María Sabina, ruega por nosotros...

A formidable Mazatec healer and now folk-saint of Psilocibina, María Sabina is a complex figure. The deception of Wasson to gain access to the saint-children that would for him be an avenue to the Divine, was for her a corruption of their use as purgative medicine. Reading through her chants in Estrada's María Sabina: Her Life and Chants, I am amazed over and over again at the profound wisdom and soul-wrenching, resonating truth in her and her niece's words. In the session of July 1970 in the house Celerino Cerqueda, María Sabina and her niece, María Aurora, go back and forth, offering a flowing stream of prayer in Mazatec and pidgin Spanish, translated by Eloina Estrada de González and into English by Henry Munn. Consider this passage that occurs when María Aurora is aware if anyone is listening they may mistake what they are doing for witchcraft:

María Sabina

The path of the tracks of your hands, 

and the path of the tracks of your feet, says

María Aurora

It's sap and dew, says

If anyone is pursuing us, says

If anyone is in back of us, says

If anyone is criticizing us, says

If anyone is spying on us, says

It's certain, says

It's true, says

We're going to play music, says

We're going to thunder, says

That is the work of Saint Peter beneath the water, says

We're going to shout, says

We're going to whistle, says

Along the path of your hands, along the path of your wrists, says

Along the path of life, the path of well-being, says

There is no problem, says

There is no difficulty, says

María Sabina

We're not trying to do harm to anybody

María Aurora

Clean Christian, says

Well-prepared Christian, says

...

There is no resentment says

There is no difficulty, says

It's a matter of life and well-being, says

With sap and dew, says

María Sabina

The path of the tracks of the hands, the path of the tracks of the heels, 

the path of the tracks of the hands, the path of the tracks of the feet

María Aurora

If anybody wants to hex us, says

If anybody wants to tell lies, says

It will become garbage, it will become dust, says

It will become whirlwind, it will become wind, says

It's certain, says

It's true, says

It's not a matter of evil, says

It's not a matter of doing harm, says

It's only a matter of well-being and life, says

With sap, with dew, says

María Sabina

I am a sap woman, a dew woman, says

I am a fresh woman, a woman of clarity, says

I am a woman of light, a woman of the day, says

I am a woman who looks into the insides of things, says

I am a woman who investigates, says

Holy Father, says

Holy Father, says

I am a Saint Peter woman, says

I am a Saint Paul woman, says

I am a saint woman, says

I am a spirit woman, says

A woman of good words, of good words, good breath and good saliva, says

It's certain, says

It's true, says

That is your clock, says

That is your communion wafer, says

That is your number, says

One and only Father

Father of sap, Father of the dew, says

Father of freshness, Father of clarity, says

Holy Father, says

I am the child of Mary, the child of Saint Joseph, says

I am a child of the Candelaria, says

It is certain, says

It is true, says

...

For María Sabina, "the path of the tracks of the hands, the paths of the tracks of the feet" is what one does, where one goes. Saint Peter and Saint Paul are strongly represented in the chants - Rothenberg informs they are tobacco, the patrons of medicine itself - and the prayers to them are quite beautiful later in the same session:

María Aurora

Like Saint Peter and Saint Paul

They are the ones who have powerful eyes, powerful is their will, 

powerful their faces, powerful their day

The two women together

As he made it, as he designed it, as he found it

As he made it, as he designed it

María Aurora

Saint Peter, Saint Paul

As he appeared in the night, in the darkness, above the great expanse of the waters, 

above the expanse of the divine sea; He came forth Lord, he came forth sacred

Saint Peter, he is the one with powerful eyes, 

powerful is his will, powerful his face, powerful his day

He is the one whose will shines, he is the one who thunders, 

he is the one who sounds forth

Saint Peter, Saint Paul

And they are also called "Our Ustandi beneath the water, Our Ustandi beneath the sea" in the session of July 21-22, 1956 recorded by Wasson. Rothenberg is not helpful enough here. He says it is a name she gives to Saint Peter and Saint Paul, but what does it mean? She says:

I am an Ustandi woman beneath the waters, says

I am an Ustandi woman beneath the sea, says

which clearly parallels the same structure. I find this mystery and foundation of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, the pair, as tobacco truly intriguing.

