the NachtKabarett

All Writing & Content © Nick Kushner Unless Noted Otherwise

The New Aeon, The Age of Horus, was a phrase quoted by Manson on more than one occasion leading up to the release of Holy Wood, making another yet more esoteric, reference to Aleister Crowley.

The Age of Horus was lain forth in The Book of the Law, it being the cornerstone of the philosophy of Aleister Crowley and it's writing / creation was the event in his life which Crowley himself believed to be the most momentous occasion thereof, and one which he himself was merely the instrument in. The Book proclaimed the dawning of The New Aeon (or period of 2,000 year ruled over by an elemental deity), The Age of Horus and outlined the Law of Thelema, "Do What Thou Wilt Is The Whole Of The Law. Love Is The Law, Love Under Will", as further discussed below in The OCCULT section of The NACHTKABARETT.

Predominantly quoted a select few time by Manson on his online web posts, The Age of Horus marks the beginning of the New Aeo proclaimed by Aleister Crowley which dawned April of 1904 when the Book of the Law was transcribed. Its principle definition comes from the belief of the rulership of three gods whose influences have a determining force on the fate of the world throughout their reign over the Earth. First Isis whose reign was categorized as matriarchal, nurturing. Next was her husband Osiris whose influence was categorized as patriarchal, destructive and of turmoil, hence it was during this period of time in which the medieval dark ages took place. Next in line is Horus, the child of Isis and Osiris; this is the the The Age of Horus, the age we live in today. As Horus as ruler is but a child, the beginning of his reign (ie - the early Twentieth Century) is categorized as firstly chaotic, giving birth to new ways of thinking and it was this "childlike" idealism which gave birth to such radical early movements of this era such as fascism, communism, and crazes of all sorts which obsesses mankind. The principle of this being that throughout his age we will witness the child maturing and thus the stability of the world solidifying into more harmonious new ways of thought.

Proclaiming the New Era, The Age of Horus, as something of a flagstaff or battle cry during the birth of Holy Wood both acted as something of an anointing or Christening for the album and era but also symbolically acts as the heralding of Manson's own Great Transformation in this era. It was this very era also which Manson proclaimed his "involvement" with the OTO as being a large influence on Holy Wood. This of course can be seen directly within the album's artwork; the symbolism, the Tarot cards and most importantly the thematic lyrical content and direction.

As quoted by Crowley himself from the introduction to the Book of the Law on the New Aeon / Age of Horus:

Lyrically within Holy Wood is one particular, if slightly indirect, reference to The Age of Horus, in the symbolism-rich song, A Place In The Dirt. Fitting with many references to Kennedy and his assassination with Manson portraying himself, in character, in that role of grand martyrdom,

The next line which follows, "Dress me up and make me your Dying God," is a reference of course to the idea of martyrdom but also of the dawning of the New Aeon. Within Aleister Crowley's philosophy and in regard to The Age of Horus, the "old gods", those of Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, etc, who are waning in their influence and reign over mankind. They are the "Dying Gods." As such Manson as the Dying God is an allusion to martyring him as Christ was and the perpetual theme of martyrdom within Holy Wood, yet in the language and context of this label is another reference to The Age of Horus. "The 'Dying God' is Christ; this means that Thelema transcends Christianity," from the Confessions of Aleister Crowley.

As of October 2005 the infamous Marilyn Manson concept site Celebritarian.com, along with Celebritarian.net, Celebritarianism.com, Celebritarians.com, Celebritarianism.net, was resurrected from the dead, along with containing some new and very telling imagery of the direction Manson is currently heading in. What is known as The Cross of Lorraine is the sole symbol which is at current representing the rebirth of Celebritarian.com. It's a symbol that has connotations in the occult, alchemy as well as freemasonry, all of which have been underlying, reoccurring and key elements throughout Manson's art. For a complete overview and history of Celebritarian.com and Celebritarianism from its beginning during the Holy Wood era, as well as viewing the original site which I've archived, visit both my writings on Celebritarian.com within the HIDDEN SITES section and THE LAMB OF GOD .COM section of The NACHTKABARETT.

The symbol is one which is simple yet very complex and has a broad spectrum of associations to it which also relate very appropriately and inherently to Manson. The symbol was one which was adopted by the Knights Templar circa the 12th century AD, which after the Templars were crushed in the 14th century their traditions and secrets slowly evolved and crystallized to modern day freemasonry which was officially recorded as being established in 18th century England. Of course King Kill° on Holy Wood five years ago witnessed the most overt references to freemasonry Manson has made.

The cross has also been a symbol used to denote poisonous materials, which in alchemy poisons were often representative of transformation. As alchemy is predominantly representational and metaphorical, poison and death meant metaphorical death; death of the persona and the further ascension of the soul through transformation and rebirth; a key and integral facet of Manson's art from the beginning.

