The First Day of the Alchemical Wedding of Christian Rosycross

 

The Alchemical Wedding of Christian Rosycross is a novel about Rosicrucian initiation by Johann Valentin Andreae (1616). The novel takes place over a period of seven days and describes the journey of Christian Rosycross to the wedding of a King and a Queen. As part of the series, we include comments from the esoteric analysis of Jan van Rijckenborgh. The text on this page is the the preface and the first day during which Christian Rosycross receives an invite to the wedding and prepares himself for the journey ahead.

 

The English printed edition, translated from Dutch, was published in two volumes by: Rozekruis Pers, Haarlem, The Netherlands.

 

All rights reserved, especially regarding translation. It is forbidden to reproduce any part of the following texts and images by means of printing, photo copy, electronic media or any other procedure without written permission by the publishing house in advance.

 

Preface by Jan van Rijckenborgh

 

Now that an explanation of The Alchemical Wedding of Christian Rosycross has been published, our thoughts are naturally drawn to the author of this book about the classical Rosicrucians, Johann Valentin Andreae. This author bears the signature of a torch-bearer whose light, even now, shines everywhere. And every time a new light has to be proclaimed in the world, in the service of the great work of mankind’s liberation, it will be kindled by and added to the flame of the ancient candelabrum which can never be extinguished.

 

Mindful of this fact, and now that the time has come, we are filled with profound gratitude that we are allowed to unveil, perhaps for the first time in history, the message of salvation which has taken shape in Johann Valentin Andreae’s ingenious work. We offer this book to all those who yearn for the living knowledge of the tangible path of redemption and who wish to make themselves worthy of it. May there be many, many such people; a multitude that no one can count!

 

The First Day

 

On an evening before Easter I was sitting at my table and after I had communed with my Creator, as I was accustomed to do, in humble prayer and meditation on many great mysteries which the Father of the Light in his majesty had shown me abundantly, I desired to prepare, together with my beloved Paschal Lamb, a pure, unleavened wafer in my heart.

 

Commentary no.1: The evening before Easter

 

All of a sudden such a terrific wind sprang up that I could not think but that the mountain in which my little cottage was hewn would be blown asunder by this great violence. Since this did not surprise me as neither did similar tricks of the devil, I took heart and persisted in meditation until someone tapped me on the back, which I was not expecting. I was so terrified that I hardly dared turn round but kept my cheerfulness as far as human weakness permits in such circumstances.

 

However, as someone repeatedly tugged at my coat I turned around and saw a magnificent female figure whose azure garment was gracefully strewn with golden stars, just like the heavens. In her right hand she held a trumpet of pure gold with a name engraved on it which I could read but as yet was forbidden to reveal. In her left hand she held a thick sheaf of letters written in various languages which she had to deliver in many countries, as I afterwards learned. She also had wings, large and beautiful and strewn with eyes, with which she could rise and fly, faster than an eagle.

 

I might have observed even more about her, but as she stayed with me such a short time and I was still overcome with fright and wonder, I did not do so. For as soon as I had turned round she looked among her letters and at last took out a small one which she put on the table reverently, after which she left without saying a word. But as she rose she blew her beautiful trumpet so powerfully that its echo resounded throughout the mountains and I could hardly hear my own words for nearly a quarter of an hour.