The
Lector Priest’s Necrotome
A Book of Egyptian Last Rites
©
Copyright 2013 Michael J. Costa, All rights reserved.
No part of this work may be reproduced, stored
in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic,
mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written
permission of the Author or Copyright owner.
This
book was printed in the U.S.A.
First
Edition © MJC 2013
Genre:
Occult, Egyptian Mythology.
Acknowledgements:
This book
is based on the funerary texts of Ancient
Egypt, and is a replica of their culture in modern times. Parts of this book were inspired by the Book of the Opening of the Mouth (a
ceremony of religious importance to the souls of the dead), the Amduat (what exists in the Other World),
and the Book of Appearing in the Light
(or: the Book of the Dead).
By
creating this modern conceptual book, it is hopeful that people will be
inspired by the ancients to explore what exists outside of the mortal plane,
and further the journey into the next realm.
M. J. Costa, B.A. Archaeology ’99,
Contents:
Book
1: The Opening of the Mouth
Book
2: The Liturgy of Offerings
Book
3: The Prayer-Spells
Book
4: The Otherworld (Am-Duat)
About
the Author
Chapter
1:
When
performing this ritual, the mouth of the dead person is symbolically opened, not
literally. The purpose here is to
allow the dead to receive air, or breathe, using the ritual tools, thereby
giving the soul the abilities it had
while alive on Earth (etc.). This ritual
was performed at the tomb site or grave site by the eldest able male of the family,
in imitation of Horus for his divine father Osiris.
The Lector
Priest reads the lines and directs the other priests for their parts, and may act the lead role of Horus or Osiris;
in this case I selected the Creator Ptah
as Chief Deity for this book. Ptah is
the god who ritually opened the Horizon for the solar god Ra to enter daybreak,
and it is he who opens the mouth of the deceased soul. This ceremony is a ritual drama
performed at funerals in ancient times. This
ritual may be performed using a Ka Statue made of cast stone or resin.
Priests
List:
1.
Kheriheb (Lector Priest)
2.
Erpae (heir of the person)
3.
Sameryf
4.
Setem Priest (Anubis Priest)
5.
Smer
6.
Amas
7.
Am-Khent
8.
Mesentiu (musicians)
9.
Isis & Nephthys actresses
Purifications:
First,
all Priests listed above must be clean and be wearing new or ritually clean
clothing. If not entirely clean, the
Priest must be washed from the hands to the upper arms with clean water, soap,
or some cleansing material (sand or Natron); also wash the face up to the
neckline. Second, new incense must be prepared in a censing device or holder.
Third, all fires or candles must be
contained to prevent accidents. Or use
air freshener or fresh flowers instead.
Ritual
Tools:
1.
Incense holder
2.
Premium Incense (stick, cone)
3.
Lighter (for flame)
4.
Sash or Band of white linen
5.
Ka Statue (Cast stone or resin)
6.
Ritual Screwdrivers
7.
(This Book)
8.
Water Libation Bottle (plastic)
9.
Food Offerings (or Models)
First
Ceremony:
The
Kheriheb orders the Setem Priest to wear the White Sash and to use the incense, allowing the incense to waft
up around the Ka Statue or other murals near the tomb site, for one minute. The Ka Statue is placed on a platform so that
it is level, facing south (towards the Nile River origin, or “Nu”). Place any offering prayers in the path of the
incense smoke so they may be “read in Heaven.”
The Setem Priest chants, while the incense is burning, the following:
“You are
purified, you are purified O Ptah, the Creator of all Life; (North)
“You are purified, you are
purified O Ptah, the Creator of all Life; (South)
“You are purified, you are
purified O Ptah, the Creator of all Life; (East)
“You are purified, you are
purified O Ptah, the Creator of all Life.” (West)
Say
this facing in the 4 directions per line.
Second
Ceremony:
The Setem
Priest takes the water bottle, fills
it with clean water and then makes libations (pours it onto the ground or
sprinkles it) near the Ka Statue or gravesite.
This consecrates the site or Statue with water. The Setem Priest may also ritually wash the
Ka Statue with water and a damp sponge or cloth.
The Setem Priest then says to the Ka
Statue:
“You are
purified, you are purified, your purifications are those of Ptah, and his purifications
are yours. You are purified with the
Natron Water of Horus, Set, Geb, and Thoth.”
The Smer Priest then duplicates the above 2
Ceremonies on the Ka Statue.
References:
Ptah = the Creator
Horus = the Sky, god of light
Set = god of Chaos and Storms
Geb
= Earth god
Thoth = god of Literacy & Science
Third Ceremony:
The Setem Priest takes some incense and
directs it to the Ka Statue’s face, touching
the mouth, the eyes, and a hand twice each part with his fingers.
The Kheriheb
Priest says to the Ka Statue:
“Your
incense is the incense of Horus, and his incense is yours; as is the incense of
Set, Geb, and Thoth. You are established
among the gods as a purified soul; your
mouth is that of a newborn being nursed by its mother.”
“Your head
is incensed with the scent of the gods; your mouth is incensed likewise, as are
your bones. You are brought forth and
are whole.”
Fourth
Ceremony:
The Setem Priest wears the White Sash and
wraps it about himself like a mummy shroud while sitting on the floor. The Am-Khent
Priest and Kheriheb stand at the entrance to the tomb (House of Gold).
The Amas Priest declares to the Setem Priest,
“Oh my
father, what has happened?”
The Setem Priest replies,
“I was sleeping
and yet someone awoke me. I noticed my
every form; in the darkness of death I was alight.”
The Amas Priest asks the Setem Priest:
“Is not
your father here?”
The Setem Priest replies,
“Horus was
hunting birds with his net, and he trapped me in it. Come, my shadow awaits”
The Kheriheb says,
“I have seen my father in all his forms. He is
Osiris, the god of peace.”
Fifth Ceremony:
The Setem
Priest says to the Ka Statue, while not
wearing the White Sash now:
“I love
Osiris, my divine father, and his many forms he has created. I have made him a statue (Ka Statue) that you
may smite him, so as to make it
divine.”
The ritual smiting represents the death of
Osiris by Set and his conspirators. This
may also account for any damage done to statues in the past as found in
Egyptian Temples. Each Priest will
lightly “tap” the Ka Statue with their fingers.
Then the Setem Priest will touch the mouth of the statue and say:
“I am your
beloved son, Horus, and have pressed your lips with my hand. May you be able to breathe again, O Osiris,
the Lord of Life.”
Sixth
Ceremony:
The Setem
Priest presents a food offering (Thigh or leg of Beef) to the Ka Statue,
saying:
“Hail
Osiris, I have come to embrace you, for I am your son, Horus. I have pressed and opened your mouth with
this (offering), which is the Eye of Horus.”
Kheriheb: Press the ritual Screwdriver
to the mouth of the Ka Statue whenever someone says “open the mouth.” Then say:
“Your mouth is open, O Osiris.”
MC 2013.
