Liturgical Practices for the Faith

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The Liturgical Practices for Priest of the True Faith

Penned by the Magister Artifai, Iudas Wick

For the use by the lay priests, the deacons, and those that adhere to the core tenets of the True Faith over any individual rite, who faithfully administer to the flocks of the Lord GOD whom they protect.

In memory of Avartagh Lemonhill

 

✠︎—✠︎—✠︎—✠︎—✠︎—✠︎—✠︎—✠︎—✠︎—✠︎

 

Table of Contents

 

• Mass
• Confession
• Baptism by Water
• The Path of Owyn
• Consecration of Water or Oils
• Consecration of Holy Ground
• Ordination of a Priest
• Marriage
• Last Rites

 

 

Mass

 

I: Gathering: Readings of scripture, whilst always accepted, are more prosperous when done in public, as spirit is multiplied upon spirit. A gathering then is encouraged, but not required, of any priest that seeks to preach to the people.

 

II: Picking the Scripture: A scripture must be chosen to focus on for the reading. This ranges from any of the three Holy Scrolls, Virtue, Spirit, and Gospel. It is encouraged here as well that the scripture chosen is topical and with the times, one would be foolish to try and preach about a topic which has no relevance, as the nature of the topic will fall upon deaf ears.

 

III. Conduct: Wherever gathered the priest should proclaim the scripture not unto the crowd, but rather unto the Lord GOD. The reading of scripture is an act which honors GOD, and therefore while it can be used to instruct the laity, its primary purpose remains as an affirmation of GOD’s commands unto us. The priest should then stand amongst the laity and proclaim unto the heavens the scripture and prayer to accompany it.

 

IV: Leading the Prayer: The priest then should lead the laity in prayer. Encourage them to offer thanks unto the Lord, and pray with them.

 

EXAMPLE:

 

A tolling of the bells of a church, to signal to the laity it is time to gather. This specific church lay within a war torn Kingdom.

 

Upon the arrival of the gathering the priest stands among the crowd or to the side of them, not preaching to them directly, but offering their prayers up to GOD.

 

Priest: “Lo! And GOD bid unto us, from the Canticle of Temperance in the Scroll of Virtue; ‘You shall not raise a hand in wrath, nor in envy, nor in any kind of sin.’. O’GOD forgive our neighbors for raising arms against Your people, for they know not Your word.”

 

Confession

 

I: Gathering of a Congregation: An important aspect of the True Faith, the rite of confession allows for the truly repentant an opportunity to redeem themselves. As in the Rite of Owynism, the True Faith promotes public confessions when possible, although when a congregation is unavailable it is acceptable to confess before just the priest and the Lord GOD. Often the confessor will declare their sins before the fire altar in a temple or in the town square for an audience.

 

II: Confession of Sin: The penitent then confesses the sin. The priest should offer comfort unto the sinful and should advice be solicited from them, the priest should give it.

 

III: Delivery of Penance: The priest is then bid to give the penitent a penance befitting of their sin. This is done by conferring with GOD, in which the penitent offers prayer to the Lord asking for guidance. Upon the inevitable divine inspiration the priest should tell the penitent what they shall do for redemption and ask if they have any more to confess.

 

EXAMPLE:

Priest: “O’GOD give me the strength to deliver Your judgement upon this wayward soul. I ask for Your mercy upon this lost sheep and that You redeem them through this penance and once more make them live in Your virtue.”

 

Then addressing the penitent

 

Priest: “Confess now, before GOD and your peers, in what judgement have you errored? Name the virtue you have broken and the sin you have committed ”

 

Penitent: “I confess to stealing. I have taken coins from the local store.”

 

Priest: “To steal from another is to rob them of the fruits of their labor. As penance you will return what you stole and offer unto them your services, free of charge, that you may repay the time they lost.”

 

IV: Beginning of Penance: After penance is delivered the priest and penitent will step before a basin of consecrated Holy Water. The priest will then offer clarifying prayer and ask the penitent if they acknowledge their sin and accept their penance. The water is then drawn across their brow and another prayer will be said over them before sending them to complete their penance.