"To the alchemists, of course, the symbol and its very meaning had far more esoteric connotations. To them, poison represented an agent of transformation, a vehicle for the reconciliation of opposites."

However most befitting and representational of Manson is another key facet which the cross evokes:

"It is interesting to note that even the less esoteric-looking equilateral cross used by the Templars had essentially the same meaning: that of the union of opposites, the intersection of creative force and destructive force, or the union of male and female principles."

It's this connotation which makes Manson's invoking of this symbol so appropriate: the combination of opposite. Black and white, positive and negative, expressionism and fascism, Marilyn and Manson. The depiction below for example illustrates this, the sun on the top and its opposite the moon on the bottom.

The cross is related, as alluded to above, very much in symbolism to the occult axiom, "As Above, So Below," which is an illustration which constantly reoccurs in veritably every facet of the occult as well as the very idea of Marilyn Manson, the combination of opposites. Boyd Rice invoked the cross for this reason particularly, believing it to be the dichotomous union of God and Satan as the traditional cross being combined with the inverted cross lain atop of it. It's this very principle which, not exclusive to the cross, that is so important in the occult as an embodiment of balance which the magician must maintain throughout his workings. This theme is inherent in the cross and also in many other symbols all encompassing throughout the occult to the Baphomet, the Freemasonic compass & square, the Hexagram commonly referred to as the Star of David and the Unicursal Hexagram which Aleister Crowley stylized predominantly after the latter two.

The rebirth of Celebritarian.com is very significant in that the theme of both the defunct version of the site from 2001 reflect and illustrate both the themes of Holy Wood (which was the era which the site and term were created in) and also the theme of American culture, hypocrisy and morbid fascination with death he's made since the beginning, a topic which in a sense was left unfinished with the Holy Wood novel at current remaining unpublished.

The cross and this particular launching of it and Celebritarian is, to all accounts and purposes, representative of Manson's once again rebirth and transformation into this new era of which we're seeing the glimpses of being unveiled right now; the galvination of Manson's creative force illustrated by this very representational symbol, now being used by him on new t-shirts hinting at the imagery as well as Celebritarian.

Manson once again invoking the union of opposites during the Holy Wood era where the imagery and thematic implications of the Cross of Lorraine and Celebritarian originated.

By Brad Jaeger

The cross of Lorraine first emerged as a deviation from the traditional Latin cross, consisting of a vertical line intersected by two smaller horizontal bars which were either equal in length, or with the top bar measuring slightly shorter than the bottom - as was adopted by their arch bishops - with both bars equidistant from opposing ends of the vertical line. Although it is most commonly associated with the Forces Francaises Libres (The Free French Forces), an open resistance group combating the invading German occupants during the second World War, it holds a much more potent history interwoven into the occult.

Though the origins of the cross are no longer known, it is popularly believed that it may have originated in Samaria as an ideogram for ruler ship and authority, due to its relative similarity to a Shepard's crook. As the Shepard is commonly associated with The Holy Bible, it is not surprising that the symbol was taken and appropriated by the Catholic church for use as an Archiepiscopal Cross; the heraldic coat of arms of an archbishop, the second highest ranking member of hierarchical clergy, next to the pope, who held great jurisdiction in the affairs of the people.

The Cross of Lorraine was adopted by The Knights Templar, who took their religious and knightly vows in the presence of the Patriarch of Jerusalem. They were said to have carried a red, four armed cross, which they wore on many of their garments and battlements, though records dictate that they often left the Cross of Lorraine at the end of their written letters and documents (perhaps for the purpose of identification), though the symbol could also be found plentiful among their lodges, and was admittedly a symbol granted to the Templars.

The cross bears its title from the French King Lothaire, who named one of his north-eastern provinces after himself. Over time his name underwent transformation until Lothaire became Lorraine , and with so, the aristocrats who followed thereafter began identifying themselves as keepers of Lorraine . One of the earliest bearing this title was the Duke of Lorraine, a man by the name of Godefroy de Boullion, who made use of this cross during the first crusade, wherein he captured Jerusalem in 1099. It was also passed onto future generations, adopted by his successors as a heraldic coat of arms, from which point it did not undergo any major transformations until its reinvention during the 20th century when General de Gaul adapted the Cross of Lorraine for the resistance group prior mentioned, the FFL. The cross was subsequently given a second name: the de Gaul cross or the Gaullist cross.

In reference to the Occult, the hermetic properties of the cross were largely revived by a devoted man named René d'Anjou. René, an Angevin monarch during the period of the Renaissance, personally convinced a local, Cosimo de Medici, to translate many ancient texts into a variety of European dialects - most prominently known is the masterwork Corpus Hermeticum, which, once translated, spread quite rapidly throughout Europe . Once assimilated into European culture, Marie de Guise (the mother of Mary Queen of Scots) assimilated the cross as her own personal symbol.

