Following this doctrinal introduction, we continue by presenting the following considerations:
A) With respect to human wayfarers in this fallen world, who only possess the natural estate: they are greatly restricted in their operations of memory, understanding and will owing to the disharmony that reigns between soul and accidental body, a matter already amply dealt with in this treatise. Thus man, in order to know or understand the mysteries or things he perceives with the spiritual supersenses and with the corporal senses, needs to realize with the three faculties of the soul a laborious act of reasoning or deliberation. This act of reasoning may have diverse results: Sometimes, man with clarity and precision comes to the knowledge or understanding of the truth about the mysteries or things he perceives; at other times, he only attains to imprecise, confused and even mistaken
knowledge or understanding. This is why a human being, while capable of making clear, determinant and irrevocable decisions when he comes to understand a mystery or thing clearly, is subject, nevertheless, when the contrary occurs, to changes of opinion and decision, and therefore to the need of reasoning anew to attain to the truth about that which he wishes to know. Though the knowledge or understanding of the things he perceives is fruit of the efforts of his reasoning, man, nevertheless, enlightened by grace, or assisted as well by other special gifts both natural and supernatural, can be capable of discernment and of understanding with greater agility and penetration than what is normal for his fallen rational nature, which can give him the occasion for more lucid, correct and determinant decisions.
B) With respect to the beatified man, that is to say he who already enjoys heavenly glory, we must bear in mind that:
1) In his natural estate:
In what concerns his merely natural qualities, the beatified man possesses great spontaneity, agility and subtlety in the operations of his memory, understanding and will; given that he is also assisted by a lofty infused knowledge and acquired knowledge. With its spiritual supersenses, the blessed soul perceives both spiritual and material mysteries or things. However, when in Heaven the three elements of the human person are united, the blessed soul continues to perceive, with its spiritual supersenses, spiritual mysteries or things; and at the same time, and only through the senses of his accidental body, does it perceive material mysteries or things. In the beatified man, the acts of reasoning and understanding through the operations of the three faculties of his soul are always clear, spontaneous, agile and subtle, as with the Angels, without there arising any doubt or error. This implies that when he makes a decision about what he understands or knows, it is always determinant and irrevocable. The beatified man perceives a mystery or thing in an instant. The instant after having perceived it, he reasons about it. And the instant after having reasoned about it he understands it. When he makes a decision about the mystery or thing he understands, he does so in another instant, which may or may not immediately follow the instant of understanding. The spontaneity, agility and subtlety with which the blessed man reasons about and understands a mystery or thing constitute the intuition with which he reasons and understands in his natural estate. In certain human beings in Heaven this intuition may be equal and also superior to that of the angels. It is well to make clear that in Heaven the essential and accidental bodies - being in the glorified state - of those already risen, in nowise hinder or restrict the spontaneity, agility and subtlety of the operations of the soul, since there exists most perfect harmony between the three united elements of the human person in heaven. We apply to beatified man, in the degree corresponding to each,the same doctrine previously expounded concerning the Angels with regard to the knowledge and lack of knowledge of mysteries contained in the Sacred Treasure of Divine Revelation, whether these have been revealed to the Church or not. We also apply to beatified man the same doctrine concerning the acts of conjecturing and deducing which we previously taught in relation to the Angels.
2) In his supernatural estate:
In what concerns his beatific qualities and gifts, the operations of the beatified man, albeit in keeping with his nature, are similar to those previously mentioned in relation to angelic beings.
C) As for the inhabitants of the Planet of Mary, the same doctrine given above concerning the beatified man applies, in the degree that corresponds to them.
D) With respect to the Holy Souls of Purgatory, who possess only the natural estate, we apply, in the degree that corresponds to them, the same doctrine given above concerning beatified man in what refers to the merely human gifts and qualities or natural estate.
E) With respect to human beings in Hell we must bear in mind that:
1) In the natural estate:
In what concerns their merely natural qualities, a man who is damned also possesses spontaneity, agility and subtlety in the operations of his memory, understanding and will; for he is also assisted by infused knowledge and acquired knowledge, albeit in a greatly restricted degree, With its spiritual supersenses the damned soul perceives both spiritual and material mysteries or things. However, when the three elements of the human person are united in Hell, with its spiritual supersenses the damned soul continues to perceive spiritual mysteries or things; and at the same time, and only through the senses of his accidental body, does it perceive material mysteries or things. In the damned, the acts of reasoning and understanding through the operations of the three faculties of his soul are spontaneous, agile and subtle, with diverse effects: Sometimes, a reprobate man knows the truth about the mysteries or things he perceives with clarity and precision; at other times, he knows it imperfectly and imprecisely; at others, very confusedly; and at others, in a completely mistaken manner. In other words, in their acts of reasoning, understanding and deciding, damned human beings operate after the fashion of demons. Furthermore, it is well to state that the reprobate man perceives a mystery or thing in an instant. The instant after having perceived it, he reasons about it. And the instant after having reasoned about it, he understands it. When he makes a decision about the mystery or thing he understands, he does so in another instant, which may or may not immediately follow the instant of understanding it. The spontaneity, agility and subtlety with which the damned human being reasons about and understands a mystery or thing constitute the intuition with which he reasons and understands in his natural estate. It is well to clarify that in Hell the essential and accidental bodies of those already risen, for their greater suffering often hinder and restrict the spontaneity, agility and subtlety of the operations of the soul, since there exists complete disharmony between the united three elements of the damned human person. We apply to damned human beings, in the degree corresponding to each, the same doctrine previously expounded concerning the fallen angels with regard to the knowledge and lack of knowledge of Mysteries contained in the Sacred Treasure of Divine Revelation, whether they have been revealed to the Church or not. We also apply to men who are damned the same doctrine concerning the acts of conjecturing and deducing which we previously taught in relation to the fallen angels; and like to these, damned human beings are subject to the veiling of their faculties, to being vigilant, to scrutinizing and to weighing up the circumstances, and to changes in their decisions and plans, given their lack of knowledge of many mysteries or things.
