Castelo Negro, Marca, People’s Republic of Lusitania
Castelo Negro, meaning ‘dark castle’ in Portuguese, was the capital and the biggest city of the PRL province of Marca, the most inhospitable place in the whole country. Its distance from the sea and the fact it was surrounded by several high mountains made the whole place dry and with extreme temperatures. It looked almost like a desert, except maybe for the sand. It was a wasteland with little vegetation or agriculture, always dependent on the rest of the country for food. In Castelo Negro, the dark castle overlooked a brawl of white houses in which poverty was day-to-day. And communism did not help the people of Marca, nor it did for Translima and Alzamal (the other PRL provinces). The planned economy and the land reform, did with little precise criteria, were a fatal blow in the PRL’s already feeble economy.
In this winter afternoon, no people could be found in the impoverished streets of Castelo Negro, save for some people looking cautiously around before entering a small basement. They were entering one of the many clandestine churches in the People’s Republic, since public religious ceremonies were banned by the officially atheist state. Upon entering the small doors for clandestine churches, the two aforementioned people, went down some dark stairs into an old wine basement, filled with moisture and a small scent of alcohol. The priest was alone in the improvised church, that held a simple crucifix in the wall and simple ceremonial objects.
“Good afternoon, are you Father Roberto Palma?”
The distracted old priest jumped in fear. Two men, dressed in long black coats, out of the usual hours of service? It was the COPCON, the regime’s secret police, for sure. They had come for him.
“I’m special agent Ricardo Falcão, from the COPCON. I’d like to have a little word with you.”
The priest, trembling in fear, took Falcão to his little office. As his colleague started to follow him, Falcão said:
“Stay here please. This is a secret government affair.”
Both entered the small and poorly-decorated office. Priest Palma, trembling with fear, sat down.
“Father, I am no ordinary COPCON agent. I’m the General-Director, and I’ve come here upon personal request of Comrade Gonçalo Vasques, discussing a top issue in the People’s Republic – the rehabilitation of the Church in the People’s Republic.”
“But, Sir, we are procescuted and our churches are burned down by the Government…”
“Not anymore Father… Me and other important people in the PCP have managed to persuade Comrade Vasques to understand, even leading him to, in the future, become a born-again Christian… He understood that the absence of religion and sense of tradition in the People’s Republic is harmful for the material development of the workers and the peasants.”
“But I’m a simple priest. Why are you talking to me?”
“Oh, you’re no simple priest. The COPCON has agents infiltrated all over this clandestine church network. We’ve been monitorizing yours for a while. And you were, as a young seminarist, an apologist of the Theology of Liberation, which conciles the message of Marx and the message of Christ. Unfourtunally, you were arrested by the integralist regime, but had your sentence commuted, and you were sent to this dreadful place. For years, you’ve hidden your opinions, but after the Revolution, you’ve openly admitted, before your parishioners, that the Holy Text and the writings of Marx are compatible and complete each other… I myself, despite not admitting, am a follower of that stance. And now, the People’s Republic needs a new impulse… Not a material one, but a spiritual one, that stresses the importance of the collectivity, the flock of Christ, rather than materialism, that despite being written by Marx, leads to greed and individualism.”
“I agree with you Sir, but, why have you…”
“You will go with me to Beja, meet with Comrade Vasques and other likeminded priests.”
“But,my parishioners…”
“Do you want to see the Church powerful again? And most of all, do you want to be in the vanguard of a new Church?”
“Well… I…”
“Don’t be falsely humble. I know you do. I read your articles of the 60’s, your speeches. You were inflammatory, you were terrific, a natural orator, a natural leader and one of the best Bible scholars I’ve ever seen. Are you up to the challenge? I’ll be out there waiting…”
Five minutes after Falcão left the room, Palma showed up, with a big smile on his face:
“Let’s do this.”
Castelo Negro, meaning ‘dark castle’ in Portuguese, was the capital and the biggest city of the PRL province of Marca, the most inhospitable place in the whole country. Its distance from the sea and the fact it was surrounded by several high mountains made the whole place dry and with extreme temperatures. It looked almost like a desert, except maybe for the sand. It was a wasteland with little vegetation or agriculture, always dependent on the rest of the country for food. In Castelo Negro, the dark castle overlooked a brawl of white houses in which poverty was day-to-day. And communism did not help the people of Marca, nor it did for Translima and Alzamal (the other PRL provinces). The planned economy and the land reform, did with little precise criteria, were a fatal blow in the PRL’s already feeble economy.
In this winter afternoon, no people could be found in the impoverished streets of Castelo Negro, save for some people looking cautiously around before entering a small basement. They were entering one of the many clandestine churches in the People’s Republic, since public religious ceremonies were banned by the officially atheist state. Upon entering the small doors for clandestine churches, the two aforementioned people, went down some dark stairs into an old wine basement, filled with moisture and a small scent of alcohol. The priest was alone in the improvised church, that held a simple crucifix in the wall and simple ceremonial objects.
“Good afternoon, are you Father Roberto Palma?”
The distracted old priest jumped in fear. Two men, dressed in long black coats, out of the usual hours of service? It was the COPCON, the regime’s secret police, for sure. They had come for him.
“I’m special agent Ricardo Falcão, from the COPCON. I’d like to have a little word with you.”
The priest, trembling in fear, took Falcão to his little office. As his colleague started to follow him, Falcão said:
“Stay here please. This is a secret government affair.”
Both entered the small and poorly-decorated office. Priest Palma, trembling with fear, sat down.
“Father, I am no ordinary COPCON agent. I’m the General-Director, and I’ve come here upon personal request of Comrade Gonçalo Vasques, discussing a top issue in the People’s Republic – the rehabilitation of the Church in the People’s Republic.”
“But, Sir, we are procescuted and our churches are burned down by the Government…”
“Not anymore Father… Me and other important people in the PCP have managed to persuade Comrade Vasques to understand, even leading him to, in the future, become a born-again Christian… He understood that the absence of religion and sense of tradition in the People’s Republic is harmful for the material development of the workers and the peasants.”
“But I’m a simple priest. Why are you talking to me?”
“Oh, you’re no simple priest. The COPCON has agents infiltrated all over this clandestine church network. We’ve been monitorizing yours for a while. And you were, as a young seminarist, an apologist of the Theology of Liberation, which conciles the message of Marx and the message of Christ. Unfourtunally, you were arrested by the integralist regime, but had your sentence commuted, and you were sent to this dreadful place. For years, you’ve hidden your opinions, but after the Revolution, you’ve openly admitted, before your parishioners, that the Holy Text and the writings of Marx are compatible and complete each other… I myself, despite not admitting, am a follower of that stance. And now, the People’s Republic needs a new impulse… Not a material one, but a spiritual one, that stresses the importance of the collectivity, the flock of Christ, rather than materialism, that despite being written by Marx, leads to greed and individualism.”
“I agree with you Sir, but, why have you…”
“You will go with me to Beja, meet with Comrade Vasques and other likeminded priests.”
“But,my parishioners…”
“Do you want to see the Church powerful again? And most of all, do you want to be in the vanguard of a new Church?”
“Well… I…”
“Don’t be falsely humble. I know you do. I read your articles of the 60’s, your speeches. You were inflammatory, you were terrific, a natural orator, a natural leader and one of the best Bible scholars I’ve ever seen. Are you up to the challenge? I’ll be out there waiting…”
Five minutes after Falcão left the room, Palma showed up, with a big smile on his face:
“Let’s do this.”