The Cross of Lorraine is in many ways the perfect Hermetic icon. Its form mirrors the teachings of Hermes Trismegistus, the founder of Hermeticism: "As above, so below", a Hermetic maxim, was written in the beginning of The Emerald Tablet (see above). To give a better understanding of its significance, every form of true magick functions by the words of Hermes, "'That which is above is the same as that which is below - macrocosmos is the same as microcosmos. The Universe is the same as God, God is the same as man, man is the same as the cell, the cell is the same as the atom, the atom is the same as... and so on, ad infinitum." In essence, the belief is that man is the counterpart of God on Earth, just as God is the counterpart of man in heaven. And so in turn is the cell to a human, or an atom to a cell.

The hermetic nature of the Cross of Lorraine can further be realized by the photo below, carrying a sun atop the cross, and a moon below it; signifying balance and equilibrium, along with the amalgamation of the sun (the essence of masculinity), and the moon (the sacred feminine). To reinforce this, the middle pillar of the cross reads "The blessed stone contains everything within itself", a mention back to The Philosopher's Stone, the amalgamation of male and female within the Cross of Lorraine, furthering Hermes' teachings of equilibrium, balance, and unity which has always been a central aspect of Marilyn Manson.

To make matters more interesting, there are several hidden messages contained within The Cross of Lorraine, which have been illuminated below.

By taking the first letter at the end of each six points of the cross in a symmetrical zigzag pattern (further adding to the inherent equilibrium present in the cross), we can spell the word H-O-S-A-N-I, which is the Latin equivalent of the Hebrew word 'Hosanna', or "Praise be to", a phrase used in Catholic mass. The second hidden word mirrors the first, originating at the bottom, and working up, as the direct balance to the first word. By traversing in this manner, we spell the word I-A-N-O-S-H, the Latin equivalent of "Enoch". Enoch is believed to have taught writing to mankind, just as Hermes had.

As by no means of coincidence, a third word is spelt out by setting our point of origin at the 'A' in 'Arena', of the lower bar. Once again, following the zigzag principle, another word of significant importance is created. It should be mentioned that this traversed path creates an inherent M, which gives it all the more significance to Marilyn Manson. This third and final word created is A-S-I-O-N. Sion is an important word when considering The Knights Templar and their embodiment of the Cross of Lorraine, the 'a' in front of it serves as a patronym, something which indicates the line or descent of the individual in question. Asion simply means "Son of Sion".

All this taken into account, we can produce a hidden message from our three newly discovered words, "Praise be to Enoch, son of Sion."

Those who have read Genesis of the Old Testament will recognize that this message is in itself another riddle, as Enoch is not actually the son of anyone named Sion. Though the message reads "Praise be to Enoch, son of Sion", we must keep in mind that the word 'Sion' is an alternate spelling of Zion , and used for the purpose of identifying his heritage to the Jewish people. However, knowledge of the Bible dictates that Enoch is in reality, the son of Cain, the second most damned and synonymously evil individual of the Old Testament, next to Lucifer.

This holds extreme importance, as according to Hermetic lore, it is thought that Cain, who was responsible for the first murder, went off to spawn legions of damned creatures with Lilith, Adam's first wife. The two blighted ones created an entire line of despised beasts.

Thus it could be said that Cain, or his children, were heavily responsible for bringing Hermeticism, alchemy, and magick to the realm of men, as it were the 'fallen ones' who gave all antediluvian (pre-flood) knowledge to Hermes, who then passed it to the rest of mankind. So, "Praise be to Enoch, son of Sion", may not be so much as a sign of respect, but one of prayer, extending the offer of redemption to a child of a tainted blood line. This concept of redemption, and alchemical rebirth is not unfamiliar to Marilyn Manson, and in terms of The Cross of Lorraine, it offers another checked balance - the offer of redemption for the unredeemable.

There cannot be a discussion about The Cross of Lorraine without mentioning Boyd Rice, as The Cross of Lorraine has been adopted by him, and he has helped reveal its true nature to the world. An infamous man who has had a personal connection to Charles Manson as well as Anton LaVey (both of which served as inspiration for Marilyn Manson), Boyd Rice has been invaluable in unraveling much of the mystery surrounding the properties of the cross. His website reaffirms the Hermetic principle of the cross, while Mr. Rice suggests that the symbol is two crosses, one right side up (the traditional Latin cross, belonging to God), and one upside down (it's opposite and antitheses). Thus the cross features both the arms of Satan, and the arms of Christ, and the unified blood of both. Given the prior evidence (much of which Boyd Rice is also responsible for) which suggests a relationship to Cain, and the evidence plainly visible in regards to Christ, the sheer dichotomy, and yet unity, of the two central forces stands as one of the strongest and most well researched theories to date.