The sap and dew are referring to the saint-children, the flesh of God ("your communion wafer"), what we know as psilocibina. Commonly referred to by the nahuatl name, teonanacatl ("the flesh of the god[s]"), there is a commonly perceived connection between psilocybin and the Holy Sacrament among Mexican indigenous populations. It is a Mazatec belief that Christ, while carrying his cross, walked through the mountains. Where his blood fell, the saint-children arose; through the blood of Christ, we become the Saints, we become as gods. But in the worldview of María Sabina the saint-children were solely for the purpose of purgative healing. 

"..from the moment the foreigners arrived to search for God, the saint children lost their purity. They lost their force; the foreigners spoiled them. From now on they won't be any good. There's no remedy for it." -María Sabina

Although Wasson was looking for a mystic experience that was counter to María Sabina's use of the saint-children, perhaps there was an illness after all. I bow to María Sabina, and I ponder: perhaps we are ill? Other indigenous beliefs speak of illness as deficit: if you are poor, you have an illness of poverty, for example. Is our disconnect from the Divine-as-immanent not symptomatic of illness? But perhaps it is the framing of the question - Wasson deceived by lying, expressing uncertainty about his son's whereabouts. This was enough for him to receive her help with the 'Little-One-Who-Springs-Forth', but a general search for God was not in Sabina's eyes. If he described his desire to find God not as curiosity but as concern that he felt disconnected, off-centre, and out of alignment with the world he lived in - is it recognition of our symptoms rather than idle-curiousity that changes the quest? Perhaps it is that when we have an illness, we seek to be well - whatever the cure is - and we don't go to the healer knowing what our cure is ahead of time. If knowledge of God is the remedy for your illness, this will come, but we must be open to the possibility that there are other things the mushrooms have to show us... Hmmm. It is said "They always give you what you need"....

Psilocybe mexicana, 

photo taken by Alan Rockefeller.

If the saint-children are now spoiled, I can only imagine their potency under the care and administration of the curandero/as who dedicated their lives to working with them on behalf of healing their community.  Is grace diminished the more it is used? Is the don? Is magic? Is ashé? I know there is no (one) answer - I ask these questions for pondering myself and with others of like-ponderance... 

Sabina was ultimately more than a healer, more than a spirit-worker. Rothenberg names three classes of magicians in Mazatec culture: Sorcerers, who by night are shape-shifters whose works are often malevolent (akin to nagualismo); Curers, who use massage, prepared herbal medicines and spirit invocation; and Wise Ones, who vow no evil and use no potions, but are workers of the saint-children, Psilocybe mexicana.

The assumption of saint, saintess, folk-saint and natural powers - this is the word as pure magic. Citing lineage, citing authority, conjuring your Power, I am simultaneously humbled and lifted-up by her chants. While the mushroom medicine was hers to hold and indeed her focus for these chants, for me, her words speak of an intense relationship with her God in intimate and immanent form; her words are inspiring beyond their original intention and meaning - and for this, I am thankful her words were recorded.

María Sabina

Holy Father

You my Father

And you Mother who art in the house of heaven

You, Christ, my Father

We are going to cure, we are going to cure with herbs

That is what our budding children, our sprouting children are for,

that is the work of our flower with sap, our flower of the dew,

That is the work of the lordly one with the vibrant wings, 

the sacred one with vibrant wings

That is what our hummingbird children are for

That is what our hummingbird is for

That is what the lordly one with the vibrant wings is for

That is what the sacred one with the vibrant wings is for

It is the same as the Mountain of Medicine, the Mountain of Herbs

Fresh herbs

Herbs of clarity

Medicinal herbs

Sacred herbs

I bring with me thirteen doctors beneath the water

I bring with me thirteen doctors beneath the sea

They are children who resound, 

children torn up from the ground,

Holy Father,

You Saint

You Saintess

Ah Jesus Christ

You Saint

Dew woman, says

Fresh woman

Woman of clarity, says

Woman who prays to heaven

Moon woman,

Woman of the day, says

With all the saints, says

With all the saintesses, says

...

With as many saints, as many saintesses as there are

Now we bow ourselves down before you, speaking with humility 

beneath your shadow, speaking with clarity, says

We speak with tenderness, we speak with clarity, says

We speak with humility, we speak with offshoots, says

We speak with freshness, we speak with clarity, says

Fresh are our words, fresh our breath, fresh our saliva

Words are medicine

Medicine is the breath

Clean saliva, well-prepared saliva

Illumination of life, 

Illumination from on high, says

Illumination of the sap

Illumination of the dew

Holy Father

God the Father

God the Holy Spirit

Lord Saint Peter

Lord Saint Paul

....