2) The infranatural estate is a state below what is proper to human nature, and so damned men possess in it qualities greatly inferior to those proper to their nature. In the infranatural estate, damned men, while continuing to use the three faculties of the soul as likewise the five spiritual supersenses and also the five corporal senses of the body for those already risen, though in a more limited manner than in their natural estate, have infused knowledge completely veiled. Therefore, in the infranatural estate, damned men always operate with their memory, understanding and will in an aberrant, chaotic and brutal manner. The infranatural estate is given to them because of their condition of reprobates.
F) As for the inhabitants of the Planet of Lucifer, the same doctrine given above concerning damned human beings in Hell applies, in the degree that corresponds to them.
87. We avail ourselves of this interruption of the Acts of the Apostles to introduce other doctrinal questions. When he infallibly structured the chronology of the Bible, Pope Gregory XVII infallibly taught that God, in His divine plans, prolonged and reduced the days at determined moments of the course of the universe, as follows:
«It is infallible doctrine that after the cessation of the rain of the universal Deluge until the descent of the waters, God prolonged the days.»
«It is infallible doctrine that when we refer to the descent of the waters after the Deluge, we are saying descent of the waters to sea level as we now understand it.»
«It is infallible doctrine that from the year of the Immaculate Conception of the Divine Mary, 5180, until the Birth of Our Lord Jesus Christ in the year 5199 inclusive, God reduced the days in suchwise that each of these years had exactly 365 days. Therefore it is not possible to introduce leap years into that period.»
«It is infallible doctrine that from the Coming of the Holy Ghost upon the Apostolic College until the glorious Assumption of the Most Holy Virgin Mary into Heaven in Body and Soul, God prolonged the days.»
«It is infallible doctrine that from the Assumption of the Divine Mary into Heaven in Body and Soul until the destruction of Jerusalem, God reduced the days.»
«It is infallible doctrine that at the time of the Antichrist, from the moment he reaches 12 years of age until he reaches the age of 30, the days will be prolonged.»
«It is infallible doctrine that at the time of the Antichrist, during the period of his satanic reign, the days will be reduced.»
His Holiness Pope Gregory XVII also makes some clarifications with regard to determined biblical dates, as follows:
«It is infallible doctrine that the dates which appear in the narrative of the universal Flood correspond to a lunar year in the life of the Holy Patriarch Noe,»
«It is infallible doctrine that the 17th day of the second month of the 600th year of the Holy Patriarch Noe corresponds to the 1st of January of the year 2242 of the Creation of the world.»
«It is infallible doctrine that the 27th day of the second month of the 601st year of the Holy Patriarch Noe corresponds to the 31st of December of the year 2242 of the Creation of the world.»
«It is infallible doctrine that in virtue of the prolongation of the days realized by God during the universal Flood, it came to pass that the year 2242 was a year of 366 days.»
«It is infallible doctrine that on the 28th day of the second month of the 601st year of the Holy Patriarch Noe, or what is the same, on the 1st of January of the year 2243, the Holy Patriarch Noe offered pleasing sacrifice to God, and God sealed a covenant with the Holy Patriarch.»
On the 12th of July 1986, His Holiness Pope Gregory XVII also defined that «it is infallible doctrine that in virtue of the reform introduced in the calendar by our revered predecessor Pope Gregory XIII, today is Saturday the 12th of July 1986; or what is the same, Saturday the 12th of July of the year 7185 of the Creation of the world.»
88. We now further complete the teachings on the miraculous event of the universal Flood, bearing in mind Holy Scripture and the dogmatic definitions of His Holiness Pope Gregory XVII. We set out the following events:
a) During the year of Creation 2241:
On Friday the 25th of December the pairs of the different species of animals began to enter the ark.
b) During the year of Creation 2242:
On Friday the 1st of January, with all the animals now inside the Ark, Noe and his family entered. The Patriarch, who as we know solemnly carried the Triple Benediction, was the last to enter.
On Friday the 15th of January, at dawn, the Deluge began.
On Wednesday the 1Oth of February, at dawn, the Deluge ceased.
From the 1st of January, the waters in their continuous rise had completely covered the earth by the 10th of February. His Holiness Pope Gregory XVII teaches that «when it is said that the waters prevailed upon the earth for 150 days, it means from the same 1st of January until the 29th of May inclusive.»