A final interpretation of the cross was presented by Eliphas Levi, and his writings about the true trinity. According to Eliphas, the Earth is ruled by two primordial forces, one creative, the other destructive. This act of continual balance between the two forges a third force, which Levi suggested was God. Indeed, the Cross of Lorraine fits this description with the top horizontal bar taking the role of creation, the bottom bar as its polar opposite, destruction, and the longest bar, that being the vertical, constituting the ever omnipresence of God and his reign over both domains.

Closely related to the Cross of Lorraine, particularly via the Knights Templar, Freemasonry is a topic which has been no stranger to Manson throughout his work, and this interest in a sense climaxing during the Holy Wood era, particularly with the song King Kill 33°. During the Holy Wood era Manson was shown in a least one photo shoot to be wearing a Masonic ring with the square & compass and Manson was also involved with the Johnny Depp film From Hell in late 2001 which explored the Masonic conspiracy behind the murders of Jack the Ripper. However the first of such Masonic references can be found as far back as Manson's first album Portrait Of An American Family on the song 'My Monkey' where he sings of "Little G's and Big Dicks." The song itself is a childlike nursery rhyme with much darker implications adapted from the song 'Mechanical Man' written by Charles Manson, this particular line is very subtle yet but also an incredible overt Masonic reference with the "little G's" being the G that appears within the square& compass with represents the Great Architect, God as well as geometry, the ordered principle of the universe, and the "big dicks" representing the obelisks, a notorious Masonic symbol adopted from Egyptian mythology to represent the phallus of Osiris, which the "Little G's" are often engraved upon, particularly as the gravestone of a Mason.

Even currently along with the implications of the Celebritarian revival, another Masonic parallel exists inherently (whether intentionally Masonic or not) even in Manson's forthcoming film, PHANTASMAGORIA: The Visions Of Lewis Carroll. As Christopher Knight and Robert Lomas write in 'Turning The Hiram Key' while searching for the origins of Freemasonry,

As Manson stated before the release of Holy Wood. Fibonacci is a mathematical sequence which is derived from a string of numbers where the previous number in the sequence is added to the current number of the sequence results in the next number in the sequence. The sequence is as follows and can continue infinitely:

So if the sequence begins with one it's added to zero (its previous number) to yield another one;, that 1 is then added to the previous one (the previous number in the sequence) to yield 2; that 2 is then added it's previous number in the sequence, 1, to yield a 3 and then so on; 2 (the previous) + 3 (the current) = 5 (the next number of the sequence); 3 + 5 = 8 (the next successive number in the sequence); 8 + 5 = 13; 13 +8 = 21......

Before discussing its relation to Manson's art, anyone unfamiliar with Fibonacci and its esoteric relations, including Kabbalah, would do well to rent the movie (click symbol for link), and below is a well written discourse written by Zac Shiffer, aka profane of MansonUSA, in italics.

Note by NK: Or take a rectangle with the ratio of it's length to width being 1 to 1.62 (so if the length were 3 the width would be 4.86; 3 multiplied by 1.62). This is the Golden Ratio. And if a line is drawn within the rectangle to create a square, the space left behind is another Golden Rectangle.

A way in which the sequence can be seen in Holy Wood is the number of beats at the beginnings of each song which are parts of the sequence. For example:

Note that the sequence is a continuing one of 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13 and 21 which is found in tracks 1, 2, 3, and 5. For this to hold true there would also have to be 34 distinct beats in 'Cruci-fiction In Space' (Song number 8) and 55 distinct beat in 'Born Again' (Song number 13), which I haven't actually been able to identify yet.

The original image used throughout the Holy Wood era as the background image which Manson used on his official online store was a red superimposed image of what is known as the Shroud of Turin. The should is literally just that, a cloth covering but what is exceptional about it is that it's a mystical item which many believe was the actual burial covering which shrouded Christ in his tomb. What makes the shroud particularly significant is that "burned" into the cloth of the shroud is the face and form of a man which very closely resembled the common depiction of Christ. Though dismissed by many skeptics as a hoax, mystics and believers alike hold this image to have been formed out of the metaphysical light of Christ's ressurection and ascension to Heaven after death.

The shroud (also befitting in the sense that it's a cloth covering which Christ allegedly was wrapped in, used in the shop where Manson sold apparel of his own image) is another mystical and esoteric image which Manson Manson subtly used.