Mother Patroness

You heart of Jesus

Jesus Christ

I have your staff of support, your staff of the dew

I have your good clean Bishop

I have paper

I have my Book

I am known in the house of Heaven

You know me my Mother,

God, my Father, knows me

Jesus Christ you will always, always reign in the house of heaven

Jesus

Heavenly Mother

I bring your medicinal herbs in my hands,

I always have your sacred herbs in my hands

There is no problem, there is nothing bad in what I have in my hands

It is freshness and clarity

Life and well-being

That is what I ask for, for buds and offshoots, Jesus Christ

Days of life are what I ask you for, Jesus Christ

Mother Patroness

Jesus

My Mother Mary

Jesus

I go along the path of the tracks of your palms, 

I go along the paths of the tracks of your hands

I am going there, I am arriving there

If it is a matter of evil, if it is a matter of anything salted, 

if it is a matter of resentment and rancor

If it is a matter of garbage, if it is a matter of dust, 

if it is a matter of whirlwind, if it is a matter of wind

That is the work of the saint, saint, saint, saint, saint, saint, saints

That is the work of the wain, saintess, saint, saintess, saint, saintess, saint, saint, saintess, saint, saintess...

Maria Sabina, by Rosenfeldtown

Exu Ganga • Exu Mulambo

Ponto Riscado of Exu Ganga

Quimbanda is a tricky beast. It has become increasingly popular to use Exus and Pomba Giras in Western Occultism as spirits-for-hire as one would use the Goetic retinue of spirits, and it seems there are even strange hybrid systems used by people who have never learned the system from a traditional house, but rather from scant information in books. At its simplest, Quimbanda is a pseudo-religious Kongolese derived system which centers around spirit contact, possession and pragmatic work, and the spirits mainly used are known as Exu (if male) and Pomba Gira (if female), and are also addressed, quite literally, as the Devil and his wife. It incorporates a healthy dose of European Demonology and Witchcraft, as well as many indigenous beliefs and styles of working. It is a cult of brutal honesty that writhes in the consciousness of its initiates. There is a reputation of it being low-life black magic (a reputation that has also become somewhat romanticized), but, also, it is a system that when embraced fully can make one confront their own shadow and through upright character and being steadfast, illuminate it. We must become masters of ourselves and our spirits, or, we will become slave to our baser nature and the spirits both.

Beyond the normal confusion of misequating Exu of Quimbanda with Eshu of Orisha, and the normal bickering of who does Quimbanda better in the various houses, what is held in common are the Exus and Pomba Giras themselves. Every house may have slightly different interpretations, but these spirits are alive and well in Brazil. They can be tested, and will test in return. 

Let me be clear - I am initiated in Quimbanda, I have seen how different traditional houses work, in tandem with Candomblé and Umbanda, and as its own system. My Quimbanda house is de raiz, and works with Exu and Pomba Gira as their own entities without attaching orixá or the Law of Umbanda. Several of us in the house are initated to various forms of orisha worship and other ATR's, but Quimbanda is worked on its own terms. Again, Exu of Quimbanda is NOT Eshu the orisha. Or Legba for that matter. (See Santeria Church of the Orishas' excellent post for more detailed differentiation). But ultimately, Exus and Pomba Giras have their own agenda, and just as their nature is truly mercurial, the cult manifests in equally mercurial ways - as my Tatá says, "There are as many Quimbandas as there are Exus." But this was supposed to just be a quick intro that allowed me to then discuss a specific Exu, so...

I have had many conversations recently about a particular Exu known as Exu Ganga, or Exu Mulambo. He is a much misunderstood Exu - I say this because I have come to greatly respect his ability and steadfastness. His name, Ganga, is a reference to being a healer (nganga: healer-diviner-priest in kikongo). As an epithet in Quimbanda though, 'Ganga' is used to describe dozens of Exus and Pomba Giras, all speaking of their healing power and ability to affect change in the lives of those who come to them. So what makes this particular Exu singularly 'Ganga'? For me, it speaks of his great power to return both body and place to balance and equilibrium.

A traditional depiction of Exu Mulambo in plaster.
He lacks his traditional attributes here, but this is
 perhaps the most widely available statue of this Exu.