On the 30th of May, when the waters were still 15 cubits above the Himalayas, the Holy Ghost in the form of a dove, hovering over them, breathed impetuously, and they began to descend vertiginously» (dogmatic Definition of His Holiness Pope Gregory XVII). This teaching interprets the following words of Genesis which relate that God «made a wind to come upon the earth and the waters were abated» (Gen. VIII, 1).
«On the 6th of June, with the waters still 9 metres above Mount Ararat, the Holy Ghost in the form of a dove alighted upon the upper part of the Ark, breathed, and the vessel went aground with a thundering crash» (dogmatic Definition of His Holiness Pope Gregory XVII). We teach that the 6th of June corresponds to the biblical date of the 27th day of the seventh month (Gen. VIII, 4).
«On the 6th of August the peaks of the mountains of the area, beginning with Ararat, the highest mountain of the region, were exposed» (dogmatic Definition of His Holiness Pope Gregory XVII). We teach that the 6th of August corresponds to the biblical date of the 1st day of the tenth month (Gen. VIII, 5).
On the 15th of September, that is 40 days after the 6th of August, Noe released the raven.
On Saturday the 15th of October, Noe for the first time released the Dove, which was the Divine Soul of Mary manifested under that figure, and which returned to the Ark the same day.
On Saturday the 22nd of October, that is seven days later, Noe released the same Dove for the second time, which returned the same evening carrying in its beak a green-leafed olive sprig, which was the Most Divine Soul of Christ manifested under that figure. On that day the waters had by then subsided to sea level as we now understand it; that is, the waters had completely drawn back from the land. From the end of the Deluge on the 10th of February, until the waters had completely subsided on the 22nd of October, 255 days had passed, since February miraculously had 29 days; wherefore the year 2242 was a leap year, though not corresponding.
On Saturday the 29th of October, that is, seven days later, Noe released the same Dove for the third time, and She did not return. In other words the Divine Soul of Mary mysteriously ceased to be visible under that form; though She, in virtue of Her sacramental presence in the Triple Benediction, remained inside the Ark.
On Saturday the 5th of November, which corresponds to the biblical date of the 1st day of the first month of the year 601 (Gen. VIII, 13), Noe opened a window in the Ark’s deck, looked out and observed that all the land within sight was now dry.
On Saturday the 31st of December, which corresponds to the biblical date of the 27th day of the second month (Gen. VIII, 14), the whole earth was by then dry. On that same day the raven returned to the Ark, since according to the divine plan it had officially to depart paired with the others of its species, for thus must be interpreted verses 6 and 7 of chapter VIII of Genesis: «...sent forth a raven: which went forth, and did not return till the waters dried up upon the earth.»
c) During the year of Creation 2243:
Shortly before midday on Sunday the 1st of January, God commanded Noe that all should leave the Ark. At 12 p.m. or midday that day, Noe, bearing the Triple Benediction, left the Ark, followed by his family and then all the animals. Noe therefore was the first to tread the earth now purified, embellished, and richly fertile.
At 3 p.m. on that same day, the 1st of January, upon an altar Noe offered to God the sacrifice of sweet savour mentioned in the biblical text (Gen. VIII, 20-21).
We further enrich the teaching on the universal Flood with the following dogmatic Definition of His Holiness Pope Gregory XVII:
«It is infallible doctrine that on the 1st of January of the year 2242 of the creation of the world, before the universal Deluge began, the world’s population was somewhat in excess of eight thousand million human beings.» Wherefore we teach that when the universal Deluge came, there were approximately somewhat more than two thousand million inhabitants more than are presently on earth. This vast number of human beings that populated the earth prior to the Flood was due to the longevity of man at that time, to the copious fecundity of woman and to other factors favouring multiplication.
89. His Holiness Pope Gregory XVII declares: «it is infallible doctrine that when in dogmatic Definitions it is taught that at different epochs God prolonged or reduced the days, it must be understood that God altered the rotation of the earth.» «It is infallible doctrine that when in dogmatic Definitions it is taught that God prolonged or reduced the days, it must be understood that in the alteration to the earth’s rotation the days became longer or shorter as the case may be, wherefore the year had a greater or lesser number of days; but the real time corresponding to the whole length of the year remained unaltered. For example, the year of the universal Flood was as we know one of 366 days, but the number of hours, minutes and seconds corresponded to a year of 365 days.» We further clarify the dogmatic Definitions: In the prolongation or increase in number of days, God shortened the duration of the days of the year, so that the year had a day or fraction of a day more, as the case may be, This was due to the fact that the rotation of the earth on its axis was miraculously quicker, In the reduction or decrease in number of days, God lengthened the duration of the days of the year, so that the year had a day or fraction of a day less, as the case may be. This was due to the fact that the rotation of the earth on its axis was miraculously slower. In neither the prolongation nor in the reduction of days was there any variation in the total number of hours, minutes and seconds that any year always has. We teach that the number of days in each month of the Gregorian calendar is the same as in each month of the calendar of Creation.
His Holiness Pope Gregory XVII also teaches:
a) «it is infallible doctrine that when in the universal Flood God altered the rotation of the earth and a leap year resulted, He at the same time corrected the inaccuracy in the human calendar. Consequently, the year 2244 was not a leap year.»
b) «it is infallible doctrine that when God altered the rotation of the earth during the following periods: (1) from the years 5180 to 5199 inclusive; (2) from the Coming of the Holy Ghost until the Assumption of the Divine Mary; (3) from the Assumption of the Divine Mary until the destruction of Jerusalem, He at the same time corrected the inaccuracy in the hwnan calendar. Consequently, the year 72 of the Christian era was not a leap year.»
