MALGRE LE BLASPHEME. 1951.

Paris: Julliard, 1951
19.4 x 14.2cm, 254pp. Original wrappers. First edition of this autobiographical attempt at redemption by Mourre who as a young man left the seminary and weeks later (in 1950) stood up in the Notre Dame Cathedral and proclaimed during the Easter Mass that “God is dead” at the end of a short statement while pretending to be a Dominican monk (complete with self shaved tonsure). The text proclaimed by Mourre was written by Serge Berna. Chasing after the imposter as he tried to escape the uproar, the Swiss Guards tried to break one of the Commandments and kill Mourre there and then. Mourre was later arrested and before long was recanting his sins. This book was the final stage of that long journey back to the church – a long journey of less than a year. The Lettriste Gabriel Pomerand was also present in the church but did not announce his presence – perhaps wisely skulking away in the chaos. A trade copy (there was no du tete issued) of this very scarce apologetic record from the rather unstable and inconsistent participant. Minorly browned due to the cheap paper otherwise very good.