Nicholaj de Mattos Frisvold's excellent Exu & the Quimbanda of Night and Fire describes him as a cemetery Exu, who can cause great disruption, has a wide array of talents, and is good for bringing about death as well as great works of healing, especially those of a terminal condition. His colors are black, grey, and red, and he often manifests with the smell of rotting flesh. He is tied into the mysteries of the Pomba Gira known as Maria Mulambo. He is dressed in rags and his attributes are a trident and a skull. He can also be found at dumpsters, and most notably for me "can be called upon to expel negativity and dross from workings and from complicated situations that need a solution".

Here is the key. What I have come to appreciate about him is that he is a true abukenke. Okay, so this is a borrowed term from Lucumí (and ultimately, Yoruba), and after all that talk that Exu Quimbanda is not Eshu Orishá, bear with me here. Abukenke, I have been told, means something like "he who makes himself a hunchback" - i.e. carries a heavy load, and is a term applied to warrior orishas that take the ebbo/sacrifice out to its proper place in nature to be discarded. It is most often heard applied to Eshu-Elegba, but is said to apply to Elegba, Ogún, and Ochosí equally. They have the ashé to not let the ebbo contaminate them while disposing of it, ashé that extends to their omo. It is a gift not to be overlooked. As a child of Obatalá, I greatly appreciate the role of abukenke in Ocha. But back to Quimbanda (are you still with me?) - Ganga is the perfect abukenke; he has the ability to be surrounded by trash as not become it. He is, in fact, that force in the cemetery that allows the body to decompose, to rot, and ultimately to become one with the land. He takes the decay and rot and brings it to the greater absorbing force, the land itself. He makes the poison of death neutral through his particular axé. He is less of a warrior and more a huge preserver of balance and equilibrium. He is a healer for this reason - he can find the disease and neutralize it. He is especially strong in terminal diseases, such as cancer, and life-long diseases such as HIV/AIDS. He helps the body return to a natural state of health. What a fantastic force.

In Nicholaj's equally valuable Pomba Gira and the Quimbanda of Mbumba Nzila, he gives instructions for accessing the axé of Exu Ganga through a stone in such a manner that it can then be put by one's front entrance as a stabilizing force of equilibrium, allowing that-which-needs-to-go-out and that-which-needs-to-come-in to take their proper places. It is worth saying that Nicholaj does not call this an assentamento, nor is it one - such spirit vessels are the province of Tatá and Yayá Quimbanda. It is however, a wonderful way to both 1) utilize the powers of Exu Ganga and Pomba Gira Ganga Mulambo (a qualidade of Maria Mulambo) for the benefit of your workings and house, and 2) start to understand the unique axé of this particular Exu.

Truly, although most mentioned as being of the Kingdom of the Cemetery and the Lyre, Ganga walks in all Kingdoms. His force is truly greatly needed in the world. There is no need to pretend he is anything other than what he is. His magic is astounding, and he is a true alley for the Quimbandeiro. The people of the trash, the people of decay, the people of balance... Salve Exu Ganga! Salve o bem povo de Quimbanda! 

Ponto Riscado of Exu Ganga for attack & defense.

Las Doce Verdades del Mundo, Part II

Continued from Part I

-The Truths-

Although I previously list the Truths in ascending order (citing Trotter and Chavira), I have chosen to list individual explorations of each of the truths in descending order, both out of honor to the way I was taught, and personal preference. For me, understanding the meaning behind the truths and having visuals to go along with each truth as it is said increases the power of the prayer, and if done for a cleansing, the effectiveness of the limpia. I will not claim to be definitive, rather, this entry in all its parts is an exploration of a prayer I have come to love, and will remain that - an open exploration. Some truths are more easily recognizable due to their origin stories in Scripture, others take some knowledge of Roman Catholicism, and sometimes specifically of that practiced in Spain. So, here we go.... 

+Twelve+

las doce apóstoles que acompanaron a nuestro Señor en la cruz

the twelve apostles that accompanied our Lord on the cross

The Last Supper, in the traditional New Mexican retablo form, from the website of Charles Carillo

The Twelve Apostles, the original disciples of Christ, are invoked as the twelfth truth. The Castillian version reads:

La doce son los doce Apóstoles que acompañaron a Jesucristo desde su predicación, hasta su muerte de Cruz en el calvario.

The twelve are twelve Apostles that accompanied Jesus Christ from his preaching until his death on the Cross at Calvary.

