Transcript of the Imperial Quadricentennial Mass

[VIROS 2915]

TRANSCRIPT OF THE IMPERIAL QUADRICENTENNIAL MASS

Delivered 10^th of Sun’s Smile, Year of Our Lord 1778

in the Basilica of the Final Revelation by His Holiness James II

 

 

 

“Dearly beloved,

 

We gather today to celebrate the quadricentennial of our Empire--four centuries ago, Ex. Godfrey founded our nation, and his patrimony lasts into this day.

 

We have struggled, and we have stumbled. We have even fallen. But like the phoenix which is the symbol of Ex. Godfrey’s kingdom, we have always risen! The Scroll of Gospel tells us that our prophet consecrated the Throne of Man unto God, setting it aside for a special purpose. Thus so long as a single Canonist still draws breath, our Empire will never perish. What a miraculous permanence God grants us, and what holy eternity lies before us? We stand at the axis mundi--from this wellspring, like the waters of Gamesh in which Ex. Horen was baptized, the Virtue flows out into the world.

 

Who among all the nations of the world can rival that inheritance? The four Exalted, our beloved Horen, Owyn, Godfrey, and Sigismund, were born into the bosom of humanity, and each reigned as its ruler. No other culture in this world reveres its God as we do, for ours is the true God, the Creator of all those lesser beings who reign in heathen temples. We do not scrabble at the feet of imperfect Aenguls, trading idolatrous offerings for meager magicks. We kneel to a single God, trusting in Him utterly, giving Him nothing more than the truest faith of our hearts. 

 

Ex. Sigismund commanded that the Church and the Empire are two in harmony, like unto our first High Priests, the twins Evaristus and Clement. Thus, as the priesthood is to Canonism, humanity is to the nations of the world: you and I are shepherds, nourishing our flock, admonishing them when necessary, and guarding them from wickedness. 

 

I say again to each of you that you are like unto priests! Whatever virtue you expect of your priesthood, expect it of yourself, for the world watches you just as you watch us.

 

So as he did with our prophets, God has entrusted our Empire with a very particular and perilous dignity. He commands us as an example to all the world. Nothing less. We are the priest of nations, and thus our triumphs are the greatest triumphs--but our failures are also the greatest failures. We must always be wary, for God has given us a privilege and a duty. Neither without the other.

 

We have a duty to Virtue. We have a duty to bring order to the world, to protect the innocent and strike down the wicked, to instruct the heathen in Virtue and admonish the Canonist who is lax in his faith. In the Gospel, when a prophet fails God, he fails the world. Ex. Horen failed in his sloth, neglecting to admonish his sinful brothers; Ex. Owyn failed in his wrath, slaying his own uncle; Ex. Godfrey in his pride, accepting praise due only to God; Ex. Sigismund in his envy, seeking the comforts of his predecessors. Only the Lord is perfect, and in his mercy, He forgives us of our follies. And look what his forgiveness has wrought: a blessing beyond blessings, our faith and our country.

 

Always, always, our Empire walks upon a narrow bridge, with sin calling perilously below. But what a reward awaits at the end of that bridge! For God promised us Sons of Horen that we would walk the Seven Skies. And to earn this great reward, our trials must be equally great.

 

Take heart when our nation triumphs, and take heart when she fails, for God has sworn us that great treasure for which we all pray: salvation, eternal life, glory in the court of our Father and our Maker. Read your Holy Scrolls, for they are a gift unlike any other: to our people alone the Lord delivered His Scripture, entrusting that we should share it with the world. Venerate the Exalted, for they are an inspiration unlike any other: to our prophets alone the Lord promised the Sixth Sky, beneath his throne. So if you love the Lord and His blessings, return the favor! Go out, walk the path of Virtue, and show our Empire as an exemplar for all kinds.

 

Now go in peace, my friends.”

 

 

[Froschli 838]

Alfred Cardinal Jorenus smiles and signs the lorraine

[_pr0fit 3084]

“How can you have a quadricentennial mass when your country is less than a hundred years old...” Vykk says remembering the many iterations of imperial kingdoms that had fallen before this one.