Characters from the Protévangile and the Evangile de l'Enfance

73.5 «What a calamity! You will not find many of those Sarah said You want to meet and visit. Many were killed, many ran away, many… who knows!… missing, and it has never been known whether they died in the desert or were killed in jail as a punishment for their rebellion. But was it a rebellion? And who would have remained inactive allowing so many innocents to be slaughtered? No, it is unfair that Levi and Elias should still be alive when so many innocents are dead!»

«Who are those two, and what did they do?»

«Well… at least You will have heard of the slaughter. The slaughter by Herod… Over a thousand babies slaughtered in town, almost another thousand in the country. And they were all, or almost all, males, because in their fury, in the darkness, in the scuffle, the killers tore away from their cradles, from their mother’s beds, from the houses they assailed, also some baby girls, and they pierced them like sucking baby gazelles shot down by archers. Well: why all that? Because a group of shepherds, who had obviously drank a huge quantity of cider to stand the intense night cold, in a frenzy of excitement, stated they had seen angels, heard songs, received instructions… and they said to us of Bethlehem: “Come. Adore. The Messiah is born”. Just imagine: the Messiah in a cave!

(...)

73.7 «Where do Levi and Elias live now?»

«Do You know them?» The man becomes suspicious.

«I do not know them. Their faces are unknown to Me. But they are unhappy, and I always have mercy on the unhappy. I want to go and see them.»

«Well, You will be the first one after about thirty years. They are still shepherds and they work for a rich Herodian from Jerusalem, who has taken possession of a lot of the property belonging to the people killed… There is always someone making a profit! You will find them with their herds on the high grounds towards Hebron. But this is my advice: don’t let anyone from Bethlehem see You speaking to them. You would suffer from it. We bear them because… because of the Herodian. Otherwise…»

«Oh! Hatred! Why hate?»

«Because it is just. They have done us harm.»

«They thought they were doing good.»

«But they did harm. Let them be harmed. We should have killed them, as they had so many people killed through their stupidity. But we had become stupid ourselves and later… there was the Herodian.»

«So, even if he had not been there, after the first desire for revenge, which was still excusable, would you have killed them?»

«We would kill them even now, if we were not afraid of their master.»

«Man, I tell you, do not hate. Do not wish evil things. Do not be anxious to do evil things. There is no fault here. But even if there was, forgive. Forgive in the name of God. Tell the other people of Bethlehem as well. When your hearts are free from hatred, the Messiah will come; you will know Him then, because He is alive. He already existed when the massacre took place. I am telling you. It was Satan’s fault, not the fault of the shepherds and of the sorcerers that the massacre took place. The Messiah was born here for you, He came to bring the Light to the land of His fathers. The Son of a Virgin Mother of the line of David, in the ruins of the house of David, He granted a stream of Graces to the world, and a new life to mankind…»

«Go away! Get out of here! You are a follower of that false Messiah, Who could but be false, because He brought misfortune to us here in Bethlehem. You are defending Him, so…»

«Be silent, man. I am a Judaean and I have influential friends. I could make you feel sorry for your insult» bursts out Judas, getting hold of the peasant’s garments, and shaking him in a fit of violent anger.

«No, No, out of here! I don’t want trouble with the people of Bethlehem or with Rome or Herod. Go away, you cursed ones, if you don’t want me to leave my mark on you… Out!»

«Let us go, Judas. Do not react. Let us leave him in his hatred. God will not enter where there is bitter hatred. Let us go.»

«Yes, we will go. But you will pay for it.»

«No, Judas, do not say that. They are blind… We shall meet so many on My way.»

They go out following Simon and John, who are already outside, speaking to the woman, round the corner of the stable.

«Forgive my husband, Lord. I did not think I was going to cause so much trouble… Here, take these. You will eat them tomorrow morning. They are newly laid. I have nothing else… Forgive us. Where will You sleep?» (She gives Him some eggs).

«Do not worry. I know where to go. Go and peace be with you for your kindness. Goodbye.»