The image of the Baphomet is one that Manson has often evoked with his art. The traditional and most well known depiction, as displayed above, was drawn in the mid Nineteenth Century by the magician Eliphas Levi, who also illustrated the pentagram depiction of The Tetragrammaton at this same time. Very much similar to his Tetragrammaton, thematically the Baphomet, of Sabbatic Goat, or Goat Of Mendes, is representational of the same concept in magick and the Occult. Christianity completely misunderstood what the Baphomet represented, believed it to be the god which the pagans worshiped, those it sought to subjugate and convert, thus construing the image as the antithesis of Christianity and therefore the personification of its Satan, much similarly as was done with the Pentagram and why in today's popular conscience it's inherently defined as something "evil".

In actuality, as stated above, the Baphomet, like Levi's drawing of The Tetragrammaton, represents that of the holistic philosophy of paganism and the Occult as all elements of nature are embodied within. Earth, as it sits atop a mound, Air, as it's adorned with wings, Fire, as smoke arises from betwixt its horns, Water, as seen around the island mound it sits upon and Ether or Spirit. The other elements which are represented are man, through the phallus, woman, through the breasts and animal, through the scales, wings and goat's head and satyr legs.

Most significantly is the concept of duality represented by the upraised and lowered hand pointing towards the sun and the moon respectively. In magick and the Occult, one of the most predominant facets is the concept of duality, nature embodies both good and evil so it's the heart and intent of the magician whether good or evil manifests. The upraised and lowered hands reflect this, as the choice or path which the magician (or Kabbalist, Witch or Alchemist for that matter) can follow. This is where the often used terms "right" and "left hand path" derive from. Stemming from, among other things, medieval and Renaissance depictions of The Last Judgment, where Christ is in the center in the baphometic pose where those to his right are saved and those to his left are damned, the right are ascending (upward) and the left are falling downward into the depths of Hell, just as the hands of the baphomet designate. In the occult this imagery denotes two different spiritual pursuits, the right and left hand path. The right is the more pious and spiritual path, where all the magician's objectives are towards the light and greater good, and the left hand path where the magician is concerned with the more immediate and self gratifying means as opposed to theurgy or communicating with higher spirits.

It can be noted that Manson's arms on the inside cover of Antichrist Svperstar and on the Devil Card are actually inverted from the tradition depiction of the Baphomet. With his left hand raised, the left being symbolic of the darker and sordid path, can reflect something more insidious. Symbolic of the DISINTEGRATOR RISING, the heralding of the Antichrist Svperstar, as the last cycle of the album is thusly titled.

Trismegistus is the title of Marilyn Manson's new art show which will be opening in Paris on September 14th, 2004 and following exhibitions around the world. The title piece painting of Trismegistus is a three-fold watercolour of the face of Christ and is named after the great magician Hermes Trismegistus, who is credited by some as to to be the originator (at least metaphorically) of Alchemy.

"Hermes Trismegistus "Hermes The Thrice-Great". The Greek God Hermes and the Egyptian god Thoth merged into one figure who was said to be the first and greatest magician. Hermes Trismegistus was reputed to be an ancient Egyptian priest and magician who was creditted with writing forty-two books collectively known as the Hermetic literature. These books, including the Emerald Tablet and the Divine Pymander, describe the creation of the universe, the soul of humanity, and the way to achieve spiritual rebirth."

As from The Tree Of Life by Israel Regardie, a famous book on Alchemy, Kabbalah and the occult referenced many times on The NACHTKABARETT and one which Manson has used many of the imagery from during Holy Wood. The term 'Hermetic Kabbalah', or Western Kabbalah, is one that comes from Hermes Trismegistus. As stated in The Lamb Of God.com section, Hermetic Kabbalah is the Westernized version of Kabbalah absorbed with Egyptian mythology, Alchemy and Sex Magick. It is the type of magickal practise which Aleister Crowley most widely used, which was popularized at the turn of the Nineteenth century by The Golden Dawn and continues to be currently practised by the OTO, or Ordo Templi Orientis, of Order Of The Eastern Temple. The God Hermes is also the Greek personification of the Roman God MERCURY. For more on Mercury and its evocations by Manson see ALCHEMY & KABBALAH section of The NACHTKABARETT.

A very famous depiction which lends another dimension to Manson's watercolor Trismegistus is that of Saint Veronica with the Veil. In Christian lore it's told that on his way to Golgotha when Christ fell St. Veronica offered him a towel, wiping his face which upon it forever left the image of his face. Such is how St. Veronica has been known and depicted throughout history and art.

Along with the occult symbolism of Christ as Trismegistus the added element of Manson's watercolor executed upon what so closely resembles dirtied canvas is quite reminiscent of the effigy of Christ upon a piece cloth (not to be confused with the Shroud of Turin, see above) as depicted throughout art over the ages.

Contributed by Giorgio D.

