Chymical Wedding of Christian Rosenkreutz

The Chymical Wedding of Christian Rosenkreutz (German: Chymische Hochzeit

Chymical W edding of
Christiani Rosencreutz anno 1459) is a German book edited in 1616[1] in
Christian Rosenkreutz
Strasbourg. Its anonymous authorship is attributed to Johann Valentin Andreae. The
Chymical Wedding is often described as the third of the original manifestos of the Author Anonymous:
mysterious "Fraternity of the Rose Cross" (Rosicrucians), although it is markedly attributed to Johann
different from the Fama Fraternitatis and Confessio Fraternitatis in style and in Valentin Andreae
subject matter. Original title Chymische Hochzeit
Christiani
It is an allegoric romance (story) divided into Seven Days, or Seven Journeys, like
Rosencreutz anno
Genesis, and recounts how Christian Rosenkreuz was invited to go to a wonderful
1459
castle full of miracles, in order to assist the Chymical Wedding of the king and the
Language German
queen, that is, the husband and the bride.
Publication 1616
This manifesto has been a source of inspiration for poets, alchemists (the word date
"chymical" is an old form of "chemical" and refers to alchemy—for which the Media type Print
'Sacred Marriage' was the goal)[2] and dreamers, through the force of its initiation
ritual with processions of tests, purifications, death, resurrection, and ascension and also by its symbolism found since the beginning
with the invitation to Rosenkreutz to assist this Royal W
edding.

The invitation to the royal wedding includes theMonas Hieroglyphica associated with John Dee.

There is some resemblance between this alchemical romance and passages in the
Bible such as:

The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son,
and And when the king came
in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: (Matthew 22:2,11 KJV)
And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for
her husband. (Revelation 21:2)

Contents
Historical context
Plot
Introductory paragraph
The nine Lords
The four paths
See also
References
External links

Historical context
The Chymical Wedding of Christian Rosenkreutz (CRC) first appeared in Strasbourg in the year 1616. It was written in German and
entitled Chymische Hochzeit Christiani Rosencreutz anno 1459. No author was named in the book, other than Christian Rosenkreutz
(henceforth CRC), but Johannes Valentinus Andreae (1586–1654) claimed to be the author, in his autobiography. First English
version appeared in 1690, byEzechiel Foxcroft, followed by translations into many languages throughout time.
Although the book first appeared in 1616, the story takes place over 150 years earlier. The events of this story span seven days and
are divided into seven chapters, each chapter relating a different day. The story begins on an evening near Easter. In the final chapter
—the seventh day—CRC is knighted; the year is 1459. It was on Easter-day 1459 that the Constitutions of the Freemasons of
Strasburg was first signed in Regensburg, with a second signed shortly afterwards in Strasburg. The Gutenberg Bible began printing
in Mainz, Germany in 1455, and the firstBible in German, the Mentel Bible, was printed in Strasburg in 1466.

Plot

Introductory paragraph
The story follows the Passover and the seven days of unleavened bread exactly. The instructions for the Passover ritual in the book of
Exodus (Exod 12:15) can also be found in detail in the books of Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. The slaughtering and roasting
of the Paschal lamb begins in the evening (near Easter), as does The Chymical Wedding. The Chymical Wedding begins in the
evening with CRC sitting at a table with both the Paschal Lamb and the unleavened bread. This would seem to indicate that CRC was
Jewish. However, the words "Father of Lights" are curiously in the first paragraph. This phrase, "Father of Lights" appears only once
in the King James Bible and it is in the book of James (Jas 1:17). Below is the opening paragraph of The Chymicaledding;
W

On an Evening before Easter-Day, I sate at a Table, and having (as my Custom was) in my humble Prayer sufficiently
conversed with my Creator, and considered many great Mysteries (whereof the Father of Lights his Majesty had
shewn me not a few) and being now ready to prepare in my Heart, together with my dear Paschal Lamb, a small
unleavened, undefiled Cake;

The nine Lords

The nine Lords are nine books of the New Testament, I Peter, II Peter, James, Jude, I John, II John, III John, the Gospel of John, and
the Revelation. CRC believed that the Gospel of John is the only gospel that is historically plausible, and that it is the unleavened
bread and its relationship to the Passover that truly divides John's gospel from the synoptic Gospels. The nine lords were bound
together with the rest that were at the table (27 total) and CRC cried.

There remained nine of us, and among the rest he who discoursed with me at the table too. But although our small
tapers did not leave us, yet soon after an hour's time one of the aforementioned pages came in, and, bringing a great
bundle of cords with him, first demanded of us whether we had concluded to stay there; when we had affirmed this
with sighs, he bound each of us in a particular place, and so went away with our small tapers, and left us poor
wretches in darkness. Then some first began to perceive the imminent danger, and I myself could not refrain from
tears. For although we were not forbidden to speak, yet anguish and affliction allowed none of us to utter one word.
For the cords were so wonderfully made that none could cut them, much less get them off his feet. Yet this comforted
me, that still the future gain of many a one who had now taken himself to rest, would prove very little to his
satisfaction.

