Professional Documents
Culture Documents
John the Seer for a brief excurses on a curiosity found in the writings of St. Helveticus. In his illustrated commentary on the revelation of John, St. Helevticus included the picture below at this point (Chapter 8 verses 1 -4).
You can see the seven trumpeting angels marked each with their names: Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, Uriel, Simiel, Oriphiel, and Raguel. Each of these is also marked with various symbols of alchemical and astrological lore, the meanings of which are sufficiently described in numerous other works as to need no further elaboration here. But what not yet been satisfactorily explained in any work, at least none that I have discovered, is Helveticus inclusion of the 7 word alchemical phrase: VISITA INTERIORA TERRAE RECTIFANDO INVENIES OCCULTUM LAPIDUM which means, Investigate the interior of the earth. Rectifying, thou wilt find the hidden stone. Devoted followers of the alchemical arts have long recognized this phrase as an acrostic forming the word: VITRIOL a highly corrosive mineral acid, also known sometimes as Oil of Vitriol. It is extremely pungent and usually clear in color (though sometimes it may appear slightly cloudy or yellow) and is soluble in water. Vitriol is an important compound in many alchemical processes, as it is an agent of transformation and is the compound in which many reactions take place. It can readily burn flesh from the bone, but has absolutely no effect on gold. If left uncovered in a flask, it will draw into itself water from the air and, eventually, overflow its container. It is obviously the connection to the mystical number 7 that led St. Helveticus to include this illustration at this point in his commentary the seven angels with seven trumpets drawing our attention to the seven words of this coded message. But, and this has never been satisfactorily answered, did Helveticus mean for us to understand something more? The hidden stone is, of course, the Philosophers Stone but no one since Albertus Magnus has successfully accomplished the transformations necessary to create one. Magnus passed this precious stone to his pupil, Thomas Aquinas, shortly before his death in 1280. Aquinas never spoke of it for fear of attack from other alchemists envious of his masters skill and abilities. Dante was greeted in Paradise by both Aquinas and Albertus Magnus, but if either of them revealed the secrets of producing the Philosophers Stone from Vitriol to that Italian poet, he neglected to mention it in his Divine Comedy. In the Apocalypse of St. John the Seer, this corrosive vitriol is about to be poured out upon the earth with the sounding of the trumpets but for the attentive alchemist this can be transformed into the an elixir of life. The sounding of the trumpets indicates transformation and transmutation. Careful experimentation will be necessary to rediscover these forgotten mysteries. Conjecture must be tested, philosophies must be tried. Vitriol will devour all but the purest gold.