 

V: Absolution: Duty lies with the priest to spiritually support the penitent which they give penance to. As God was with Owyn throughout his trials so too shall the priest support the penitent throughout theirs. And once again after penance is completed is the priest to meet with the penitent, to learn what they have gleaned on their journey and to finally absolve them of their confessed sin.

 

Baptism by Water

 

I: Consecration of Water: Baptism must be done with consecrated water. Thus before any brow is anointed the priest must first ensure that either the body of water which they are to perform this at is indeed holy, or to perform a rite of consecration over the water.

 

II: Stepping into the Water: As Horen, Harren, and Owyn all bathed in the Grotto of Gamesh so too shall the priest and the hopeful get into the water. If it is a child the priest may hold the baby in their arms as the rite is performed.

 

III: Blessing: A prayer is said over the hopeful, invoking the callings of Horen in the Grotto and his calling to fulfil GOD’s mission. 

 

EXAMPLE

Priest: “O’GOD! Bless this child of Your flock. Guide their hand in all they do as they take up Your virtue into their hearts. Let every action of theirs honor Your word and commands, and let them remain fast to their station.”

 

IV: Anoint the Brow: Then cupping the consecrated water, typically in a ceremonial ornament such as a silver horn or a grail, the priest shall pour it over the brow of the hopeful before recounting the story of Horen’s own appointment

 

V: Signing of the Cross: A religious sign is motioned above the newly baptized and they are celebrated by those gathered.

 

The Path of Owyn

 

A “baptism by fire”, typically reserved for adults and those who seek to completely subsume themselves in the Faith

 

I: The First Day: The aspirant shall meet with a priest, there the Path will be explained to them and a blessing will be bestowed upon them. From there they embark upon a pilgrimage to several churches. The aspirant should aim to reach all the churches they know of and are accessible to them, but no less than seven churches should be visited, one for each year of Owyn’s service to Harren.

 

II: The Second Day: The aspirant shall stand beside the flame of a great pyre, stoking it for one Saint’s hour. In recent tradition the intense flames of a Flamewell, created by the powers of the chosen of Saint Micheal, have been chosen for the aspirant to tend to. This is to reflect the labors of Owyn across the seven years of service, and his discomfort at serving the man who slew his father.

 

III: The Third Day: The aspirant shall seek out a priest again, with whom they will speak at length about the life of Owyn. The aspirant should be studied for this, as they will be expected to be knowledgeable about many aspects about Owyn’s life including the admonishments he delivered in the Scroll of Spirit, his service to Harren, his sin, his establishment of the church, and any other relevant information.

 

IV: The Fourth Day: The aspirant shall give an Owynist confession before a priest. They are to be judged in public, proclaiming their sins not only to GOD, but to their peers. This is to show their imperfections, that they may be born again before GOD. This mimics Owyn’s realization that he slew Harren his kin, and how he sought forgiveness with GOD.

 

V: The Fifth Day: The aspirant shall then embark on the quest of penance given to them on the fourth day. Each task will be different, as each sin is different and born uniquely from the wickedness of every heart. The aspirant is expected to learn their own weaknesses on this penance, and meet the tasks given to them with strength. This is to reflect the penance of Owyn given to him by GOD after he slew his uncle Harren.

 

VI: The Sixth Day: The aspirant shall find a priest once more, and confess to the priest privately the weaknesses they found within themselves upon their journey. This is to reflect Owyn’s own confrontation with his weaknesses upon the completion of his penance. After the confession, the aspirant is to go into solitude until the seventh day and final ritual.

 

VII: The Seventh Day: Upon the final day the aspirant shall emerge from their solitude. From there they will make their way to a Temple, once inside they will crawl upon their hands and knees down the aisle until they face a pyre. There they will be baptized by a priest with an oil made from the rinds of a lemon and given the chance to take a new name. This is the final step, and upon its completion the Path of Owyn is complete. Just as Owyn was taken into the arms of the Lord GOD, so too shall the aspirant be redeemed and born again

 

Consecration of Water or Oils

 

I: Gather Liquid: Before consecration the priest must ensure that the liquid they are blessing is indeed worthy of the Holy purpose for which it will be used, either water or an oil. Water of course is used for the baptisms of the laity, oils to confirm one to the priesthood and for the appointment of magisters. Waters may be blessed in great quantities. Pools, rivers, basins, cups, or reservoirs may be blessed. Oils are precious, and in contrast must be gathered in a chalice or horn before they are to be blessed.