The four paths

In the second chapter CRC sits down to rest under three tall cedars. There is a tablet fastened to one of them which tells of four paths.
An important point is that it's the Bridegroom (Bible) that is of
fering these paths. It reads as follows:

By us the Bridegroom offers you a choice between four ways, all of which, if you do not sink down in the way, can
bring you to his royal court. The first is short but dangerous, and one which will lead you into rocky places, through
which it will scarcely be possible to pass. The second is longer, and takes you circuitously; it is plain and easy, if by
the help of the Magnet you turn neither to left nor right. The third is that truly royal way which through various
 pleasures and pageants of our King, affords you a joyful journey; but this so far has scarcely been allotted to one in a
thousand. By the fourth no man shall reach the place, because it is a consuming way, practicable only for
incorruptible bodies. Choose now which one you will of the three, and persevere constantly therein, for know
whichever you will enter, that is the one destined for you by immutable Fate, nor can you go back in it save at great
peril to life.

The first path leads to rocky places and this is reminiscent of Peter, "the rock" as he's portrayed in the synoptic gospels. The second
path in the text is the path taught in John's gospel, as CRC is told not to turn to the left or right on this path and John's is the only
account not to mention two men crucified to the right and to the left of Jesus while on the cross as thieves (John 20:18). The third
path would be the general letters of Peter, James, Jude, and John. In the letter of James we find reference to the royal way or royal
law (Jas 2:8). In the second letter of Peter we find the only reference to one in a thousand (II Pet 3:8). The fourth path is the letters of
Paul. This is where one finds the teaching of the dead raised incorruptible (I Cor 15:52), and the only place that the word
"consuming" appears in the New Testament (Heb 12:29).

The story then continues, Whereupon I presently drew out my bread and cut a slice of it. It shouldn't go unnoticed that, after reading
this tablet, CRC cuts the bread. Symbol XXIV of the symbols of Pythagoras indicates "Never break the bread". Bread is broken in the
gospels of Mark, Luke, and Matthew; however bread is never broken in John's gospel. Bread is also broken in the letters of Paul and
the Book of Acts; however bread is never broken in the general letters of Peter
, James, Jude and John.

As the story proceeds it's evident that CRC took the second path with the following words, yet I still proceeded with my compass, and
would not budge one step from the Meridian Line. Meaning that CRC didn't turn to the left or right. It's also noteworthy that CRC
says, "I patiently took up my cross, got up onto my feet". Only in John's gospel did Jesus bear the cross. It was Simon of Cyrene who
bore the cross for Jesus in Mark, Luke and Matthew's gospels. But at the same time in Mark's gospel Jesus offered a man "take up the
cross, and follow me"(Mark 10:21).

See also
Carl Jung
Fama Fraternitatis (1614) – Confessio Fraternitatis(1615)
Esoteric Christianity
Herbert Silberer
Hermeticism
Kabbalah
Lectorium Rosicrucianum– Antonin Gadal – Catharose de Petri – Jan van Rijckenborgh
Monas Hieroglyphica
Parabola Allegory
Rosicrucian Manifestos

References
1. Anonymous (1690) [Originally published in German in 1616].The Chymical Wedding of Christian Rosenkreutz (htt
p://amra.gr/library-contents/chymical_wedding.pdf)(PDF). Retrieved September 21, 2017.
2. Gillabel, Dirk. "Alchemy: Sacred Marriage"(http://www.soul-guidance.com/houseofthesun/alchemy_6.htm). House of
the Sun. Retrieved September 21, 2017.

External links
Original German edition ofChymische Hochzeit Christiani Rosencreutz anno 1459via Google books
Text of The Chymical Wedding of Christian Rosenkreutz
Text of the Rosicrucian Manifestos at the Rosicrucian Library web site
The Chemical Wedding of Christian Rosenkreutz (You Are Cordially Invited to a Royal Wedding!)
 French text of the Alchemical Wedding of Christian Rosycross, the gnostic review by Jan van Rijckenborgh,
translated from the dutch original. Lectorium Rosicrucianum (1999)

Les Noces Chimiques at Project Gutenberg (French translation)

The Sacred Marriage, the goal of the 'Great Work'
The Chymical Wedding of Christian Rosenkreutz public domain audiobook atLibriVox

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?

title=Chymical_Wedding_of_Christian_Rosenkreutz&oldid=821581742"

This page was last edited on 21 January 2018, at 10:36.

Text is available under theCreative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply. By using this
site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of theWikimedia
Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.