• Elijah of Bethlehem (shepherd of the Nativity)
• Levi of Bethlehem (shepherd of the Nativity)

And did the mouth of a Prophet not say: “A shoot springs from the stock of Jesse, a scion thrusts from his roots”? Jesse, David’s father, was born here. Is the shoot on the stock, cut at its roots by tyrannical usurpation, is it not the “Virgin” Who will give birth to Her Son, conceived not by deed of man, otherwise She would not be a virgin, but by divine will, whereby He will be the “Emmanuel” because: Son of God, He will be God and bring God among the people of God, as His name proclaims?

• Incarnation
• Jesus Christ - God-Man
• Jesus Christ - Son of God
• The Virgin Mary
• Virginity of the Virgin Mary

When your hearts are free from hatred, the Messiah will come; you will know Him then, because He is alive. He already existed when the massacre took place. I am telling you. It was Satan’s fault, not the fault of the shepherds and of the sorcerers that the massacre took place. The Messiah was born here for you, He came to bring the Light to the land of His fathers. The Son of a Virgin Mother of the line of David, in the ruins of the house of David, He granted a stream of Graces to the world, and a new life to mankind…

• Messiah
• Virginity of the Virgin Mary

«And yet… My friends, here the night of the twenty-fifth of Chislev, Feast of the Lights, Jesus Christ, was born of the Virgin, the Emmanuel, the Word of God made flesh, for the love of man: I Who am speaking to you . Also then, as now, the world was deaf to the voices of Heaven speaking to the hearts of men… and it rejected the Mother… and here… No, Judas, do not avert your eyes in disgust from those fluttering noctules, from those green lizards, from those cobwebs, do not lift with disgust your beautiful embroidered mantle, lest it may trail on the ground covered with animal excrement. Those noctules are the daughters’ daughters of the ones that were the first toys to be tossed before the eyes of the Child, for Whom the angels sang the “Gloria” heard by the shepherds, intoxicated only by an ecstatic joy, a true joy. The emerald green of those lizards was the first colour to strike My eyes, the first, after My Mother’s white face and dress. Those cobwebs were the canopy of My royal cradle. This ground… oh! you may tread on it without disdain… It is littered with excrement… but it is sanctified by Her foot, the foot of the Holy, the Most Holy, Pure, Immaculate Mother of God, Who gave birth, because She was to give birth, because God, not man, told Her and covered Her with His shadow. She, the Faultless One, trod on it. You can tread on it, too. And may the purity diffused by Her, by the will of God, rise from the soles of your feet to your heart…»

• Immaculate Conception
• Incarnation
• Jesus Christ - Word of God
• The Virgin Mary
• The Virgin Mary - Mother of God
• Virginity of the Virgin Mary

• Anne of Bethlehem
• Jesus Christ
• Judas de Kérioth (apostle)
• Locations - Anne of Bethlehem Hospital House
• Locations - Bethlehem of Judea
• Massacre of the Innocents
• Summary of EMV

• Purity of affection between Jesus and Mary
• The Virgin Mary

74.2 «Let us go.»

«Where, Master?»

«To Bethlehem.»

«Again? I do not think the situation is a favourable one for us…»

«It does not matter. Let us go. I want to show you where the Magi came and where I was.»

• Locations - Anne of Bethlehem Hospital House
• Three Kings (Epiphany)

Judas is the first to enter. He looks around. Full of haughtiness, he seizes a dirty hostler in short sleeves, that is with a sleeveless short tunic, reaching down to his knees. «Hostler!» he shouts. «The landlord! Quick! Be quick. I am not used to be kept waiting for people.»

The boy runs away, dragging a broom behind him.

«But Judas! What manners!»

«Be quiet, Master. Leave me alone. It is important that they consider us rich people coming from town.»

The landlord rushes in and he bends down repeatedly in front of Judas, who is impressive in Jesus’ dark red mantle worn on top of his sumptious yellow tunic full of fringes.

«We have come from far, man. We are Judaeans of the Asiatic communities. This gentleman, born in Bethlehem and persecuted, is now looking for some dear friends. We are with Him. We have come from Jerusalem, where we worshipped the Most High in His House. Can You give us some information?»

«My lord… your servant… will do everything for you. Give me your orders.»

«We want some information on many… and particularly on Anne, the woman whose house was opposite your hotel.»