For the single of Personal Jesus, the cover features a red and white cross. This cross is commonly known as St George's cross. It is not to be confused with the flag of the Red Cross. It is the national flag of England, and also the symbol of Milan, Genoa, Freiburg and Montreal. In 1277 it officially became the national flag of England. After England joined with Scotland by the Act of Union 1707 a Union Flag was created which was used for all national matters, but the flag of England remains St George's Cross, and continues to be used when showing allegiance to England alone. The flag of St George is also the rank flag of an Admiral in the Royal Navy, and civilian craft are forbidden to fly it. However, ships which took part in the rescue at Dunkirk during World War II are allowed to fly it as a jack.

The legend of St. George and the Dragon is that made popular by the "Legenda Aurea", and translated into English by Caxton. A terrible dragon had ravaged all the country round a city of Libya, called Selena, making its lair in a marshy swamp. Its breath caused pestilence whenever it approached the town, so the people gave the monster two sheep every day to satisfy its hunger, but, when the sheep failed, a human victim was necessary and lots were drawn to determine the victim. On one occasion the lot fell to the king's little daughter. The king offered all his wealth to purchase a substitute, but the people had pledged themselves that no substitutes should be allowed, and so the maiden, dressed as a bride, was led to the marsh. There St. George chanced to ride by, and asked the maiden what she did, but she bade him leave her lest he also might perish. The good knight stayed, however, and, when the dragon appeared, St. George, making the sign of the cross, attacked it with his lance. Then asking the maiden for her girdle he bound it round the neck of the monster, and thereupon the princess was able to lead it like a lamb. They then returned to the city, where St. George bade the people have no fear but only be baptized, after which he cut off the dragon's head and the townsfolk were all converted. The earliest reference in art is probably to be found in an old Roman tombstone at Conisborough in Yorkshire, considered to belong to the first half of the twelfth century. In some myths, St George's sword he slayed the dragon with, is shaped like the Cross of Loraine.

One of the most darkest moments of The Death Parade on the Guns, God & Government DVD was the footage Manson filmed of himself inside what is commonly referred to as "the Bone Church" which is known as The Church of All Saints is located in Sedlec, a suburb of Kutna Hora in the Czech Republic, near Prague. The most well known part of this church is its ossuary, or vault which holds the bones of the dead, which was built circa. 1400. The Church and ossuary itself isn't actually made of bones but rather decorated with the remains of some 40,000 sets of bones which died predominantly during plague outbreak of The Black Death between the 13th and 14th century. In the late 13th Century the abbot, or superior, of the church made a pilgrimage to Palestine and visited Golgotha, the site of Christ's crucifixion, took a vial full of soil from this holy and sacred site, and spread it upon Sedlec cemetery upon returning. Since this soil originated from "The Holy Land" the cemetery at Sedlec became an epicenter for those near death who wished to be buried in this christened soil.

The interior is very ominous and haunting with chandeliers, doorways, coats of arms and decorum made designed with human bones. The design of the interior of the Church began when a half-blind monk was asked to gather and organize the remains of unmarked and desecrated graves to make room for new graves, who then proceeded to arrange skulls in the form of pyramids which gave rise to a new medium in which to decorate this Christian Church honoring the death and suffering of Christ.

When then in 1870 an artist named Frantisek Rindt was hired to decorate the inside of the ossuary with the human bones which resulted in what we see Manson amidst in The Death Parade. And unabridged history can be here.

All the following photos of the Church are taken myself during a trip to Europe in August 2005, the whole set of which can be seen on my art site: TheThirdAngelSounded.com. One interesting note about Manson wearing his cowboy hat in the footage of him inside the Church is that when entering the one is asked to remove his or her hat because they are "inside a church." It is possible the manner of Manson's entrance was overlooked but if it wasn't his cowboy hat acts as a subtle blasphemy in this morbid place of worship.

The symbol which can be seen behind Manson on the back cover of Holy Wood is known as the Sigillum Dei Aemeth and is used in Enochian Magick, or Magick employing the powers and influences of Angels. It was delivered to Edward Kelly and Dr. John Dee in the Sixteenth century, both of whom working together laid the foundation, through divine guidance, of the present system of Enochian Magick which is considered to be one of the most powerful forms of magick by many Occultists. Below is an excerpt detailing some of the significance and the delivery of the Sigillum to Dee and Kelly, as given in the book Enochian Magick for Beginners by Donald Tyson:

"The Sigillum Aemeth, or more properly Emeth (seal of truth), also called by the angels the Sigillum Dei (seal of God), is a wax disk tat is placed in the center of the Holy Table. The crystal in its gold holder rests atop of the disk during scrying. Its making is described in the second book of [John] Dee's Liber Mysteriorum, which is as yet unpublished. Concerning this sigil, the angel Uriel tells Dee: 'This deal is not to be looked upon without great reverence and devotion.' It is to be made of 'perfect wax,' nine inches in diameter, and between an inch and a half and an inch and a quarter thick.

