakkhos, who had fallen on his knees before him. Yakkhos threw off his skin and the horse
head and revealed himself as St. John the Baptist with tousled hair and a shaggy beard. The
Queen-Priestess, transformed into Mary, the mother of God, placed herself to the right of
Christ—who occupied Demeter’s throne—the Baptist to his left. They formed a deesis in front
of the twelve shepherds with their lambs.
Relieved Alexandra joined the congregation in singing the familiar, fourth-century Easter
night liturgy ascribed to St. John Chrysostomos.
As they left the sanctuary two hours later, the Hierophant distributed blessed breads to
everyone and red Easter eggs to the young women. Outside the church’s door, however, stood
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