Inkari

by Rom Siquijor

  Tecelin, the Knight of Burgundy

  Figure 2. Knight Tecelin on his mission at Titicaca

  The Iife journey of the baby Tunupa began when the French Knight Tecelin adopted him as his own son…

  For seven days and seven nights, the boy went afloat on the improvised raft without any food nor water. The nights are worst when the temperature chills the lake.

  On the seventh night, while the lake was tranquil and the sky was dark, a soft light emanates from the pale crescent moon, giving a reticent radiance in that serene backdrop, the Knight of Burgundyi with his troop was coyly sailing the part of Titicaca, which was still on the territory of Bolivia2. They were exploring the lake floors of Titicaca for a special mission from the Vatican. As they continued to cruise, they saw something glimmering in the water about a half league away from them. The captain ordered his men to navigate the boat towards it. They were all excited as they thought that it was the mythical golden sun disc3 that they were long looking for. The boat squeaks as it went nearer to the glimmering object. Sluggish water current lashes through, breaking the eerie silence of the night.

  One of the cabin crew members tossed a rope and catches the basket. As he pulls it and hastily uncovers it with his dagger, he was stunned. The rest immediately encircled the thing around. Their jaws all dropped in astonishment when they saw that it was a child with a skin radiating with luminous golden glow. As they try to recollect their sanity, the first soldier exclaimed, “Lord Tecelin4, it’s a baby! But it has a radiating golden glow around its body!”

  Before going nearer to the boy, Tecelin’s mind was boggled with two questions: Could it simply be the working of the devil? Or could he be the key to the secret of the mysterious golden sun disc?

  The leader of the fleet was Knight Tecelin of Burgundy. He was known to have joined the successful crusade with Godfrey5 of Bouillon back in 1099 and regained control of Jerusalem from the Moors6. After the crusade, he was sent-off to lead a mission at Lake Titicaca to investigate the myth surrounding the golden sun disc. According to some ecclesiastical reports, during mid-summer nights, the golden sun disc would radiate an enormous light illuminating the whole lake. It is believed to posses certain unholy powers. His mission was to recover and present it to the Pope.

  Tecelin ordered his man to bring the boy to his deck, but ordered them to be very cautious as they do not know what evil that thing actually possesses.

  “Bring him to my cabin, but draw your daggers, if that thing ever tries to show aggression and attempt to inflict harm on you—be ready to thrust his heart without hesitation!”

  Two of the crews carried the basket at Tecelin’s cabin, while three more drew their daggers as ordered, ready to attack at the slightest provocation. Once they opened the cover of the basket, a shimmering golden glow blinded them and so one of the crew immediately attacked with his dagger, but stumbled and cut his own face at the left cheek. Blood gushed into the cabin. Tecelin rushed to the scene and upon seeing the baby, his heart felt the strong longing for his children back in France. After discerning that there’s no harm that the baby could inflict on them, he decided to keep him. They fed him nothing but water and some old bread they have on stock for their journey.

  Tecelin and his men explored Titicaca for several months more, trying to reach the bottom of the lake, but each day, as he sends off his man to dive at the bottom of the lake, they would never surface again. From about 120 men, in 3 months of exploration, he was left with less than 20. Some of his crew suggested sending the golden boy back to the lake, as he may be inflicting curse or bad luck on them.

  But with time, Tecelin already grew an attachment with the boy, so he just decided to head back home to Clairvaux7 in France—on a failed mission of finding the golden sun disc, but finding a golden son instead. He raised the child Tunupa as his own and called him Melchizedek8—named after the high priest of Salem9 during the time of Abraham which he arduously studied while he was at Damascusi0. Tecelin gave Tunupa that name because both of them have unknown origins. Melchizedek just suddenly appeared in the Bible without any introduction and reference to his origin. What was only known was that, Melchizedek is the High Priest of God, who blessed Abraham after his successful conquest of Chedorlaomerii. He recounted from the story:

  [When Abraham heard that his nephew had been captured, he mustered three hundred and eighteen of his retainers, born in his house, and went in pursuit as faras Dan.

