A couple more notes on religion.
Mar. 3rd, 2011 07:43 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
gridloreI'll tackle the dwarf and elf churches in the next couple of days, then.. the heretics! And what will Doug do with the Jews? (Hint, thanks to ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
isomeme I link the Kaballah with traditional RPG wizards.)
But let's talk ceremonies and holidays.
Services
Normally the faithful are expected to attend a weekly worship service. Outside the larger settlements these weekly services may be led by a layman, usually a village elder. These weekly services consist of the recitation of standard prayers, moral lessons from holy texts, and usually turn into a sort of town hall meeting, as it is the one time everyone is gathered in one place. As churches get larger and serve more people, the ceremonies become grander and more formal. The largest temples may host daily devotional services dedicated to different gods and saints.
Birth, Death, and Everything In-between
The church does practice a ceremony for newborns, a formal naming and public acknowledgment of family acceptance. The actual ritual varies from place to place. The main role of the cleric in this is to bless the child, and record the child in the local diocese's rolls. The church is the main source for census information, at least for honest and accurate information.
Children normally learn at least minimal literacy from the clergy. As usual, this is more common in the towns where children don't spend as much time doing chores and there is a standing body of priests to teach. As one of the basic tenants of the church is that an educated mind is better able to recognize the Enemy, there is an honest effort to reach every child.
Marriage is really only noticed by the church when noble families are involved. Normally, marriage is a simple matter of the couple declaring to the community their desire to be considered a couple, followed by the assent from leaders of both families involved. A party normally follows, which can get pretty wild. Most Europeans are pretty casual about the relationship between when a couple marries and when the first child shows up. Nobles tend to be more picky about this due to inheritance.
While there is no formal rite of confession, priests do counsel their flock and help guide them away from sinful activities. Most orders are compassionate and understanding when dealing with the faithful who have strayed. Others? Not so much. Clerics are expected to be active in their communities, being at the fore when a barn needs to be repaired, being the first to volunteer resources, etc. Needless to say, many clerics fall a bit short on this.
When death comes, the church strongly suggests cremation of the remains. This is not a theological position, but a practical one. In a world where necromancers can animate the dead, why leave fields full of potential armies lying around? Most permanent churches will have a stone bier or a specialized building for disposing of corpses. Clerics are carefully instructed in how to break bones and there are rituals to seal the ossiaries against evil magics. Noble families and some rich merchants can afford the expensive rituals and tombs to allow for burial. In some places, this is seen as offensive and risky (usually these are areas that have suffered attacks by undead recently.)
High Holy Days and Festivals
The church has four festivals that are celebrated universally and considered to be mandatory. Each lasts several days.
The first high fest is celebrated at the Vernal equinox, and celebrates Fractasia, the Growing Mother. This is mainly a celebration of the end of winter and a new growing season. Many see it as the last chance for a good time before the hard work of farming begins anew. This festival is the traditional time for weddings and peace-making.
Midsummer is the festival of Lavator, the Bringer of Life. Essentially a five-day party celebrated at the summer solstice, this festival is notable for it's prohibition on killing anything for the duration. All food consumed needs to be gathered or slaughtered before the festival begins. Traditionally, a community will eat from a communal stew pot that is contributed to by all and tended constantly. Midsummer is also the traditional time for tournaments and "county fair" type events. Brewers do a great business during this festival.
The Harvest Festival celebrates Codifex, the Building Father and is celebrated at the Autumnal equinox. A more sober celebration than the others, the main thrust of the festival is readying the community for winter by counting the harvest and making repairs to buildings. This is also a time when most faithful ask forgiveness from the community and the gods for any offense they have given, and forgive others.
Finally, there is the the Midwinter Festival, celebrated at the winter solstice. Dedicated to no single god, the first three days of the week long event are spent in prayer and meditation. Fasting is common, as is denial of worldly pleasures. The day of the solstice itself is given over to raucous celebrations. Nobles wait on their servants, children proclaim laws, normally serious clerics wander the streets dressed as entertainers. Most places elect a Fool King for the day. The idea is to so confuse the Enemy that he gives up in frustration. The last three days are spent in feasting and gift giving (as well as cleaning up the mess left by the solstice celebration.)
Additionally there are innumerable local feast days for various saints and holidays.
As always, comments and suggestions welcome.
isomeme I link the Kaballah with traditional RPG wizards.)But let's talk ceremonies and holidays.
Services
Normally the faithful are expected to attend a weekly worship service. Outside the larger settlements these weekly services may be led by a layman, usually a village elder. These weekly services consist of the recitation of standard prayers, moral lessons from holy texts, and usually turn into a sort of town hall meeting, as it is the one time everyone is gathered in one place. As churches get larger and serve more people, the ceremonies become grander and more formal. The largest temples may host daily devotional services dedicated to different gods and saints.