90. Concerning the doctrine on the prolongation and reduction of days, His Holiness Pope Gregory XVII has made the following clarifications: «With these dogmatic Definitions the following parallelisms are seen: the prolongation of days after the universal Deluge was followed by the reduction of days from the year of the Immaculate Conception of Mary until the year of the Birth of Christ. The prolongation of days from the Corning of the Holy Ghost on the Apostolic College until the Assumption of the Most Holy Virgin Mary was followed by the reduction of days from the Assumption of the Most Holy Virgin Mary until the destruction of Jerusalem. The prolongation of days between the Antichrist’s reaching 12 and 30 years of age will be followed by the reduction of days during his satanic reign. Therefore you have prolongation and reduction, prolongation and reduction, prolongation and reduction. But the total time is the same.» We clarify that by what has just been said there is not excluded the possibility of God’s having prolonged or reduced the days on other occasions.
91. It is appropriate to include here the following dogmatic Definitions of His Holiness Pope Gregory XVII:
«It is infallible doctrine that snow was unknown to man until 144 years after the dispersion that took place following the confounding of tongues and races in Babel, since it still had not snowed on the earth, though many places did have a light morning frost.
It is infallible doctrine that until 144 years after the dispersion, Europe was joined to Africa at the south of Spain, where today are the Straits of Gibraltar, known also in ancient times as the Bosphorus.
It is infallible doctrine that until 144 years after the dispersion, the far south of the Asian continent was joined to the Australasian continent.
It is infallible doctrine that until 144 years after the dispersion, between Europe and Africa joined, and America, lay a continent.
It is infallible doctrine that until 144 years after the dispersion, between Asia and Australasia joined, and America, lay a continent.
It is infallible doctrine that from the very instant that God created the world until 144 years after the dispersion, the surface of the earth essentially had the following aspects:
1) The North Pole and the South Pole were two seas, not frozen over.
2) From the North Polar Sea there descended southwards five continents, which from the north to the equator were delimited or divided by lateral cordilleras but not by seas.
3) From the equator to the South Polar Sea the five continents were separated by five different oceans.
4) In each continent there were seas, lakes, rivers and so forth, both in the northern hemisphere and in the southern hemisphere.
5) Men and animals could traverse the northern hemisphere through different parts of terra firma and go all the way around the earth.
«It is infallible doctrine that 144 years after the dispersion, God punished mankind by means of a planetoid that passed between the sun and the earth and which, among other things, caused the following:
1) Three days of darkness over all the earth. 2) The submerging of the greater part of the continent that had existed until then between Europe and Africa joined, and America. 3) The submerging of a great part of the continent that had existed until then between Asia and Australasia joined, and America. 4) The separation of Europe and Africa. 5) The separation of Asia and Australasia. 6) The appearance of volcanoes. 7) Terrible flooding in many parts of the world. 8) Frightful earthquakes and tidal waves. 9) Climatic changes. 10) Great loss of life amongst men and animals. 11) The freezing over of the North Polar Sea, the South Polar Sea, as likewise of different parts of the other continents.
Note: All these punishments occurred during the three days of darkness.»
In the light of the above dogmatic Definitions of His Holiness Pope Gregory XVII we teach that: a) When in the above dogmas it is said that the different events mentioned in them occurred 144 years after the dispersion that took place following the confounding of tongues and races in Babel, it indicates that they happened in the year 3026 of the Creation, since the confounding of tongues and races was in the year 2882 of the Creation.
b) Although the universal Flood changed the physiognomy of the earth, it did not alter the geographical configuration of the continents and oceans, as did indeed occur later in the above mentioned three days of darkness.
c) Part of the islands that today make up the continent of Australasia, as for example those of Polynesia, those of Hawaii and so forth, are the visible remains of the ancient vanished continent that we call Mu, which existed between Asia and Australasia joined, and America. As for the islands of Greenland, Iceland, the Azores, Madeira, the Canary Islands, the Green Cape Islands, among others, which are in the Atlantic Ocean, they are the visible remains of the ancient vanished continent we call Atlantis, which existed between Europe and Africa joined, and America. With respect to the territory of the South Pole now known as Antarctica, we teach that it rose out of the sea during the three days of darkness. That territory, as we know, is surrounded by the South Polar Sea or antarctic glacial ocean.
92. We avail ourselves of this opportunity to introduce here the following dogmatic Definitions of His Holiness Pope Gregory XVII:
«It is infallible doctrine that on the glorious day of universal Creation, God created the stars with their light spread throughout the Universe.»
We teach that this doctrine demolishes the erroneous scientific theory which, based on the calculation of the speed of light for this to reach our planet, attributes to the universe an antiquity greater than that taught by the Church in this Treatise.
«It is infallible doctrine that, prior to the universal Flood, among human beings there were two kinds of giants:
a) The powerful rulers of the world, possessed of lethal weapons unimaginable to present-day man.
b) Those obtained by genetic engineering, though with souls created and infused by God.»