The original twelve apostles are traditionally listed as:

+ Simon, who was called Peter +

+Andrew, brother of Peter+

+James, son of Zebedee+

+John, James' brother, the Beloved+

+Philip+

+Bartholomew+

+Thomas+

+Matthew+

+James, son of Alphaeus+

+Judas Thaddeus, brother (or son) of James+

+Simon Kananaios, who was called the Zealot+

+Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus+

These were the primary male members of Jesus' fledgling church. It is through them that the gospel tradition and the Church take authority. While women also played an important role in Jesus' ministry, I will leave this beyond the scope of this particular entry (apologies to the Magdalena).

The apostles are listed in the synoptic Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke, in a list. In the Gospel of John, we do find mention of "the twelve", but never in a list - and there is a Nathanael, often conflated with Bartholomew. 

After Judas Iscariot's betrayal and suicide, a hole was created. Acts 1:15-26 clearly offers Matthias as the replacement for Judas through nomination and the casting of lots (not Paul as is often stated). The Castillian version clearly references the apostles who accompanied Jesus until his death, which was also a requirement for Matthias' nomination. So it really is uncertain as to which Apostle we include, Judas Iscariot or Matthias. More on this in a bit though... 

That there are twelve should not be ignored, as we have instant reference to the twelve tribes of Israel (excluding Levi), and by extension, to the twelve zodiacal constellations, the twelve jewels on the breastplate of the High Priest of the Temple, the twelve Foundation Stones of the Wall of the City of God.

Levi, the Thirteenth Tribe has a special place - in that it is the priestly class, and is awarded the Center of the Four Camps, guarding the Tabernacle, in Numbers 2. This parallel to Jesus should be noted - Jesus is the the new Covenant, gathering his twelve disciples around him as the twelve tribes gathered around the Ark.

The tribes are named for their patriarchs, the twelve sons of Jacob, also called Israel. There is a given association between the apostles with the tribes in Matthew 19:28:

Jesus said to them, "Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

Mather's Twelve Tribes
with zodiacal correspondences,
commencing with Leo.

Halevi's Twelve Tribes
with zodiacal correspondences,
commencing with Aries.

There are a great many debates about these associations, and none are 'definitive' as none are canonical.  It is, perhaps, modern occultists that have sought these associations in a more definitive (and publicly available) manner, like those listed by MacGregor Mathers and the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn.

Mathers, as pointed out by David Godwin, sought to arrange the tribes by placing the Four Camps mentioned in Numbers 2 in correspondence with the four fixed signs of the Zodiac, not the cardinal. This makes Judah affiliated with Leo, the fixed fire sign in the East, as opposed to Aries, which is cardinal.

Other modern writers have sought to keep the same order of the tribes from Numbers 2, but assigning Judah to Aries and take the order sequentially forward in this manner, such as Z'ev ben Shimon Halevi's list from Kaballah and Exodus.

There appears to be no universally accepted correspondence between the Apostles, Tribes, and the Zodiac, but many speculations. Different schools (rabbinical, esoteric Christian and modern occult) all have differing opinions on this. For our purposes, it is most worth just noting that the correspondences are possible and to illustrate a few that are commonly encountered.

Skinner's correspondences between
Zodiac and the Twelve Apostles, from
The Complete Magician's Tables.

The order presented by Stephen Skinner in his The Complete Magician's Tables lists the Apostles in a pseudo-canonical order and the zodiacal correspondences are then matched. Crowley's 777 preserves the Evangelists as associated with fixed signs, but the other apostles "...are too indefinite." 

In fact, it is David Godwin in his Godwin's Cabalistic Encyclopedia, unfortunately with un-cited reasons or sources, that we do find correspondences between Apostle, Tribe and Zodiac sign, under each entry for the Zodiac (along with many other useful correspondences such as the Angel and Archangel of each sign). I will cite here those I have found most applicable with regards to a pragmatic curanderismo frame: Tribe, Apostle, Zodiac sign, Scent, Color. 

Zodiacal correspondences with Apostle, Tribe of Israel, Scent and Color
from Godwin's Cabalistic Encyclopedia.

What is difficult for me in this specific arrangement is the loss of the Evangelists with their traditional zodiacal associations, but I'll explore that more when we get to the Fourth Truth.