"In March, 1582, Dee was instructed by the angel Michael to draw a circle and divide its edges into forty equal parts. There appeared to [Edward] Kelly forty 'white creatures, all in white silk long robes, and they were like children.' Each of these spirits opened its silk robe at the breast to reveal a letter and number, or sometimes a letter alone. Dee was instructed to write these in the spaces at the edge of the seal clockwise in order beginning at the top.

"Within the outer circle of forty letters and numbers, Dee inscribed concentrically a heptagon, an interlocking heptagram, a smaller heptagon, and at the center and interlocking pentagram.

"The larger heptagon is divided into forty-nine parts, and filled up with forty-eight letters (the final space contains a cross). There is probably a direct connection between these forty-nine spaces containing forty-eight letters and the forty-nine gates of understanding, of which only forty-eight may be opened. Each side of the larger heptagon contains one of the seven sacred names of God, which Dee derived from a forty-nine letter square."

Aleister Crowley has been referred by many (including in his own obituary) 'the most wicked man who had ever lived'. He was one of the most prolific poets/writers/philosophers of the Twentieth Century and developed his own system of magick. Even the popular term 'magick' was coined by Aleister Crowley as to differentiate fake stage "magic" from true "magick", when one uses his or her will to effect and cause change in the world. He still remains one of the most misunderstand and enigmatic figures in history (in some ways much like Manson). Because his philosophy didn't exist in the two dimensional, good-evil, black-white, God-Satan belief system he was and is demonized as a Satanist, which isn't true but something he would have never lived down. As stated above, Crowley became head of the O.T.O. in the early Twentieth Century and the magick and philosophy practiced by them is Hermetic Kabbalah, mysticism combined with Alchemy, Egyptian mythology and, most notoriously, Sex Magick.

Manson has always been connected in different capacities to Aleister Crowley ever since Portrait Of An American Family. 'The Abbey Of Thelema' sung in the song Misery Machine is a reference to Crowley's headquarters where he taught his magick to adepts, which was at one time located in Italy and England and in both locations he was a tabloid favourite for the alleged debauchery and perversity which went on there, and was eventually requested by the Italian government to leave the country. Thelema though is the cornerstone of Crowley's philosophy and magickal system, The Law Of Thelema as it's known.Thelema is a Greek word which dually means Love and Will. The Law Of Thelema thusly is "Do What Thou Wilt Is The Whole Of The Law. Love Is The Law, Love Under Will" which means one lives by the code of enacting one's True Will; what one was set here on this Earth to accomplish, unique to each individual. Anyone interested in Crowley, Thelema, the OTO, one's True Will and Magick would benefit and be greatly informed by reading Crowley's 1922 novel, Diary Of A Drug Fiend. It's a beautifully poetic book which outlines Crowley's philosophy and how one is intended to use his or her True Will to overcome the obstacles of life, metaphorically in the novel which are cocaine and heroin. And this book also brings us to another parallel between Manson and Crowley which is the title of the song Diary Of A Dope Fiend, which is a play on words and corruption of the title of Crowley's novel, Diary Of A Drug Fiend.

Other references and parallels to Aleister Crowley also exist and are much more powerful than these. During the performance of The Death Song during the Ozzfest portion of the Guns, God & Government tour, among the faces which were flashed on the screen behind Manson such as V. I. Lenin, Martin Luther King, Hitler, James Dean and John Lennon was Crowley's most famous and insidious portrait shown above.

Crowley's most famous book is The Book Of The Law which outlines The Law Of Thelema and heralds the coming of the new aeon, The Age Of Horus, which Manson has quoted on a message on the Official site. The line which both opens and closes the album Antichrist Svperstar, "When you are suffering know that I have betrayed you" is an adaptation of a line from The Book Of The Law, Line 56 of Chapter 2, "Begone! ye mocker; even though ye laugh in my honour ye shall laugh not long: then when you are sad know that I have forsaken you."

The line "I never really hated the one true god but the god of the people I hated" is a line from Aleister Crowley's autiobiography (or autohagiography, which the autobiography of a saint), The Confessions Of Aleister Crowley. "I did not hate God or Christ, but merely the God and Christ of the people whom I hated." It was written in reference to a point in Crowley's life where despite his disillusionment with Christianity that hatred shouldn't be at odds with his own spirituality; where he can appreciate "god"and spirituality in his own way, not how those who pervert religion do. This is very similar to the standpoint Manson was coming from in writing Holy Wood where just because the majority of people have perverted and bastardized religion and spirituality through the plague known as Christianity, it shouldn't affect Manson or anyone else's take on it.

