Prologue - Chapter 12 Summary

Prologue - Over time, chanting at monasteries falls away from the original songs, and these new songs are considered corrupt. Dom Prosper, a French monk, revives the Abbey of Saint Pierre in Solesmes, France in 1833, and revives the original Gregorian chants. Such chants are considered beautiful mysteries, the voice of God. Research into the original songs is done, and Dom Prosper and the Vatican each come up with competing sources for the originals. Eventually, Dom Prosper wins out, and while he has much of the original chants, he is missing the way to begin the chants, the first word, the beautiful mystery.

Chapter 1 - In the monastery of Saint-Gilbert-Entre-les-Loups, in the wilderness of Quebec, Dom Phillipe finds himself reluctant to begin the day, to ring the signal bell. Jean Guy Beauvoir, of the Surete du Quebec, is having breakfast...