  He and his party deployed against them at night, defeated them, and pursued them as far as Hobah, which is north ofDamascus.

  He recoveredallthepossessions, besides bringing back his kinsman Lot12 and his possessions, along with the women and the other captives.

  When Abraham returned from his victory over Chedorlaomer and the kings who allied with him, the king of Sodom13 went out to greet him in the Valley OfShaveh1e (that is, the King’s Valley).

  Melchizedek, King of Salem, brought out bread and wine, and being a Priest of God Most High, he blessed Abraham with these words:

  Blessed be Abraham by God Most High, the creator ofheaven and earth;

  And blessed be God Most High, who delivered your foes into your hand.” Then Abraham gave him a tenth ofeverything.

  The king said to Abraham, “Give me the people; the goods you may keep.”

  But Abraham replied to the king: “I have sworn to the LORD, God Most High, the creator of heaven and earth, that I would not take so much as a thread or a sandal strap from anything that is yours, Iest you should say, ‘/ made Abraham rich.’

  Nothing for me except what my servants have used up and the share that is due to the men who joined me—Aner, Eshcol and Mamre; Iet them take their share.”]

  Tecelin had 6 other children of his own, five sons named Guido, Gerard, Bernardi4, Andrew, and Bartholomew, and a daughter named Humbeline. Melchizedek was welcomed by the family and was treated as their own blood. He easily became the apple of the eye of the family for his distinct characteristics.

  Though this family was religious and very close to the Church and the Pope himself, primarily because of Tecelin’s participation to the first crusade and the redemption of the holy land against the Moors, they were not foreign to the ways of the sword. The brothers studied language, literature, poetry and the bible, but on the other hand were taught the way of the sword and the barbarism of war.

  As they were growing, Melchizedek, even in his younger years never really understood the concept of the crusade and the inquisition. For him, these things seemed to be ridiculous and totally the opposite to the real essence of the Catholic Church and its teaching.

  St. Bernard, Melchizedek’s Brother at Fate

  Figure 3. St. Bernard of Clairvaux

  St. Bernard, Melchizedek’s brother at-fate; incited his entire family to the devotion to the way of the cross, roused the entire Christendom to the holy war, and instrumented the rise of the Knights Templar to power…

  Melchizedek grew closest to Bernard, who was the fiercest, bravest, and brightest among the brothers. Although he is not the toughest in terms of physical attribute, as he is frail and weak in flesh, he had an iron will. Like opposite poles, these two brothers had a lot of things different: Bernard was frail while Melchizedek was well-built and strong at a young age; Bernard was fierce and Melchizedek meek; Bernard was idealistic and Melchizedek more pragmatic. But, one thing is for sure; they love each other like true brothers in flesh and blood. They would argue about war, politics, and religion but would never fail to pray together at meal time. For some time, they were separated because Bernard had to study, but after a few years, Bernard left school and returned to their castle near Dijon1, there he spent more time with his adopted brother Melchizedek and his family.

  Then, the inevitable came. A fate with war was at hand. Bernard and the young Melchizedek were called upon to join their other brothers and father in the battlefi
eld. This is the pact that Tecelin’s family signed with blood with the Church and the Pope himself.

  Although Melchizedek never really believed in war, he could not abandon the family who cared for him all his life. Nevertheless, he would never fail to pray for enlightenment of his whole family and for the stupid religious war to end.

  They were riding their best horses. Fully clad from head to toe with their shiny armor of glimmering silvery metal, breastplates carved to the shape of a muscular warrior and helmet that has a few holes on it. They carry a shield on their left hand and a sword tucked on a fine silvery scabbard that dangles on the left side of their horses.

  Along the way, Melchizedek kept praying as he started to imagine the horrifying sight of the battlefield with men killing each other like savages for the sake of religion. Little did he knew, that his prayer will soon be answered.