«It is infallible doctrine that prior to the universal Flood technology was in many respects far superior to that of today, and in many other respects greatly inferior.»
«It is infallible doctrine that, prior to the universal Flood, among animals there existed some of gigantic size, obtained by genetic engineering, though with animal souls created and infused by God; the Creator ordained that no such animal should enter Noe’s Ark.»
«It is infallible doctrine that, shortly before the submerging and separation of continents, among the animals there again existed some of gigantic size, obtained by genetic engineering as before the universal Flood; all of which animals perished.»
«It is infallible doctrine that, shortly before the submerging and separation of continents, among human beings there were again two kinds of giants as before the universal Flood».
«It is infallible doctrine that, both prior to the universal Flood and shortly before the submerging and separation of continents, among plants there existed some of gigantic size and strange effects, obtained by genetic engineering, though with vegetal souls created and infused by God; all of which plants perished.»
Hence we see that in the times preceding both the universal Flood in the year 2242 of Creation and the three days of darkness in the year 3026 during which took place the submerging and separation of continents, men had reached such a degree of pride, corruption and wickedness, that their ambition was to become equal to God, and even to surpass His infinite power over life. Thus, under the pretext of scientific advancement and with Satan’s help, they inverted the natural order in many ways, particularly with respect to human beings, animals and plants.
When the dogmas speak of two kinds of human giants, it must be understood:
In the figurative sense: men who, without taking into account their greater or lesser stature, were powerful in government, economy and weaponry, and who subdued peoples by their despotic conquests and powers.
In the real sense: men of gigantic physical stature, the product of genetic engineering by perverse scientists.
When Genesis says that «giants were upon the earth in those days» (Gen. VI, 4), it is referring as much to these two kinds of human giants as to animals and plants of gigantic size that were the product of genetic engineering, and all of which were exterminated by God.
The papal dogma does not exclude there also having been men of very large stature who were fruit of natural procreation established by God, but distorted by original sin.
As is also interpreted from the above dogmas, both prior to the Flood and prior to the three days of darkness, in many respects humantechnology surpassed that of today; in suchwise that there also existed lethal weapons of war unimaginable to us, and that were greatly superior as well to those of today; though, in many other respects, the technology of those times was greatly inferior to ours.
His Holiness Pope Gregory XVII also teaches that: «It is infallible doctrine that at the universal Flood God multiplied the waters of the seas first, and afterwards transformed the excess waters into a multitude of heavenly bodies scattered through the cosmos.»
As is interpreted from this dogma, the heavenly bodies scattered through the cosmos may be planets, comets, asteroids, and so forth, some known to human science and others not so.
His Holiness Pope Gregory XVII also teaches that: «It is infallible doctrine that the Patriarch Phaleg died on the third day of the darkness that fell when God submerged and separated the continents.»
This papal dogma completes the teaching in Chapter XXXIV of this Treatise concerning the interpretation of the passage of Genesis that says: «to Heber were born two sons: the name of one was Phaleg, because in his days the earth was divided» (Gen. X, 25). We taught there that the biblical text referred to the confusion of tongues and races among Noe’s descendants, and their dispersion through the five continents. We add now that it also refers to the submerging and separation of continents during the three days of darkness of the year 3026 of Creation. It is well to clarify that the death of Phaleg on the third day of the darkness was not a punishment for him, but was rather by divine permission so that by his holy death many sinners might be converted.
His Holiness Pope Gregory XVII teaches that: «It is infallible doctrine that the construction of the pyramids of Egypt was completed a day before the first day of the darkness that fell when God submerged and separated the continents.
This papal dogma refers, among others, to the three gigantesque pyramids on the outskirts of Cairo in Egypt, known as those of Gizeh. God did not permit the ruin of those pyramids during the three days of darkness that followed their construction in order that, among other reasons, there should be left to posterity an obvious sign of the advanced human technology that already existed prior to the year 3026 of the Creation, when the continents were submerged and separated.
93. Another of the punishments by which God unleashed His just anger caused by the perversities of men was the destruction of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha, together with those of Adama, Seboim and others, all of them situated on the shores of the southern part of what is today known as the Dead Sea. Concerning this cataclysm His Holiness Pope Gregory XVII teaches that:
«It is infallible doctrine that what is today known as the Dead Sea was called, before the divine punishment that destroyed the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha and others, Lake of Essenia, though it was better known popularly by the name `Lake of the life of pleasure.»’
«It is infallible doctrine that the former Lake of Essenia or `Lake of the life of pleasure’, today the Dead Sea, prior to the destruction of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha and others, was a freshwater lake very abundant in fish pleasing to the human palate, all of which species disappeared.»
«It is infallible doctrine that God, filled with holy Wrath, punished the perversity and aberration of the inhabitants of the cities of Sodom, Gomorrha and several others, by changing the orbit of a heavenly body and causing it to pass over those cities. That heavenly body was made up of water, brimstone and salt and had the shape of a huge mushroom.»
«It is infallible doctrine that the heavenly body in the shape of a mushroom with which God punished with holy wrath the inhabitants of the cities of Sodom, Gomorrha and others, disintegrated by exploding, and fell upon those cities in the form of a rain of water, fire, brimstone and salt.»