Birth, Death, and Everything In-between
The church does practice a ceremony for newborns, a formal naming and public acknowledgment of family acceptance. The actual ritual varies from place to place. The main role of the cleric in this is to bless the child, and record the child in the local diocese's rolls. The church is the main source for census information, at least for honest and accurate information.
Children normally learn at least minimal literacy from the clergy. As usual, this is more common in the towns where children don't spend as much time doing chores and there is a standing body of priests to teach. As one of the basic tenants of the church is that an educated mind is better able to recognize the Enemy, there is an honest effort to reach every child.
Marriage is really only noticed by the church when noble families are involved. Normally, marriage is a simple matter of the couple declaring to the community their desire to be considered a couple, followed by the assent from leaders of both families involved. A party normally follows, which can get pretty wild. Most Europeans are pretty casual about the relationship between when a couple marries and when the first child shows up. Nobles tend to be more picky about this due to inheritance.
While there is no formal rite of confession, priests do counsel their flock and help guide them away from sinful activities. Most orders are compassionate and understanding when dealing with the faithful who have strayed. Others? Not so much. Clerics are expected to be active in their communities, being at the fore when a barn needs to be repaired, being the first to volunteer resources, etc. Needless to say, many clerics fall a bit short on this.
When death comes, the church strongly suggests cremation of the remains. This is not a theological position, but a practical one. In a world where necromancers can animate the dead, why leave fields full of potential armies lying around? Most permanent churches will have a stone bier or a specialized building for disposing of corpses. Clerics are carefully instructed in how to break bones and there are rituals to seal the ossiaries against evil magics. Noble families and some rich merchants can afford the expensive rituals and tombs to allow for burial. In some places, this is seen as offensive and risky (usually these are areas that have suffered attacks by undead recently.)
High Holy Days and Festivals
The church has four festivals that are celebrated universally and considered to be mandatory. Each lasts several days.
The first high fest is celebrated at the Vernal equinox, and celebrates Fractasia, the Growing Mother. This is mainly a celebration of the end of winter and a new growing season. Many see it as the last chance for a good time before the hard work of farming begins anew. This festival is the traditional time for weddings and peace-making.
Midsummer is the festival of Lavator, the Bringer of Life. Essentially a five-day party celebrated at the summer solstice, this festival is notable for it's prohibition on killing anything for the duration. All food consumed needs to be gathered or slaughtered before the festival begins. Traditionally, a community will eat from a communal stew pot that is contributed to by all and tended constantly. Midsummer is also the traditional time for tournaments and "county fair" type events. Brewers do a great business during this festival.
The Harvest Festival celebrates Codifex, the Building Father and is celebrated at the Autumnal equinox. A more sober celebration than the others, the main thrust of the festival is readying the community for winter by counting the harvest and making repairs to buildings. This is also a time when most faithful ask forgiveness from the community and the gods for any offense they have given, and forgive others.
Finally, there is the the Midwinter Festival, celebrated at the winter solstice. Dedicated to no single god, the first three days of the week long event are spent in prayer and meditation. Fasting is common, as is denial of worldly pleasures. The day of the solstice itself is given over to raucous celebrations. Nobles wait on their servants, children proclaim laws, normally serious clerics wander the streets dressed as entertainers. Most places elect a Fool King for the day. The idea is to so confuse the Enemy that he gives up in frustration. The last three days are spent in feasting and gift giving (as well as cleaning up the mess left by the solstice celebration.)
Additionally there are innumerable local feast days for various saints and holidays.
As always, comments and suggestions welcome.
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no subject
Date: 4 Mar 2011 07:00 (UTC)Glorantha might have something, but even the Orlanthi seem to have much trouble with the undead, except the Humakti (their corpses can't be made undead).
All the rituals and small customs are nice. I'm again comparing to other fantasy rpgs known to me, and most seem to be a list of spheres of influence and what cool powers the worshippers get - even the much-lauded Glorantha.
I'm curious about the dwarf and elf churches, too.
no subject
Date: 4 Mar 2011 23:29 (UTC)no subject
Date: 5 Mar 2011 23:09 (UTC)One question: are the priests required to be celibate or not?
no subject
Date: 6 Mar 2011 00:15 (UTC)Celibacy, and other "lifestyle" rules depend on the clerical order. The two largest orders, the Shepards and Gardeners are separated by gender and strictly celibate. On the other hand, there has got to be an order out there that celebrates the life of a saint who was a prostitute, and use sex as a ritual. It's a big church, and as long as the Enemy is kept at bay, nothing else matters.
Historically, celibacy in the Catholic church was recommended by the 5th Century, but not really mandated by Papal Bull until the 11th. Even then, it wasn't strictly enforced until the 1700s.