The Primavera of The Neo-Sybians

“The Primavera of the Neo- Sybians”

Following the two world wars, when fascism and death roamed Italy, a certain calm and a calm certainty returned to the Calabria region of Italia.
Like flower bulbs breaking forth from the once frozen ground, people who had kept their devotion to St. Sybaris hidden began to come forth and connect with each other. The gardens of pleasure were refurbished, rituals revised, novices recruited, all this in time for the “Days of New Wine.”, a custom the Sybians revived. The children of the war had become the young adults of peacetime, eager to explore forbidden pleasuresand topics kept from them. Into this fertile atmosphere came Felix and Maxine.
Through Maxine, Felix’s childhood friend, the news began to circulate about Felix's music, his visions and initiations and, among the women of the villages, his physical and metaphysical prowess. Many a signora was heard on her way to the midday market singing softly Felix’s “humming tunes.” Through the music which Felix composed and the dances Maxine performed at her garden gatherings, Sybian’s vision of theVita Voluptua began to take hold among the young. While the women greatly admired Felix Culpa, the older men of the village were concerned along with those younger ones who were too physically inadequate to join in the rituals .These outcasts often retreated to the seminaries. Among them was a soon-to-be priest and bishop, Alberti Bassanni.

Alberti Bassanni, like many of the adolescents of Sybaris, was attracted to the “New Sybian” group. Sensual initiation, leading to full sexual membership, offered youths a chance to escape the guilt driven church and political organizations. However, Bassanni’s inability to perform the complete initiation led to embarrassment and mockery of his peers. He sought refuge in the Catholic seminary in Calabria.
Bassanni, lured by the chance to accrue wealth and power, entered the priesthood where he quickly rose to Monsignore, and then Bishop. He never passed up an opportunity to use his position to harass the most vulnerable of his subjects, particularly sexually.
Maxine, who was his mistress for several years, believes Bassani never gave up his devotion to Sybian, although his rituals of self-gratification were practiced only late at night, when he believed Maxine to be asleep.