«It is infallible doctrine that the mushroom-shaped heavenly body with which God poured out His wrath upon the Lake of Essenia and its region, was formed by Him at the universal Flood from a small.portion of the excess water.»
«It is infallible doctrine that the region of the Lake of Essenia, now the Dead Sea, was extremely fertile and covered by fine lush forests, so much so that it could quite correctly be called paradisiacal.»
«It is infallible doctrine that Lot’s wife, because of her disobedience and her morbid and nostalgic curiosity, was slain by God by means of an immense quantity of salt that He caused to fall upon her.»
Besides these dogmatic Definitions, on the 15th of February 1992 His Holiness Pope Gregory XVII had a vision in which he beheld the very beautiful Lake of Essenia, crystal clear with an abundance of fish and surrounded by lush forests. In the midst of the Lake upon a resplendent white cloud, was the Most Holy Virgin Mary seated in a sumptuous throne with imperial crown and sceptre, surrounded by angelic choirs that ceaselessly sang: ‘Holy, holy, holy ...!’»
This marvellous vision gave the Supreme Palmarian Pontiff to understand that the Lake had received the name of Essenia in honour of the Queen of Heaven and Earth.
As we know, the Most Divine Soul of Christ manifested Himself in the Old Testament in the figure of a man as the High Priest Melchisedech, King of Salem, now Jerusalem, reigning on earth for a certain time. We now teach that during the reign of Melchisedech, the Divine Soul of Mary also manifested Herself in the figure of a woman as Queen of Salem, with the name Essenia. All their subjects considered both heavenly Monarchs most pure and virginal Spouses. During the reign of the august Monarchs Melchisedech and Essenia, the city of Salem occupied an extensive territory to which all of that region belonged, including the Lake of Essenia; moreover, the kings of Sodom, Gomorrha, Adama, Seboim, Segor and others were tributaries of the most powerful King of Salem. The High Priest and Monarch Melchisedech, to honour his most beloved Spouse, Queen Essenia, named the Lake after Her, wherefore all knew it as the Lake of Essenia.
In the northern part of the Lake, in other words close to the present-day city of Jericho, there dwelt many men and women of holy life, dedicated to prayer and contemplation under the spiritual direction of the heavenly Queen Essenia. But the kings and their subjects of the southern part of the Lake who in the past had been virtuous, gradually became relaxed due to the comforts of life that the fertility of the land and the balmy climate offered them, since the valley was like a paradise; whose benefits they knew not how to employ to serve God the better. These corrupt inhabitants gradually replaced the holy name of Essenia borne by the Lake with the insulting name of ‘Lake of the life of pleasure.’
Seventeen years before the destruction of Sodom, Gomorrha and the other cursed cities, there occurred the episode of Genesis (XIV, 1-24), which we summarize here according to our interpretation. Reference is made in it to the battle between the Kings of Sodom, Gomorrha, Adama, Seboim and Segor against four powerful invading kings, who sacked Sodom and Gomorrha and also carried Lot away prisoner. But hearing of it, Abraham, who was in the valley of Mambre, with a good number of armed servants pursued the invading kings until he overcame them, and rescued Lot and many other prisoners. After defeating the four kings, Abraham presented himself as victorious Caudillo before the heavenly Monarchs Melchisedcch and Essenia, to offer them his victory and to place himself at their disposal. It was then that the High Priest Melchisedech offered the sacrifice of bread and wine. As already taught in this Treatise, during the ceremony Melchisedech conferred the fullness of the Priesthood on Abraham by imposing his hands on him and uttering the following words: «Thou art Priest forever according to the Order of Melchisedech.» We add now that Melchisedech, in the presence of many of His subjects, also anointed Abraham king, to whom He gave Salem to govern. With the designation of Abraham as successor to the throne in the year 3266 of Creation, the heavenly Monarchs Melchisedech and Essenia concluded their reign exercised on earth under human form.
The authority of Abraham, as Priest and King of Salem, also embraced the cities of Sodom, Gomorrha and others of the south of the Lake of Essenia. Thus Abraham became their intercessor before God when God made known to him His decision to destroy them on account of their wickedness and corruption. The destruction of Sodom, Gomorrha, Adama, Seboim and others to the south of the Lake occurred in the year 3283 of the Creation of the world, when Abraham was 99 years old.
We further enrich the teaching. From this Treatise we know that the members of the Order of Carmel, founded by the Most Holy Virgin Mary in Her apparition to the Holy Prophet Elias, besides Carmelites were called ‘the Essenes’. They came to have this name by way of the Lake of Essenia, since many of them retired to the banks of the Lake in order to devote themselves more fully to prayer, penance and the contemplative life. As has already been stated, in the Qumran caves by the Dead Sea there lived a community of Essene monks or members of the Order of Carmel.
We take this opportunity to record as doctrine that the complete date of the Foundation of the Order of Carmel was the 16th of July of the year 4280 of the Creation of the world.
