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A Final Ecclesiastical History

Book One

The New Commission

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[FG1] “This epigraph, drawn from the Latin Vulgate, was frequently cited in early space-era ecclesiastical documents to reinforce continuity between apostolic mission and interplanetary evangelism.”

[⊕2:] “This verse was used by papal speechwriters during the 2920s to legitimize space-bound mission work as part of the Church’s inherited apostolic duty.”

[≠C:] “Everywhere is not the same as everywhen. The verse is not a map. It’s a warning.”

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(A faint halo-like ink stain encircles the phrase prædicaverunt ubique. In older printings, it is known to glow faintly under lunar dust exposure.)

[∧3:] “ubique = unbounded vector, not geographic scope. Semantic mismatch detected. Intent = spiritual recursion loop.”

“Illi autem profecti prædicaverunt ubique”

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[FG2] “The issuance of The New Commission in 2930 is widely regarded as a pivotal shift in post-Earth ecclesiology. Some theologians describe it as the beginning of the Interplanetary Papacy, marking the formal expansion of Church jurisdiction beyond Earth.”

[⊕2:] “Gregory XVIII’s language is consistent with conciliar definitions of the Church as una, sancta, catholica et apostolica, with catholica explicitly reinterpreted as galactic in scope.”

[≠C:] “There is nothing new in this commission. It is the old engine, repainted for space.”

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(The margin bears a burn mark in the shape of a cross, suspected to be the result of devotional handling or intentional branding by a later cultic sect.)

[∧3:] “Universal ≠ Total. Church = signal carrier. This was a reformatting, not a creation event.”

In the 30th century, Pope Gregory XVIII issued what was formally called A New Commission for a Truly Universal Church —or simply, The New Commission.

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[FG3] “This anticipatory model of ecclesiastical presence was unprecedented at the time, though it draws on older theological models of ‘territorial baptism,’ wherein lands were spiritually consecrated before formal habitation.”

[⊕2:] “The term ‘otherwise settlers’ was later contested by the Martian Synod (3012 CE), which cautioned against anthropocentric bias when addressing potential non-human intelligences.”

[≠C:] “They sent missionaries into the dark—not to bring the light, but to claim the darkness as theirs.”

[∧3:] “Territorial consecration = precursor beacon pattern. Missionary = carrier. Function: imprint latent resonance for future ecclesiastical bootstrapping.”

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(One version of this page shows faded handwriting in ancient Martian shorthand: “They arrived before we did.”)

Missionaries were sent to each planet within the solar system, regardless of whether it was populated. It was assumed that all of these planets would eventually be colonized, so the Church should establish a Christian presence in anticipation of its human or otherwise settlers.

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[FG4] “The original Latin version of this bull is archived in the Vatican Orbital Library and partially included in the Codex Stellaris Ecclesiae (Vol. II). Translation disputes remain over certain key phrases, especially those relating to ‘technological ingenuity.’”

[⊕2:] “This moment is often portrayed in Church iconography, most famously in Launch Ascension by Aurelio Theta, where the Pope blesses the rising shuttle against a red Martian sky.”

[≠C:] “They called it a shuttle, but it was an ark. And like the first, it carried not just salvation—but selection.”

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(A stylized comet drawn faintly in the margin—interpretations vary. Some say it marks the beginning of the Second Celestial Epoch.)

[∧3:] “Language node: ‘audience’ = projection mask. True recipient: non-local observers. Shuttle = ritual vessel.”

A translation from the Papal Bull declared by Pope Gregory XVIII, addressing an audience of parishioners and Cardinals following the Vatican shuttle launch in 2930[6]:

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[FG5] “The Pope’s language here mirrors that of mid-20th century space rhetoric (‘torch of civilization’) but grafts it onto ecclesiastical mission, infusing it with spiritual gravitas.”

[⊕2:] “The phrase ‘torch of Christ’s love’ became liturgical in later missionary rites, especially on Titan and Eridan, where it was recited at site consecrations.”

[≠C:] “The torch was lit on Earth. But in space, there is no air to keep it burning.”

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(Margin bears faint scratchings—possibly tally marks or orbital numerals. One matches the date of the last known signal from the Outer Europa Chapels.)

[∧3:] ∧3: “Torch = obsolete metaphor. Actual payload: signal lattice, encoded in hymnform. Message is not in flame, but in resonance.”

"In our voyages through the stars, we carry more than the torch of human civilization. We carry the torch of Christ's love and mercy.

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[FG6] “This statement, often quoted in Church schools, is now seen as a defense of adaptive theology, particularly in the wake of the Fourth Concord (3127 CE), which endorsed liturgical variation by planetary culture.”

[⊕2:] “Gregory XVIII is here understood to be codifying a theology of spatial ecclesiology, affirming the Church's flexibility across planetary environments.”

[≠C:] “When faith evolves, it forgets. And what it forgets, it cannot hold.”

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(An erased annotation here has been uncovered in some digital editions: “Who decides what essence evolves?”)

[∧3:] “Universal = shifting array. Enduring = recursive. Evolving = encoded permission to overwrite prior truthframes.”

The 'New Universal Commission' we enact today declares The Church's commitment to all corners of God's creation, regardless of how remote or desolate they may seem. We extend our hands and technological ingenuity to every planet, to every future soul who may dwell there, whether terrestrially born or born of new worlds. Our sacred duty is to lay the spiritual groundwork for the communities that will flourish there, ensuring that the Church is a beacon of hope, guidance, and community from the moment they arrive. This mission transcends our current understanding and reaches into the very essence of our faith—universal, enduring, and evolving.

We call upon all of God's children to support this bold endeavor, to prepare the way for the gospel to resonate across the solar system, binding us all in celestial communion."

[6] Translation by Dr. Gordon Bextrum. See Appendix B.↩