There is also some basis to separate the role of the Evangelists from their roles as disciples/apostles. The Bad Teinach Altarpiece, as described by Adam McLean, gives an example of this, showing the symbols of the evangelists as separate from the Twelve figures that surround Christ that at once represent the zodiac, apostles, and the Tribes. I do like the linking of woods to these twelve, which is found uniquely in this altarpiece. Although the woods are not specifically attached in McLean's article, and I do not read German (and so cannot read Ernst Harnischfeger's Mystic im Barock : Das Weltbild der Teinacher Lehrtafel for more information), the woods listed are: Laurel, Cypress, Willow, Fig, Cedar, Fir, Olive, Apple, Pomegranate, Almond, Palm, Oak. I see much application in woods associated with the Twelve as well, in limpias, cleaning with these woods, on corresponding feast days if possible, all in time, born from further investigation, and application. Onward and upwards!

There is a figural cause to compare zodiac and the apostles when we place Jesus as the Sun itself, the physical expression of Divine Light, born at Winter Solstice, who must pass through the mazzaroth, or signs of the zodiac, twelve stations that give quality to the passage of the Sun through the year. 

There are more contemporary listings of Apostles with Zodiac signs based on their personalities as given in Scripture and compared to the interpretations in modern astrology, as illustrated by Tiara Starr:

• Aries is associated with Simon Peter, the first Pope, rash, stubborn and natural leaders
• Taurus is associated with Simon, often associated with wealth and possessions
• Gemini is associated with James, eloquent and multiple identifications
• Cancer is associated with Andrew, with his strong loyalty and concern for others
• Leo is associated with John, the Beloved, prolific and a natural leader, strong in conviction
• Virgo is associated with Philip, the thinker, analytical and enquiring
• Libra is associated with Bartholomew/Nathanael, persuasive, blunt and at times overbearing
• Scorpio is associated with Thomas, doubtful and suspicious but steadfast and loyal once convinced
• Sagittarius is associated with James, the first martyr of the Twelve, a leader through faith and loyalty
• Capricorn is associated with Matthew, respectful of authority, tradition, and hardworking
• Aquarius is associated with Thaddeus, questioning and curious
• Pisces is associated with Judas Iscariot, shy, withdrawn, and ultimately overwhelmed

It should be noted that my summary of Tiara Starr's associations are indeed summaries and are not meant to be summaries of the signs themselves. Again, I am left wanting as the orthodox associations of the Evangelists with the fixed signs is so strong for me. But I'm stubborn and rash. A Peter. I mean Aries. There is a need for a greater context here, that I think associations like Tiara Starr's and Skinner's and the like are exploring. Twelve is not four. Never can be.

Ultimately, what the twelfth truth exposes is a context; it shows the expanse of the ministry of the Word Incarnate, that we are not alone. It places our own paths in a context, and describes the journey of the soul itself. We have friends in those of like-mind and like-faith, and although the seeds of deception are always there (Judas is an Apostle, after all), when we approach life through this greater context we see the growth and potential in every tragedy. It is through the fires of rectification that the subtle is separated from the gross; it is through assuming our place that we find community. I will never be able to control what happens to me in life, but I can control my reaction. Accept our reality, and act accordingly. There is power in what we see in front of us, just as the Apostles saw and knew the Christ.  We must know what we are looking at to recognize it - and here, we find the same emphasis - perspective. This is the assumption of true power to me, and an exemplary lesson I find in this truth.

Further Resources for the Apostles, Twelve Tribes and Astrology:

Astrological Attributions of the Twelve Tribes of Israel

The Bad Teinach Altarpiece

Mishkan ha-Echad: LBRP Breastplate & the Twelve Tribes of Israel

Christian Astrology: The Signs of the Disciples

+Eleven+

St. Ursula protecting the
11,000 Virgins with her Cloak,
by The Master of the Legend
of Saint Barbara, c. late 15th century

las once mil vírgenes

the eleven thousand virgins

The Eleventh Truth, the eleven thousand virgins, references the 'Golden Legend' of Saint Ursula and the 11,000 Virgins. The fuller version of the same line is: 

'La once son las once mil vírgenes que asisten al trono de la Beatísima Trinidad.'

The eleven are the eleven thousand virgins that attend the throne of the Most Blessed Trinity. 

