The Reformer – Zwingli: A Life's Portrait (Zwingli)

ZURICH 1519

Stop!

Hey!

Good day, Mistress Anna.

I know how much you loved your husband.

I will mention him in my prayers.

Isn't it time for another requiem mass?

But I paid for one on All Souls' Day.

Yes -one...

I have three children.

Up to the first floor.

- Can we please... - Get away from here!

Do you know Greek?

- Why Greek? - Bless you!

Get lost, brats!

Hey...

Hey!

Riffraff...

Who looks after those children?

- Those brats? - Yes?

No one.

Tell me - why Greek?

I want to go further than Erasmus. Have you read his books?

His edition of the New Testament?

He went back to the original Greek text.

I'm content with the Vulgate myself.

You must read it, Hofmann. It will make a new man of you.

Get settled here first, Zwingli.

We'll have plenty of time later for debate.

And they should have some new clothes.

Come along!

Hey, shall I say mass for you?

I'm the Holy Spirit!

He has a way with virgins.

Go to the devil!

- Hey... - Bless you!

...do you want to catch the plague?

Which of you really knows this book?

It's the Bible.

Our Bible.

In this book...

God speaks to us.

But which of us truly understands what he's saying?

From today I am going to read from the New Testament.

And I'll do it in German.

In our language.

I'll begin with the Gospel of St. Matthew.

I will read it aloud and explain to you...

what I think the words mean.

This is the book of the birth of Jesus Christ,

the son of David,

the son of Abraham...

- What's he doing? - Shhhh!

Abraham gave birth to Isaac.

Isaac gave birth to Jacob.

Your Excellency, Burgomaster Röist.

Welcome to our city.

It's good that you've come.

Master Zwingli.

- This is... - Tremendous!

I am Konrad Grebel and this is Felix Manz.

We very much want to talk to you.

Zwingli.

Gentlemen...

What was that supposed to be?

- But I clearly said... - You can't create havoc like that!

As a People's Priest...

You must tend to people's souls.

Good old Zwingli.

The great humanist!

Faber!

I bring greetings from the Bishop of Constance.

He must stick to the standard texts.

And the mass is still said in Latin.

How many decades will you need to explain the whole Bible to us?

The Lord God has plenty of time.

And do you?

Just don't start throwing your weight around like Luther.

Understood?

How long would I be away from my farm?

That all depends on the French army.

At any rate, you get to see the world.

How did it go?

Abraham gave birth to Isaac,

Isaac gave birth to Jacob,

and Jacob?

How could they 'give birth'?

You need a cow for that, not a bull, eh?

What do you think?

Will he continue like that?

At least we understand it now.

Do we need to?

I'll get another round.

He would have you...

He's not even fifty.

We'd have to give Gerold away.

That's out of the question.

You can't be that choosy!

I must pay for another requiem mass.

The chaplain is sick.

Could you say the mass for me?

Please.

I don't do that any more.

What?

The dead are fine where they are.

They're fine...

in purgatory?

There is no purgatory.

What are you saying?

Who are you?

Wait!?

Let me explain!

We don't have to pay to make things better for the dead, wait...

Master Zwingli... I couldn't keep him out.

He just walked straight in...

Leo!

I'm sorry.

It's fine, Thea.

This is Master Leo, my college friend from Basel.

Well?

How did you make a start?

I don't listen to confession or say masses for the dead.

- And? - Oh Leo.

It will be hard work. They are scared stiff.

No wonder, when the Popes for a thousand years

have told them about a vengeful God.

But...

And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

For truth has a joyful face!

Look, Erasmus has published a new pamphlet.

Could you look through my translation?

I can't find anyone in Einsiedeln who does it as well as you.

I'd be glad to.

He said...

there was no purgatory.

But that's a sin.

Well, that's what he said!

Two jugs of red wine.

Gerold, why are you talking to the priest!

- School starts on Monday. - But you're not going!

But you said I could learn to read.

Go and wash up.

Now!

Has Zurich become the new Rome?

Of course, and he's the new Pope!

- And you're the Virgin Mary! - Ooh...

Master Zwingli.

As a farmer's son, what do you think of tithes?

Does it bother you?

Why do we pay taxes to the monks?

Why should they eat and drink at our expense?

And fornicate?

He will be the ruin of our city.

My children have to go hungry to bed.

You're right.

There's nothing in this world more useless...

than those fattened pigs in their monks' habits.

Corpus Christi.

Corpus Christi.

That's enough of your Latin mumbo jumbo!

Does anyone here understand a word of it?

- How dare you! - Shut your mouth!

We want to understand what it says in the Bible.

Get out!

Or do you want to die as ignorant as the day you were born?

That's enough!

Get out!

Hello?

Does anyone need help?

Is anyone there?

Does anyone need water or bread?

In Matthew 11 Christ says:

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden,

And I will give you rest.

Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me.

For I am meek and lowly in heart.

And ye shall find rest unto your souls.

All the other priests have left the city because of the plague...

Why did you stay?

I can't go.

You see?

Neither can I.

For whom was that funeral mass you wanted?

For your husband?

We must take care of the living,

not the dead.

Use the money for your children.

And for yourself.

Hallowed be Thy name.

Thy Kingdom come.

Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our trespasses.

Is that vinegar?

Be quiet.

Why do you bring this quackery into the house?

They say it helps.

Saint Sebastian, help us!

Our Father, Who art in heaven. Hallowed be Thy name...

What's happened to Master Zwingli?