94. Mankind’s sins have often caused God to unleash His holy Wrath. He has done so either directly, or by availing Himself of the same destructive instruments fabricated by man, or by permitting natural cataclysms, Thus planet earth has become increasingly impoverished, to the point that in many respects it is unrecognizable in comparison with how God created it. Concerning this question we include here the following dogmatic Definitions of His Holiness Pope Gregory XVII:
«It is infallible doctrine that the deserts of Iraq, Kuwait and other neighbouring countries have their origin in the holy Wrath of God, unleashed on parts of the earth when, at Babel, God produced the confusion of tongues and races.»
«It is infallible doctrine that the immense Sahara desert of Africa, and other similar deserts in different continents, owe their origin to the holy Wrath of God, unleashed on parts of the earth when God submerged and separated the continents.»
«It is infallible doctrine that the desert of Juda and other nearby deserts have their origin in the holy Wrath of God, unleashed when God destroyed the cities of Sodom, Gomorrha and others.»
«It is infallible doctrine that other deserts of Palestine and neighbouring countries have their origin in the holy Wrath of God, unleashed by Him in response to three solenm anathemas directed by the holy Prophet Elias at parts of the earth.»
«It is infallible doctrine that the deserts mentioned in the above Definitions, prior to the respective divine punishments, were amongst the most fertile of lands and covered with fine lush forests, as likewise watered by beautiful rivers and lakes.»
«It is infallible doctrine that the universal Flood, the submerging and separation of continents, the destruction of Sodom, Gomorrha and other cities, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and other terrible calamities, profoundly altered the features by which the true antiquity of the earth may be recognized; wherefore it is understood that the calculations made by even upright scientists are completely erroneous, even to the point of presenting the different parts of planet earth as an immense mosaic or jigsaw puzzle, with the result that one part of the mosaic would have existed before another; by which one would come to the monstruous conclusion that God created the earth piecemeal and at different times, when in reality, as we know, all of it was created in a single instant.»
As we interpret from the sacred dogmas, God created planet earth overflowing in sublime beauty and indescribable fertility, with lush forests, with rivers and lakes having most abundant and wholesome waters. Therefore the great desert zones we know today are consequence of the punishments by which God has purified mankind for its great perversity: some have been directly sent by God, such as the universal Flood, the three days of darkness, and so forth; others are permitted by Him, as for example wars, caused by human ambition and egoism; natural cataclysms - volcanoes, earthquakes, and so forth. Both the former and the latter have tremendously impoverished the natural resources of our planet. Thus many areas that were once full of lush growth are now reduced to the most desolate barrenness; many rivers that once carried abundant waters are now small streams and even dry riverbeds. For the greater the corruption of mankind, the greater the impoverishment of the earth’s natural resources and the greater the adulteration of its geological layers.
Therefore it is impossible for man to calculate the age of the earth through the analysis, and through other scientific investigations, of the geological strata comprising our planet, since many of them are completely different from how God created them. While some layers may appear to be of greater age, others may appear to be of lesser age; all of which is completely erroneous, since the Work of the universal Creation was in a single instant and not at different stages of time. If man had not sinned, the beauty and riches of the earth would always have remained substantially intact.
We also teach that the three anathemas or curses of the Holy Prophet Elias mentioned in the above dogma were hurled by him on the 16th of January of the year 4277 of the Creation of the world, when he caused rain to cease for three years and six months; an episode contained in the 3rd Book of Kings (XVII, 1); afterwards completed and stated more explicitly by Christ as is seen in the Gospel of Saint Luke (IV, 25), and repeated by the Apostle James the Less in his Epistle (V, 17). The Holy Prophet directed those anathemas especially at the Kingdoms of Juda, Israel, Syria and other nations, to punish the apostasy and perversity of their inhabitants.
95. We further complete the teaching on the priesthood and the finite sacrifice of the Church. We teach that any member of the Mystical Body of Christ in the state of grace, by virtue of his common priesthood retains his finite sacrifices. But it is well to distinguish the following:
a) Those who belong to the Churches Triumphant and Suffering retain their own finite sacrifices, and as well unite them directly, as we know, to the Infinite Sacrifice of Christ and Mary without need of Holy Mass.
b) With respect to the Church Militant: those who possess only the common priesthood of the faithful have their own finite sacrifices in their hearts by virtue of the indwelling of Mary’s Drop of Blood, but not in order to offer them or unite them to the Infinite Sacrifice of Christ and Mary since, as we know, they can only be offered and united at Mass by the ministerial Priest in virtue of the indwelling in his mystical heart of the Light in form of a Cross. But for the ministerial Priest, the indwelling in his mystical heart of his own finite sacrifices is twofold in manner: by virtue of the indwelling of Mary’s Drop of Blood in his heart he has his own finite sacrifices as member that he is of the Church’s faithful; and in virtue of the indwelling in his heart of the Light in form of a Cross, he has his own sacrifices as ministerial priest that he is, and therefore for offering and uniting them at Holy Mass; since, being a minister of the Church, he is, as well, a minister of himself.