Saint Ursula lived in either the 3rd or 4th century (although some say the 5th or the 7th), the daughter of the Romano-British King Dionitus of southwest Britain. She set sail with 11,000 handmaidens to visit her husband-to-be in Armorica, a province in nearby Gaul. A great storm carried her boat (assuming more than one with 11,000 handmaidens) to the port of Armorica in one night. She decided before marriage she would undergo a pilgrimage that would take her around all of Europe. Upon reaching Rome, she persuaded a Pope Cyriacus and a prominent bishop to join her and her handmaidens in their journey. (Strangely, there is no Pope Cyriacus, so we can assume that this is a local variant or misinterpretation of a particular Pontiff's papal name - it derives from the Greek "of the Lord".) In a cruel twist of fate Ursula and her companions, upon reaching Cologne, found the Huns attacking the city. Saint Ursula was fatally shot with an arrow, and her 11,000 handmaidens were summarily beheaded (by axe according to British tradition), all dying as virgin martyrs.

Versions of her story are both prolific and varied. The definitive source is the inscription found in the choir of the Church of St. Ursula in Cologne, which reads:

DIVINIS FLAMMEIS VISIONIB. FREQVENTER 

ADMONIT. ET VIRTVTIS MAGNÆ MAI 

IESTATIS MARTYRII CAELESTIVM VIRGIN 

IMMINENTIVM EX PARTIB. ORIENTIS 

EXSIBITVS PRO VOTO CLEMATIVS V. C. DE 

PROPRIO IN LOCO SVO HANC BASILICA 

VOTO QVOD DEBEBAT A FVNDAMENTIS 

RESTITVIT SI QVIS AVTEM SVPER TANTAM 

MAIIESTATEM HVIIVS BASILICÆ VBI SANC 

TAE VIRGINES PRO NOMINE. XPI. SAN 

GVINEM SVVM FVDERVNT CORPVS ALICVIIVS 

DEPOSVERIT EXCEPTIS VIRCINIB. SCIAT SE 

SEMPITERNIS TARTARI IGNIB. PVNIENDVM

This text is vague, and although it is felt the first part of the inscription (the first eight lines up to 'RESTITVIT') is from the fifth century, the latter section appears to be from the ninth. It speaks of no specific number of virgins nor of the time of their demise, but that Clematis received visions of traveling to that spot and building a church to the martyred virgins. In subsequent accounts, the virgins number as few as two and as many as 11,000. 

What is certain is that there was a tradition of virgin martyrs in Cologne by the 5th century. The most popular account is given by James of Voragine as related in his 'Golden Legend', and his 13th century retelling of the story repeats the assertion first found in the 9th century that there were 11,000 virgins. Some have proposed that it is because of a misreading of the name 'Undecimillia' or 'Ximillia' as the numeral 11,000. Or an abbreviated XI. M. V. interpreted as 'Eleven Thousand Virgins' when it could be 'Eleven Martyred Virgins.' One ninth century account describes the discovery of the relics of young virgin martyrs, one of whom were 11 years old (undecimilia), misinterpreted in subsequent relations as undicimila, i.e. 11,000. Another proposal is the confusion of cum militibus ("with soldiers") with cum millibus ("with thousands"). James of Voragine seems to unify all the accounts by giving Ursula ten companions, and each of them, Ursula included, had one thousand handmaidens in attendance.

In the twelfth century, numerous remains were found at Cologne and were cut up and distributed across Europe as relics, believed to be the remains of the holy 11,000. Later investigation shows that some were the remains of men and boys, and it is felt that it may have been a forgotten burial ground. 

A modern theory purports that Ursula is a memory or masque of the Teutonic goddess Freyja, who under the name Horsel (note the similarity with Ursula), welcomed the souls of dead maidens. Ursula itself means 'little she-bear.'

So despite popular acclaim, it is because of these considerations and discrepancies that Saint Ursula and the 11,000 have received a marked lack of support by latter hagiographers and church officials (including removal from the official calendar at Vatican II), but her cult was (and is) highly popular amongst the people. Hildegard of Bingen composed numerous chants in their honor. A personal favorite chant in Ursula's honor  is Hildegard's 'O rubor sanguinis' (O Ruby Blood):

O rubor sanguinis,

qui de excelso illo fluxisti,

quod divinitas tetigit,

tu flos es,

quem hiems de flatu serpentis

num quam lesit.

O ruby blood

which flowed from on high

where divinity touched.

You are a flower

that the winter of the serpent's breath

can never injure.

A beautiful rendition of this by Anonymous 4 of this same Antiphon can be heard here.