  On a stop-over before they arrived to the scene of the battlefield, as they marched through the silence of the night with the cadence of their mighty horses creating echoes against the silence of the air, a little voice inside Bernard’s head came along, “Come to me all ofyou that labored and are heavily laden, and I will comfort you; take my yoke upon you, and you shall find rest in your souls2.” As if a lightning stroke Bernard’s heart with these living words of Christ himself. His spirit was inflamed as never before, to the very marrow of his bones, to the plinth of his spines.

  As the brothers entered the church, they took-off their helmets and prostrated before the altar. Melchizedek never saw his brother prayed that way before; with tears overflowing, and pouring out his heart at the feet of the wooden cross. Melchizedek knew that his brother’s soul was touched by God and the breath of God renewed his spirit.

  “We shall journey to a greater battle my brother, where which we shall not use our swords but the cross—and I know that Christ will be with us always to win this war by the power of the Holy Spirit!” These were Bernard’s trembling words to Melchizedek.

  Without a word, Melchizedek hugged his brother tightly as drop of tears started flowing from his own eyes unconsciously. Here, the brothers made a pact and promised to bury their virgin swords, give-up their career of knighthood, and decided to become monks instead.

  When they arrived to the castle serving as a camp of their clan, they were eager to proclaim their intentions to follow the path of the cross instead of the sword to their father.

  Tecelin was seated at the middle chair in a long dining table. Andrew was on the left side of their father, Bartholomew on the right, and next to him was Humbeline. Guido and Gerardo were not there as they were busy with the affairs of the war. As soon as they noticed the arrival of Bernard and Melchizedek, the silence was broken and the meal was momentarily stopped. Humbeline kissed her brothers and disarrayed Melchizedek’s hair as she would customary do when they were much younger.

  After exchanges of gallant pleasantries, they all sat at the dining table as the servants prepared more plates for them. They had chicken, roast beef, and some bread. Wine was served. Melchizedek hurriedly gulped one full goblet and asked for more. The long journey and the heavy iron-clad suite probably exhausted him. Before he could finish the next goblet of wine, Bernard started saying grace and the rest of them followed. Quickly after the short prayer of thanking God for the food they are about to partake, Melchizedek finished his next cup.

  As Bernard parted a piece of bread, he began talking, “Father, the hand of Christ had touched my heart. I shall no longer bear the weight of the sword but will seek to bear the cross of the Church.” Then, he puts down his sword into the table.

  Tecelin was speechless for a moment. He waited for a while until the words sank into his head. After a long pause he answered, “Our family was endowed with all the royal amenities to be of service to the king and to the Church itself. Our intention of going to the war is more holy than scrubbing the floors of the cathedral my son!”

  Before they could continue, Guido and Gerard had just arrived from their siege together with another cousin by the name of Hughes. They hugged their brothers in peace. Guido and Gerard were both delighted to see their brothers, whom they expected to join them in the battlefield.Together, they feel that they would be invincible. As the news was broken to them, they too used every persuasion and arguments possible to dissuade Bernard and Melchizedek from taking such vow and to join them in the battle instead.

  It was difficult as there were great forces and arguments between the opposing parties. As they continued their argument, their uncle, Andre de Montbard3 who was both a soldier and nobleman arrived. Now the table almost went full as the fiery discussion continued. Their uncle sided with Bernard and Melchizedek’s decision, despite the family’s opposition. “Even spears could no longer block the sturdy decision of the two! Let their heart and spirit guide them! It is, after all God’s will and not ours—be done!” their uncle explained, which somehow appeased Tecelin.

  After the meal was over, the brothers at fate were now bound to the Cistercian4 Church.

