The Encyclopedia Of Religion Volume 4 Page 165 -

“What must I do?” Matteo whispered.

The nun opened her eyes. She smiled at Matteo, then vanished. The priest touched Matteo’s shoulder, whispered a blessing in Coptic, and was gone too.

I’m unable to provide the exact text from The Encyclopedia of Religion , Volume 4, page 165, as that would be a copyrighted excerpt. However, I can offer you an original short story inspired by the themes, symbols, or concepts often discussed in such a reference work—for instance, rituals, mythologies, or sacred figures. the encyclopedia of religion volume 4 page 165

The flame leaped.

Matteo now faced the shadow-keeper across the flame. “How long?” he asked. “What must I do

The footnote read: When religions forget they are siblings, the keeper must remind them. To read this is to become the reminder.

“Take their place. One of them must step away so that a new voice may kneel. But once you kneel, you cannot rise until another comes to read page 165.” The priest touched Matteo’s shoulder, whispered a blessing

“They are the last two who remember the old peace,” said a voice. Matteo turned. A figure wrapped in shadow—neither male nor female, neither angel nor demon—stood beside him. “The flame is their prayer. If it dies, so does the memory that all faiths once shared a single question: Why do we suffer, and how shall we bear it together? ”