Church of the Faith

	The Arx Fidelitatis "Beyond the Warsteed Downs, in the rolling meadows blessed by Carmelya, stood the proud achievement of our ancestors - the Citadel of the Faith. When I had first travelled there to have an audience with the Consilium Fidelitatis, I had no idea that Her Eminence had designated me to become a future prelate. By the Sacred Three, it was such a joyous occasion when I was put to the test in the Arx Fidelitatis - challenged to prove my faith before priest and crusader alike. On that evening, I became a true follower and as a believer, I shepherded all through my example." -Prelate Kurell, a Member of the College of Prelates.

 

• 1Abstract
• 2History
• 3Hierarchy
• 4Triance
• 5The Quaestio

Abstract

The Church of the Faith is the formal, organized religion of the Aelyrian Empire. The Church is often categorized as powerful and influential in most political and social circles. The Church of the Faith has held political sway over the Sodality of Carmelyn virtually since its inception, using that province as its base of political operations. With unquestioned authority as the exclusive monopoly over all matters regarding divinity, the Church executes policy that holds far-reaching consequences, both for the legitimacy of individuals as well as for the salvation of ordinary persons.

History

Founded by Princess Rhea, daughter to Emperor Constantine and Empress Michelle, the Church of the Faith was initially a simple "Sisterhood of Ioannes" and consisted largely of community services, healing and medical treatment, and spiritual guidance. The Church gained its full expression through a convention of priests and spiritual elders who had, prior to this point, been practising the Faith without any standards or regulated guidelines. At the Council of Jiems, Emperor Constantine recognized the Church of the Faith under its first leader, Archprelate Lancaster. Almost immediately, Duke Baxter Iracor positioned himself to exploit the Church for his own twisted political purposes and was promptly propelled as Archprelate Maximilian. The new Archprelate politicized the Church and gave it much of the political clout that it has today - including the acquisition of Church lands in Carmelyn. However, following the Chesleyan Conspiracy, wherein Maximilian attempted to use the Church to overthrow the Imperial Government, a great Schism occurred.

The minority of the Church, which supported Maximilian's plans to excommunicate the Emperor, was promptly erradicated following the suicide of their psychotic leader. The new majority organized under Priestess Vesta of Tirisfal, who was quickly elevated to the College of Prelates (the consilium fidelitatis). After the defeat of the Chesleyans, Vesta was elected Archprelatess and confirmed by the Emperor. Since that time, the Holy Wreath has been designated by the Emperor and the Church has had secondary authority to the Crown in spiritual matters. Nonetheless, when the Church speaks, everyone in the Empire listens. During the Thalia Intendency, Vesta pledged Church support in the form of the feared Prelatine Guard to augment security forces in local cities and villages after the Imperial Guard began to defect. However, the Prelatine Guard was manipulated by the vile Thalia, and Vesta realized her betrayal to the Aelyrian people - promptly committing ritual sacrifice to Ioannes for judgment. Archprelatess Aerienne Sarista ascended the Prelacy of the Church and the succession continued.

Hierarchy

The Church of the Faith is overseen by an Archprelate, elected by a powerful College of Prelates, sometimes also called the Synod. The College of Prelates is, in turn, appointed by the Archprelate from among the capable elders of the spiritual world. The remaining structure of the Church of the Faith is fairly open-ended and free-formed. Local congregations are overseen by a priest and assisted by a brotherhood of monks, a sisterhood of nuns, and possibly a bureaucracy of acolytes. The College has the power to appoint and revoke priesthoods. Above traditional priests there are bishops and cardinals that have geographic oversight. It is from this upper stock that the College of Prelates is usually selected. All positions in the Church are gender-neutral, and it has been the case that men and women alike have been elevated to the highest ranks in leadership.

Triance

The Church bases its teachings off of the Triance, a book compiled by a group of Church elders when they interviewed Michael and Gabriel, the last two surviving Ancient Aelyrians, perishing shortly before the coronation of Empress Fire. Within the Triance, a series of tales called shei'ry form the historical basis of the major events that constitute the theology behind the Church -- the world embroiled in demonic chaos, liberated by the angelic divinity of Diana, who later ascended into the Heavens, and who shall one day descend once again to conduct the Apocalypse, known simply as the Darkening. Several lessons that come in the form of lectures called prae'ry constitute the second half of the Triance and offer guidance for situations and establish the Divine Mandate - a series of rules and laws which must be followed by practitioners of the Faith.

The Quaestio

By Imperial Law, violations of the prae'ry can be overheard by a Quaestio, a Church Court that has the power to sanction persons for such transgressions of the Faith. Persons have the right to appeal to the Imperial Government to nullify the sentence of the Quaestio - but in these cases, a person is willing to be branded a heretic by the Church rather than take the punishment that the Quaestio prescribes, and be purified - retaining sacred privileges within the Church. Persons who are purified for their transgressions are often congratulated by their peers for having remained truthful to the faith. Those branded a heretic, however, rarely are forgiven for their transgressions - and must find judgment in the next world, rather than in this one.