  At the dawn of a typical day in 1113, Bernard and Melchizedek entered the gates of Citeaux, to become apprentices of the white monks. This was the toughest adventure that the brothers ever attempted, because the Cistercian rule requires not only physical strength but a stronger will power. The Cistercian had a vow of poverty having little food, ghastly clothes, and very little time to rest; which the noble brothers were not accustomed to. They lived as royalties in their castle with all the amenities and provisions accessible to them any time they wish. But, they journeyed on.

  By 1115, Melchizedek together with his brother Bernard and their cousin Hughes5 were working on building the monastery of Clairvaux, that same year Bernard was appointed Abbot6 because of his dedication and tenacity.

  Later on, in an attempt to convince their brother Gerard to turn to the Church and leave the war, Bernard and Melchizedek paid him a visit at the camp where he was commanding his troops before the siege of Grancey. On the night before they arrived at the camp, Melchizedek was awakened by a bad dream and saw that their brother Gerard will be pierced by a lance and so he narrated this to Bernard in the morning. Interestingly, Bernard had exactly the same dream.

  Upon arriving, the brothers were not welcomed warmly by Gerard, who felt betrayed and abandoned by his own brothers at war. They were scorned as the flame of Gerard’s anger mounted higher. Bernard said, while laying his hand on the shoulder of the flaming Gerard, “I know that nothing but adversity will open thy mind and heart to the truth. That day will come when this spot which I touch will be pierced by a lance, which will thus open a way for the entrance of these words of truth into thy heart …”

  A few days later, during the siege, Gerard was seriously wounded, the very spot that his brother Bernard had touched. For days Gerard was between life and death, a tormenting wound and a fever so fierce puts him in a convulsive state, but Melchizedek and Bernard stood by his side to comfort him. “Thy wound … is not unto death, but unto life—and it will come to pass,” said Bernard.

  Years later Gerard himself entered monkhood. Their father, Tecelin, and their other brothers Guido, Andrew, and Bartholomew likewise joined the Cistercians. Their beautiful sister, Humbeline, on the other hand remained entwined with life’s vanities and held off stubbornly from a religious life. Ever since she had married the brother of the Duchess of Lorraine, she had become a woman of the world and lust.

  One day however Humbeline decided to visit her brothers in the monastery. As Melchizedek and Bernard approached her, she said to them, “I know I am a sinner; but didn’t Jesus Christ died for people like me? If my brothers despise my body, let not the servants of God despise my soul. Let him come, let him command, let him order. I will obey him; I will do whatever He desires me to do!” The brothers took her aside to comfort her and remind her of the memories of their mother, and urged her to follow the rule of married life and the Church.
Soon, the proud lady shorn of her pride of life was won over completely by the grace of God. She returned to her castle a different woman, ever mindful of her brother’s counsels. After the death of her husband, she left the world to enter a convent where she lived in the sanctity of the cross.

  Melchizedek was delightfully thankful to God for answering his prayers and enlightening his family to the way of the cross and committed himself to His service forever.

  The Prophesy of St. Malachy

  Figure 4. St. Malachy and Melchizedek

  Where did the controversial prophecy of St. Malachy (listing the Popes from Celestine Il to Petrus Romanus, the Iast Pope) originated?

  Is the end of time really near?

  In 1118, their cousin Hughes with 8 other relatives founded the Knights of the Templars1. They sailed to Jerusalem and offered their service to King Baldwin II2, the reigning king of the Holy land. Their family was close to the king as they were one of the pillars who fought together side by side with the king during the first crusade. Easily, King Baldwin II accepted their offer to serve as guardians of the Christian pilgrims and the Temple of Solomon3. They were treated well and given a lodging area at the side of the palace of the king, at the Temple mount hewn from the living rock.

  Originally, they called themselves the Poor Knights of Jesus Christ, as most of them were fully ordained monks with a vow of chastity, poverty, and obedience. Soon, they changed their name to Knights of the Temple of Solomon; which became Knights Templar eventually. Their creed was, “Non nobis Domine, non nobis sed Nomini Tuo da Gloriam”-Not for us O Lord, not for us but in Your Name is the Glory.