«Oh! poor woman! You will find her only in Abraham’s bosom. And her children with her.»

«Is she dead? How?»

«Don’t you know of Herod’s massacre? The whole world talked about it and even Caesar called him “a pig who feeds on blood”. Oh! What have I said? Don’t report me! Are you really a Judaean?»

«Here is the sign of my tribe. So? Speak up.»

«Anne was killed by Herod’s soldiers, with all her children, except one daughter.»

«But why? She was so good?»

«Did you know her?»

«Yes, very well.» Judas lies shamelessly.

«She was killed because she gave hospitality to those who said they were the father and mother of the Messiah…

74.4 Come here, into this room… Walls have ears and it is dangerous to talk about certain things.»

They go into a low dark room. They sit down on a low couch.

«Now… I am very clever. I am not a hotel keeper for nothing. I was born here, the son of sons of hotel keepers. I have malice in my blood. And I did not take them. I could have found a hole for them. But… poor, unknown Galileans as they were… Oh! no! Hezekiah will not fall into the trap! And I felt… I felt they were different… that woman… Her eyes… something… no, no… She must have had a demon inside Her and She spoke to him. And She brought him… not to me… but to town. Anne was more innocent than a little lamb, and she gave them hospitality a few days later, when She already had the Child. They said He was the Messiah… Oh! the money I made during those days! The census was nothing like it! Many people came here who had nothing to do with the census. They came even from the seaside, even from Egypt to see… and it lasted for months! What a profit I made! The last to come were three kings, three powerful people, three sorcerers… I would not know! What a train! An endless one! They took all the stables and they paid in gold for so much hay that could have lasted a month, and they went away the following day, leaving it all here. And what gifts they gave to the hostlers and the women! And to me! Oh! I can only speak well of the Messiah, whether He was a true or false one. He made me earn bags of money. And I had no disasters. None of My family died, because I had just got married. So… but the others!»

74.5 «We would like to see the places of the slaughter.»

«The places? But every house was a place of slaughter. There were people killed for miles around Bethlehem. Come with me.»

They go up a staircase into a large terraced roof. From it, one can see a lot of countryside and the whole of Bethlehem spread on the hills like an open fan.

«Can you see the ruined spots? Over there also the houses were burnt down because the fathers defended their children with their weapons. Can you see over there that kind of well covered with ivy? Those are the remains of the synagogue. It was burnt down with the ruler of the synagogue who stated that it was the Messiah. It was burnt down by the survivors, who were wild because of the slaughter of their children. We had trouble for that after… And over there, and there, there… see those sepulchres? The victims are buried there… They look like little sheep spread all over the green, as far as the eye can see. All the innocents and their fathers and mothers… See that vat? Its water was red after the killers washed weapons and hands in it. And the brook at the back here, did you see it? It was pink because of the blood which had flowed into it from the sewers. And there, over there, in front of us. That is what is left of Anne’s house.»

Jesus is crying.

«Did You know her well?»

Judas replies: «She was like a sister for His Mother. Is that right, my friend?»

Jesus replies simply: «Yes.»

«I understand» remarks the hotel keeper who becomes pensive.

74.6 Jesus bends forward to speak to Judas in a low voice.

«My friend would like to go on those ruins» says Judas.

«Let Him go! They belong to everybody!»

They go downstairs, say goodbye and go out. The host is disappointed. Perhaps he was hoping to earn something.

• Hezekiah (Bethlehem innkeeper)

«We have come from far, man. We are Judaeans of the Asiatic communities. This gentleman, born in Bethlehem and persecuted, is now looking for some dear friends. We are with Him. We have come from Jerusalem, where we worshipped the Most High in His House. Can You give us some information?»

«My lord… your servant… will do everything for you. Give me your orders.»

«We want some information on many… and particularly on Anne, the woman whose house was opposite your hotel.»

«Oh! poor woman! You will find her only in Abraham’s bosom. And her children with her.»

«Is she dead? How?»

«Don’t you know of Herod’s massacre? The whole world talked about it and even Caesar called him “a pig who feeds on blood”. Oh! What have I said? Don’t report me! Are you really a Judaean?»

«Here is the sign of my tribe. So? Speak up.»