c) As for the finite sacrifices of the Church Expectant, it is well to distinguish that: while they are imperfect, they are enthroned in that church’s members, and at the same time vinculated to the other members of the Church in the state of grace. And also, when they acquire perfect finite value in virtue of the immolation of Holy Mass, they continue to be vinculated to the other members of the Church in the state of grace, since the members of the Church Expectant, who do not possess the indwelling of Mary’s Drop of Blood, are only vinculated to the other members of the Church in the state of grace. Nevertheless, as far as ministerial priests are concerned, the perfect finite sacrifices of the Church Expectant are enthroned in the mystical priestly heart in virtue of the indwelling therein of the Light in form of a Cross; but at the same time they are vinculated to the priest in his condition of member of the Church’s faithful. The members of the Church Expectant possess the reflection of their own finite sacrifices once perfect; and in them are enthroned at the same time, as we said, the sacrifices in their imperfect value, irrespective of whether they have been made perfect or not.
d) We know that all the Church’s faithful in the state of grace dwell in one another in virtue of the presence in them of Mary’s Drop of Blood. That indwelling in one another includes the reciprocal indwelling of finite sacrifices. But when by mortal sin a faithful of the Church ceases to possess the indwelling of the other faithful of the Church, he also ceases to possess the indwelling of their finite sacrifices.
96. With the above explanation we arrive at a greater clarification of the doctrine of the priesthood and the sacrifice of the Church in the Old Testament. At the instant that our first parents Adam and Eve were created, they received, besides the natural priesthood, a priesthood akin to the common priesthood, in conformity with the state of original justice they possessed in Paradise. Through their state of original justice, in virtue of their priesthood akin to the common priesthood, our first parents could themselves unite their finite sacrifices to the Infinite Sacrifice of the Souls of Christ and Mary. By their sin of disobedience to God, which for Adam and Eve entailed the loss of original justice, both remained for a time outside the Church of the Mystical Soul, though retaining impressed the character of the priesthood akin to the common priesthood and their respective juridical espousal. At the promise of Redemption, when Adam and Eve repented and had their sin forgiven them, they received the imperfect grace of justification and the imperfect mystical espousal, belonging from then on to the true Church once more, though only as vinculated members. When later on they were sanctified by the Triple Benediction and received perfect justification, their mystical priestly espousal also became perfect. Nevertheless, as they had lost the state of original justice they had enjoyed in Paradise and could no longer unite their finite sacrifices, each of them retained them in their respective hearts awaiting. the day Saint John, millenia later, was to unite them on Calvary to the Infinite Sacrifice of Christ and Mary. The same doctrine applies to the other members of the Mystical Soul of the Church, both sanctified (those perfectly justified), and vinculated (those imperfectly justified); both classes, as long as they remained in their respective state of grace - through the indwelling of the Souls of Christ and Mary in the sanctified and through the reflection of those Souls in the vinculated - retained in their hearts, respectively, their perfect and imperfect finite sacrifices in virtue of their priesthood akin to the common priesthood, which was perfect for the sanctified and imperfect for the vinculated. And although they were unable to offer those finite sacrifices with the efficacy and official universal character with which the ministerial priest offers them as the legitimate representative that he is between God and man, nevertheless they did offer them in a private and individual manner, which afterwards they manifested externally in worship by way of bloody or bloodless sacrifices. All those private individual and ritual sacrifices were refined and purified by the Souls of Christ and Mary and accepted by God, with the consequent anticipated outpouring of graces for each and for the Church in general, by virtue of Calvary. Furthermore, the finite sacrifices of the Church were also mysteriously kept, as perfect or imperfect as the case may be, in the Sacrament of the Triple Benediction which, as we know, was formed by the Souls of Christ and Mary and the biological elements of Adam and Eve. But be it understood that they were neither enthroned in, nor vinculated to, as the case may be, those Divine Souls. But, at the very instant that the Patriarch Abraham received the singular Ministerial Priesthood from Melchisedech, all the finite perfect or imperfect sacrifices ceased to be mysteriously kept in the Triple Benediction and became, respectively, enthroned in, or vinculated to, the mystical priestly heart of the Patriarch in order that he might offer them in an official and universal manner in his sacrifices of bread and wine. For Abraham, by reason of his singular ministerial Priesthood, as intermediary between God and man could indeed offer the Church’s finite sacrifices in his ritual sacrifices of bread and wine; and Isaac, Jacob and Joseph could do likewise by virtue of their singular ministerial Priesthood, as has already been stated, and in whose priestly hearts the finite sacrifices of the Church were also to be found. Those finite sacrifices were entrusted by Abraham to Joseph Most Holy, Spouse of the Divine Mary, and he in turn entrusted them to Saint John on Calvary in order that he, John, might unite them to the Infinite Sacrifice of Christ and Mary. The doctrine expounded on the reciprocal indwelling of finite sacrifices among the faithful of the Church, applies to her different historical stages, each with its own peculiarities.
We record the teaching that our holy mother Eve died where, millenia later, the Immaculate Body asleep of the Divine Mary was to be laid, at the place now known as the sepulchre of the Virgin; and that after her death, Eve was buried at the same place on Calvary where her husband Adam had already been interred.
97. Before continuing our interpretation of the Acts of the Apostles, it is well to clarify further the doctrine on the different increases of essential glory or beatific vision according to merits acquired.
a) The Angels: from the instant of their creation they enjoyed the beatific vision corresponding to their state prior to the trial, and therefore in a lower degree to that corresponding to them in Heaven. The Angels who remained faithful to God received, after the trial, the increase of beatific vision corresponding to the state of Blessed in Heaven, and in accordance with the merits acquired by each in the trial.
