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〃Were both men and women present？〃
After a beat； she nodded。
〃Dressed in white and black？〃
She wiped her eyes and then nodded； seeming to open up a little。 〃The women were in white gossamer gowns。。。 with golden shoes。 They held golden orbs。 The men wore black tunics and black shoes。〃
Langdon strained to hide his emotion； and yet he could not believe what he was hearing。 Sophie Neveu had unwittingly witnessed a two…thousand…year…old sacred ceremony。 〃Masks？〃 he asked； keeping his voice calm。 〃Androgynous masks？〃
〃Yes。 Everyone。 Identical masks。 White on the women。 Black on the men。〃
Langdon had read descriptions of this ceremony and understood its mystic roots。 〃It's called Hieros Gamos；〃 he said softly。 〃It dates back more than two thousand years。 Egyptian priests and priestesses performed it regularly to celebrate the reproductive power of the female；〃 He paused； leaning toward her。 〃And if you witnessed Hieros Gamos without being properly prepared to understand its meaning； I imagine it would be pretty shocking。〃
Sophie said nothing。
〃Hieros Gamos is Greek；〃 he continued。 〃It means sacred marriage。〃
〃The ritual I saw was no marriage。〃
〃Marriage as in union； Sophie。〃
〃You mean as in sex。〃
〃No。〃
〃No？〃 she said； her olive eyes testing him。
Langdon backpedaled。 〃Well。。。 yes； in a manner of speaking； but not as we understand it today。〃 He explained that although what she saw probably looked like a sex ritual； Hieros Gamos had nothing to do with eroticism。 It was a spiritual act。 Historically； intercourse was the act through which male and female experienced God。 The ancients believed that the male was spiritually inplete until he had carnal knowledge of the sacred feminine。 Physical union with the female remained the sole means through which man could bee spiritually plete and ultimately achieve gnosis—knowledge of the divine。 Since the days of Isis； sex rites had been considered man's only bridge from earth to heaven。 〃By muning with woman；〃 Langdon said； 〃man could achieve a climactic instant when his mind went totally blank and he could see God。〃
Sophie looked skeptical。 〃Orgasm as prayer？〃
Langdon gave a nonmittal shrug； although Sophie was essentially correct。 Physiologically speaking； the male climax was acpanied by a split second entirely devoid of thought。 A brief mental vacuum。 A moment of clarity during which God could be glimpsed。 Meditation gurus achieved similar states of thoughtlessness without sex and often described Nirvana as a never…ending spiritual orgasm。
〃Sophie；〃 Langdon said quietly； 〃it's important to remember that the ancients' view of sex was entirely opposite from ours today。 Sex begot new life—the ultimate miracle—and miracles could be performed only by a god。 The ability of the woman to produce life from her womb made her sacred。 A god。 Intercourse was the revered union of the two halves of the human spirit—male and female—through which the male could find spiritual wholeness and munion with God。 What you saw was not about sex； it was about spirituality。 The Hieros Gamos ritual is not a perversion。 It's a deeply sacrosanct ceremony。〃
His words seemed to strike a nerve。 Sophie had been remarkably poised all evening； but now； for the first time； Langdon saw the aura of posure beginning to crack。 Tears materialized in her eyes again； and she dabbed them away with her sleeve。
He gave her a moment。 Admittedly； the concept of sex as a pathway to God was mind…boggling at first。 Langdon's Jewish students always looked flabbergasted when he first told them that the early Jewish tradition involved ritualistic sex。 In the Temple； no less。 Early Jews believed that the Holy of Holies in Solomon's Temple housed not only God but also His powerful female equal； Shekinah。 Men seeking spiritual wholeness came to the Temple to visit priestesses—or hierodules—with whom they made love and experienced the divine through physical union。 The Jewish tetragrammaton YHWH—the sacred name of God—in fact derived from Jehovah； an androgynous physical union between the masculine Jah and the pre…Hebraic name for Eve； Havah。
〃For the early Church；〃 Langdon explained in a soft voice； 〃mankind's use of sex to mune directly with God posed a serious threat to the Catholic power base。 It left the Church out of the loop； undermining their self…proclaimed status as the sole conduit to God。 For obvious reasons； they worked hard to demonize sex and recast it as a disgusting and sinful act。 Other major religions did the same。〃
Sophie was silent； but Langdon sensed she was starting to understand her grandfather better。 Ironically； Langdon had made this same point in a class lecture earlier this semester。 〃Is it surprising we feel conflicted about sex？〃 he asked his students。 〃Our ancient heritage and our very physiologies tell us sex is natural—a cherished route to spiritual fulfillment—and yet modern religion decries it as shameful； teaching us to fear our sexual desire as the hand of the devil。〃
Langdon decided not to shock his students with the fact that more than a dozen secret societies around the world—many of them quite influential—still practiced sex rites and kept the ancient traditions alive。 Tom Cruise's character in the film Eyes Wide Shut discovered this the hard way when he sneaked into a private gathering of ultraelite Manhattanites only to find himself witnessing Hieros Gamos。 Sadly； the filmmakers had gotten most of the specifics wrong； but the basic gist was there—a secret society muning to celebrate the magic of sexual union。
〃Professor Langdon？〃 A male student in back raised his hand； sounding hopeful。 〃Are you saying that instead of going to chapel； we should have more sex？〃
Langdon chuckled； not about to take the bait。 From what he'd heard about Harvard parties； these kids were having more than enough sex。 〃Gentlemen；〃 he said； knowing he was on tender ground； 〃might I offer a suggestion for all of you。 Without being so bold as to condone premarital sex； and without being so naive as to think you're all chaste angels； I will give you this bit of advice about your sex lives。〃
All the men in the audience leaned forward； listening intently。
〃The next time you find yourself with a woma