Lastly, though it was not by any means the sole reason for the title of the album, the term 'Holy Wood' was written in a poem by Aleister Crowley named Aha which appears printed in the book The Tree Of Life by Israel Regardie, which is about his communication with his Holy Guardian Angel, something considered the most divine and advanced pursuits in magick,

Contribution from Mr. Insanity / Don Kurtz

Shown above is a screen capture from the Holy Wood index menu of the Lest We Forget video collection DVD. Manson is rising out of the water not unlike the beast out of the sea in Chapter 13 of the book of Revelation. The crown of thorns and 3 nails are used to represent the manner in which Jesus Christ was murdered. The positioning of the nails is interesting as they form the letter K in the alphabet of Daggers.

The alphabet of Daggers first appeared in Aleister Crowley's book The Vision And The Voice, which was published in the fifth number of The Equinox (1911).

The numerical value of the letter K is 11. The number 3 has a great significance to Antichrist Superstar. Multiply the number of nails by the numerical value of the letter K (3x11) and you get 33. Jesus was crucified at the age of 33.

In Freemasonry the 33° Scottish Rite is the highest level you can achieve. It is a degree by invitation only. You are selected based on your ethic and dedication in relation to masonry. The highest level of dedication one could possibly have in relation to their beliefs is a willingness to sacrifice oneself for them. Jesus Christ did just that. He ultimately sacrificed himself for his beliefs - King Kill 33°

According to Greek mythology, the Horai (The Greek word for 'hours') were revered as Goddesses of the seasons, as well as the heavenly measurers of time. The twelve Horai were tutelary Goddesses who were each associated with a different hour of the day; from just before sunrise to the final moments after sunset. As the ancient Greeks did not have the means to measure time as accurately as we are able to today, the twelve Horai were each allocated a certain hour of the day in relation to the movement of the sun across the Sky. The Horai were thought to have accompanied Helios, who drove his golden chariot throughout the sky, dividing up the day from the night.

The four Horai which Manson made mention of during Holy Wood added yet another element to the already multi-faceted Adam Kadmon. Not only was ADAM the heavenly man, as described by the Kabbalah, and representative as the tangible form of The Tree of Life, but his name was also an acronym in relation to four of the Horai which most served Manson's creative vision. The four Horai identified were as follows:

Thematically, Manson chose these specific Horai to reaffirm the numerous elements of rebirth and regeneration already present within the Triptych. Humans since the beginning of their time on Earth have been able to trace the apparent progression of the sun throughout the sky by way of the naked eye. This is yet another illustration of the continual theme transformation and rebirth parallels the Triptych.

Contribution from Maxim Marusenkov

Apple of Sodom is a fruit of a medieval mythical tree. In the Manson song of the same name it's a symbol of despair.

"The Apple of Sodom", says Wm. Emboden, "is a strange tree that many voyagers claim to have seen at Sodom and Gomorrah, the Biblical cities which the Lord chose to destroy by a rain of fire and brimstone from heaven. It was believed that God created a tree with deceitful fruit known as the 'Apple of Sodom' to lure the weary traveler passing through the area. If a man were so given to his senses that he would try to pluck one of these apples, it would turn to smoke and ashes in his hand, a sure sign of God's eternal displeasure with those who would succumb to their physical senses at this site of retribution." (Emboden Wm. Bizarre plants.) One of the first who mentioned that tree was Josephus Flavius. He wrote, "there are still the remainders of that Divine fire, and the traces [or shadows] of the five cities are still to be seen, as well as the ashes growing in their fruits; which fruits have a color as if they were fit to be eaten, but if you pluck them with your hands, they dissolve into smoke and ashes." (Josephus Flavius. Jewish War.)

A number of scholars of authority identified the Apple of Sodom with the fruit of the Asclepias gigantea vel procera, a tree from ten to fifteen feet high, of a grayish cork-like bark, which grows on the borders of the Dead Sea (Sodom and Gomorrah stayed on the western coast of it) and is also found in Upper Egypt and in Arabia Felix. The tree resembles the milkweed or silkweed found in the northern part of America. "The fruit," says E. Robinson, "resembles externally a large, smooth apple, or orange, hanging in clusters of three or four together, and when ripe is of a yellow color. It was now fair and delicious to the eye and soft to the touch; but on being pressed or struck, it explodes with a puff, like a bladder or puff-ball, leaving in the hand only the shreds of the thin rind and a few fibers. It is indeed filled chiefly with air, which gives it the round form:" (Robinson E. Biblical researches in Palestine.)

"The Apple of Sodom" is also an idiom that means 'appearances are deceitful; a beautiful but rotten fruit'

LITERATURE:

• Emboden W. Bizarre plants: magical, monstrous, mythical. New York, 1974.
• Robinson E. Biblical researches in Palestine, Mount Sinai, and Arabia Petraea. New York, 1977.
• Josephus Flavius. Jewish War. New York, 1981.

The INTERNET:

• Jewish Encyclopedia
• Mythical Plants of the Middle Ages