Liber XV

VI

Of the Consecration of the Elements

(The priest makes the five crosses. ₃ ¹ ₂ on paten and cup; 4 on paten alone; 5[1] on cup alone.)

The priest.

Life of man upon earth, fruit of labour, sustenance of endeavour, thus be thou nourishment of the Spirit!

(He touches the Host with the Lance.)

By the virtue of the Rod!
Be this bread the Body of God!

(He takes the Host.)

ΤΟΥΤΟ ΕΣΤΙ ΤΟ ΣΟΜΑ ΜΟΥ.[3]

(He kneels, adores, rises, turns shows Host to the people, turns, replaces Host and adores. Music. He takes the Cup.)

Vehicle of the joy of Man upon earth, solace of labour, inspiration of endeavour, thus be thou ecstasy of the Spirit!

(He touches the Cup with the Lance.)

By the virtue of the Rod!
Be this wine the Blood of God!

(He takes the Cup.)

ΤΟΥΤΟ ΕΣΤΙ ΤΟ ΠΟΤΗΡΙΟΝ ΤΟΥ ΑΙΜΑΤΟΣ ΜΟΥ.[5]

(He kneels, adores, rises, turns, shows the Cup to the people, turns, replaces the Cup, and adores. Music.)

For this is the Covenant of Resurrection.

He makes the five crosses on the priestess. [6]

Accept, O Lord, this sacrifice of life and joy, true warrants of the Covenant of Resurrection.

(The priest offers the Lance to the priestess, who kisses it; he then touches her between the breasts and upon the body. He then flings out his arms upward as comprehending the whole shrine.)

Let this offering be borne upon the waves of Aethyr to our Lord and Father the Sun that travelleth over the Heavens in his name ON.

(He closes his hands, kisses the priestess between the breasts and makes three great crosses[9] over the Paten, the Cup, and himself. He strikes his breast. All repeat this action.)

Hear ye all, saints of the true church of old time now essentially present, that of ye we claim heirship, with ye we claim communion, from ye we claim benediction in the name of IAO.

(He makes three crosses on Paten and Cup together. He uncovers the Cup, genuflects, takes the Cup in his left hand and the Host in his right. With the Host he makes the five crosses on the Cup.)

		1
3				2
	5		4

(He elevates the Host and the Cup.)

(The Bell strikes.)

ΑΓΙΟΣ, ΑΓΙΟΣ, ΑΓΙΟΣ ΙΑΩ![15]

(He replaces the Host and the Cup and adores.)

Notes:

[1] Note 1, p. 432:
With these five air-traced crosses, the Priest indicates the first five Sephiroth of the Tree of Life, that is from Kether (1) to Geburah (5). He himself is standing in the position of Tiphareth (6), which is that of the Priest or Adeptus Minor. He is by this action bringing down the Power of the Supernals and infusing the elements with its current, thus consecrating them. See diagram.

[ΣΟΜΑ] TOUTO ESTI TO SOMA MOU

[3] Note 2, p. 432:
This is my body.

[ΑΙΜΑΤΟΣ] "TOUTO ESTI TO POTERION TOU HAIMATOS MOU"

[5] Note 3, p. 432:
This is the cup of my blood.

[6] Note 4, p. 432:br/>He brings down from beyond the veil of the Abyss the Power of the Supernals and thus consecrates the Priestess to the Great Work. In this case, the meeting of the 5 (the Supernals) and the 6 (the Priestess in Tiphereth), makes the 11-fold Seal of the Great Work, which is that of uniting the Macrocosm with the Microcosm. This is the work of the 5° = 6^□ Grade.

[touches her] He touches her with the Lance. In this, the Priest seals the Priestess as earlier she did him. "Upon the body" is a polite euphemism for what actually occurs with the Lance at that moment.

[ON] ON is the name of an Egyptian sun deity. Considered as ען, it is also the paths leading from Tiphereth to Netzach and to Hod. ען‎ = סמך‎, Samekh, whose associated card is Art. This establishes the Mass as an alchemical working.

[9] Note 1, p. 433:
An affirmation of the Supernal Triad.

[Paten] Chokmah; the right Pillar (Mercy); Shin (fire); the active principle.

[Cup] Binah; the left Pillar (Severity); Mem (water); the passive principle.

[himself] Kether; the middle Pillar (Balance); Alef (air); the balancing principle.

[Bell strikes] This calls down Spirit into the host. Spirit is the fifth element, the "quintessence". In Christian masses, this is the moment when the divine Power enters the host and wine.

[ΑΓΙΟΣ] "HAGIOS, HAGIOS, HAGIOS IAO"

[15] Note 2, p. 433:
Holy, Holy, Holy IAO!