«Anne was killed by Herod’s soldiers, with all her children, except one daughter.»

«But why? She was so good?»

«Did you know her?»

«Yes, very well.» Judas lies shamelessly.

«She was killed because she gave hospitality to those who said they were the father and mother of the Messiah…

74.4

Come here, into this room… Walls have ears and it is dangerous to talk about certain things.»

They go into a low dark room. They sit down on a low couch.

«Now… I am very clever. I am not a hotel keeper for nothing. I was born here, the son of sons of hotel keepers. I have malice in my blood. And I did not take them. I could have found a hole for them. But… poor, unknown Galileans as they were… Oh! no! Hezekiah will not fall into the trap! And I felt… I felt they were different… that woman… Her eyes… something… no, no… She must have had a demon inside Her and She spoke to him. And She brought him… not to me… but to town. Anne was more innocent than a little lamb, and she gave them hospitality a few days later, when She already had the Child. They said He was the Messiah… Oh! the money I made during those days! The census was nothing like it! Many people came here who had nothing to do with the census. They came even from the seaside, even from Egypt to see… and it lasted for months! What a profit I made! The last to come were three kings, three powerful people, three sorcerers… I would not know! What a train! An endless one! They took all the stables and they paid in gold for so much hay that could have lasted a month, and they went away the following day, leaving it all here. And what gifts they gave to the hostlers and the women! And to me! Oh! I can only speak well of the Messiah, whether He was a true or false one. He made me earn bags of money. And I had no disasters. None of My family died, because I had just got married. So… but the others!»

74.5

«We would like to see the places of the slaughter.»

«The places? But every house was a place of slaughter. There were people killed for miles around Bethlehem. Come with me.»

They go up a staircase into a large terraced roof. From it, one can see a lot of countryside and the whole of Bethlehem spread on the hills like an open fan.

«Can you see the ruined spots? Over there also the houses were burnt down because the fathers defended their children with their weapons. Can you see over there that kind of well covered with ivy? Those are the remains of the synagogue. It was burnt down with the ruler of the synagogue who stated that it was the Messiah. It was burnt down by the survivors, who were wild because of the slaughter of their children. We had trouble for that after… And over there, and there, there… see those sepulchres? The victims are buried there… They look like little sheep spread all over the green, as far as the eye can see. All the innocents and their fathers and mothers… See that vat? Its water was red after the killers washed weapons and hands in it. And the brook at the back here, did you see it? It was pink because of the blood which had flowed into it from the sewers. And there, over there, in front of us. That is what is left of Anne’s house.»

Jesus is crying.

«Did You know her well?»

Judas replies: «She was like a sister for His Mother. Is that right, my friend?»

Jesus replies simply: «Yes.»

«I understand» remarks the hotel keeper who becomes pensive.

74.6

Jesus bends forward to speak to Judas in a low voice.

«My friend would like to go on those ruins» says Judas.

«Let Him go! They belong to everybody!»

They go downstairs, say goodbye and go out. The host is disappointed. Perhaps he was hoping to earn something.

They cross the square. And they climb the little staircase still left.

«From here» says Jesus, «My Mother made Me wave My hand to the Three Wise Men and we left from here to go to Egypt.»

People look at the four men on the ruins. One asks: «Are they relatives of Anne?»

«They are friends.»

A woman shouts: «Don’t do any harm to the poor dead woman, don’t you do it, as her other friends did when she was alive, and then they ran away.»

Jesus is standing on the landing against the little wall enclosing it. He is therefore about two metres higher up than the square, with nothing behind Him. The outline of His figure is clearly cut against the sun shining behind Him: it forms a halo around His golden hair and makes His snow white linen tunic look even whiter, as it is the only garment on Him, since His mantle has slipped off His shoulders and is now lying at His feet like a multicoloured pedestal. Further back, there is the green unkempt background of what was Anne’s kitchen garden and field, now laid waste and strewn with debris.

• Anne of Bethlehem
• Massacre of the Innocents
• Three Kings (Epiphany)

«Don’t you know of Herod’s massacre? The whole world talked about it and even Caesar called him “a pig who feeds on blood”.

• César
• Herod the Great