Prologue and Opening Song

Prologue

THE HOLY GHOST

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.

ALL

(sung from offstage) YOU ARE PETER, AND UPON THIS ROCK I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH.


"This Church Will Stand"

(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 ...

NICHOLAS

FREED FROM THE YOKE OF THE RULERS IN CONSTANTINOPLE.

ANASTASIUS

RAISING AN ARMY TO PROTECT OUR INDEPENDENCE.

ABBOT

PLOTTING POSITIONS TO DEFEND OUR LAND.

NUN

NOT QUITE THE DOMINATION WE HAD PLANNED.

ALL

ROME IS SACKED.

ONCE ATTACKED,

CAN THIS CHURCH STAND?

THE HOLY GHOST

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.)

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