Regardless of the historical reality of Ursula and the 11,000, they remain an inspiration and testament of faith to many. Martyrs automatically receive the blessings of sainthood, and are 'with God'. This means that the 11,000 and Saint Ursula are able to petition on our behalf, to bend the ear of God should we pray for their intercession and aide. The patronage of the 11,000 extends especially to those under siege, and there are many accounts in Mexico and the Caribbean of special petitions to Ursula and the Virgins in the many periods of tumultuous conflict from competing European crowns for territory. 

The blood of martyrs is the seed of the Church

- Tertullian, 2nd Century Church Father

It is here I find the true power of this truth - it is for the martyrs who knew the love of God so strongly that their faith is unshaken, even unto death. These martyrs inspire others to live a life of faith. It is by our actions, by living our faith, not describing it, that we bear witness to the glory of God. For healers, this is a powerful reminder - it is part of the don, the gift of healing, that you do exercise it. It is part of your destiny, your makeup, that you heal people. Through the curandero, people come to know the power of God. In doing what we are destined we participate in God, building a Church far better than any building of brick and stone, and truly helping others on their path by walking our own.

It is worth noting an alternate given for the number eleven, which I have only found in the medieval Latin version, which reads: 

Undecim stellae a Josepho visae

The eleven stars seen by Joseph

This refers to the passage in Genesis 37, where Joseph recounts a dream he had where the Sun, the Moon and 11 stars bowed down to him. Jacob (Israel), his father, interpreted the dream, asking "Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come and bow down to the ground before you?” 

Illustration by Owen Jones from
"The History of Joseph and His Brethren", Day & Son, 1869

Joseph's relating of his dreams to his brothers incensed them to the point of selling him off. Were his dreams for him alone? Is this a warning to speak guardedly about our insights? Surely there is a naïveté about Joseph's retelling of his dreams, but his innocence is part of his character - he must go through his destined trials and tribulations to save Israel in the future from starvation. Hardships to save Israel? Sounds familiar.

Many have interpreted this dream not only as a reference to the Israelites coming to Egypt to survive the famine of Canaan, but also as a messianic reference. In fact, Joseph's life and trials are often paralleled with the Messiah. Perhaps then, it is no coincidence that Jesus was the adopted son of another Joseph? Certainly the Essene belief was such that the historical Jesus was a son of Joseph, and that the second coming would be a Messiah who was the son of David. Two messiah figures, twain in nature.

The Virgin of Guadalupe:
the 'Woman clothed with the Sun'
of Revelation 12?

It is also worth saying that for many bible scholars, this particular dream of Joseph is linked to the passage in Chapter 12 of the Book of Revelation that describes the 'woman clothed with the sun'. The passage alludes that it is the Messiah she is about to birth, under threat of being consumed by the seven headed, ten horned Red Dragon. Here the twelve stars (as Joseph is now amongst his brothers), Sun, and Moon all show obeisance to the woman, who is to give birth to a child "who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron", itself a reference to Psalms 2:9, indicated this child is the Messiah. She is the land and people of Israel herself, personified, crying out in pain, echoing the tumult that both surrounds the period of Jesus' birth, as well as the great hardships to come that will birth the return of the Messiah. Many have also drawn parallel between the Guadalupana and the same verse. It is not a stretch, visibly.

I do like to ponder how this particular truth could be meditated upon - certainly not to endorse the hubristic embrace of self-importance, but perhaps to remember that it is always the power of Christ that is the true owner of this reverence and power. Whether for you this is the literal historical figure of Christ or an alignment with the light of Christ in a gnostic interpretation, or other varied interpretations, is of no matter. I believe with the stars of Joseph there is both a call to the assumption of power, the power of God, as well as the embrace of humility before the Throne as well. It is a witness to our trials and to our faith in the supremacy and promise of Messianic salvation, whether through surrender to it or incorporation and self-empowerment within it. Joseph never attributed his power to dream or to interpret to himself, but rather, always to God. (Genesis 40:8)

Further Resources for Saint Ursula and the 11,000 Virgins:

New Advent: Saint Ursula and the Eleven Thousand Virgins

The Golden Legend: The Story of Saint Ursula and the Virgins

The Ecole Initiative: Ursula

Echoes from the Gnosis: The Mediæval Cult of Saint Ursula

for The Eleven Stars and Dreams of Joseph:

Interpreting Joseph's Dream

Revelation Commentary: Chapter 12

Enduring Word: Revelation Chapter 12

Continued in Part III