 

II: Blessing: A prayer is then said over the liquids. The prayer is to invoke purity over the substance and should invoke the sanctity of the liquid and the purity of it. Priests should call back to the holy waters of Gamesh from which Horen, Harren, and Owyn all bathed.

 

III: Purification: For waters, a kosher salt is to be poured into the waters, this serves not only to cast out any impurities of the flesh, but impurities of the dark which cannot abide the salted waters. For oils, a simple solution of salt and the juices of a lemon is to be poured into the oils, that the substance too is purified of the impurities of the flesh and the dark, which cannot abide the salt nor the Holy lemon.

 

IV: Second Blessing: Once more the liquid is blessed, calling upon the Lord GOD and His own perfection. The liquid is then consecrated, and may be used in the rites for which it is called for.

 

Consecration of Holy Ground

 

I: Purification of the Grounds: The priest must ensure that the grounds that are to be consecrated are indeed pure. This is to say no foul magicks are present or used upon the land without having been purified. It is also to say that any heathen, heretical, or anathematic influence or symbolism is not present at the soon to be Holy grounds.

 

II: Construction of the Tabernacle: Within the holy site a tabernacle must be constructed. This is to ensure that the Lord GOD’s presence has a seat with which to rest, and from which He will watch over His flock from.

 

III: Driving of Stakes: Upon the construction of the tabernacle the priest is to go to the four corners of it, and with a hammer drive four stakes into the ground, one at each corner. Prayers are to be invoked here, words that invoke the name of GOD and honor His sacred lands between the towers of Aemon and Deamon and south of the Isthmus of Kramoroe. As Horen consecrated the first tabernacle so too shall the priests of today follow in the driving of the stakes.

 

IV: Lighting of the Fire: A holy flame then is carried. The Mercyflame. Protected by the one of the priesthood who is charged to guard the flame from wickedness and sin. The flame serves as GOD’s seat upon this world, that He may watch from his protecting fires. The bearer of the mercy flame is to speak prayer as the flame is lit, invoking the sanctity of the holy ground and claiming it in the Lord’s name as well as paying homage to the fires of Owyn and the purification of the lands of Edel.

 

V: Final Prayer: Once again prayer is to be said, with the priest leading the congregation in worship and observance of the Lord’s presence within the tabernacle.

 

Ordination of a Priest

 

I: Testing and Thesis: First, an acolyte must be tested to affirm that they are knowledgeable enough within the faith to administer rites and teachings unto their Flocks. This comes in the form of their acolyte thesis, which is to be reviewed by the Prelate of the Faith. They will then be tested by the bishop ordaining them in whichever manner the bishop deems fit.

 

II: Liturgy: The following liturgy is then given, reciting scripture from the Book of Silence in the Scroll of Gospel, calling back to the formation of the church and the calling of a priest.
“‘He entrusted to them the Word of GOD, which were the Virtue and the Spirit, and charged them to instruct their brethren in the path of holiness.’ Book of Silence; Verse 4. O’GOD, bless this lamb with your knowledge and grace, and entrust them to carry the priesthood of Owyn and the teachings of Your virtue. As the twin brothers Evaristus and Clement were charged with the protection of their flocks, allow this new shepherd to carry the same task in Your honor.”
Another prayer is then offered, more personally from the bishop to GOD, one that should touch on the unique virtues of the acolyte.

 

III: Anoint the Brow: The brow of the acolyte is then anointed by consecrated oils of lemon as they recite the Citrine Creed. A second blessing is bestowed upon them by the bishop as the acolyte, now a priest, is raised anew.

 

IV: Given a Charge: The acolyte is then given a charge by the bishop, it should encompass what the priest is expected to do, who to administer to, and which bishop they should report to.

 

V: Frock and Symbol: The newly ordained priest is given their frock and a symbol of their Faith. The symbol of the faith should be a personal effigy from the bishop ordaining them. It should in some way reference either the magister’s own order, the newly ordained priest’s history, or the newly ordained priest’s charge. Finally the priest is sent out to begin working on their charge.

 

Marriage

 

I: Preliminary Customs: Before the ceremony is to commence incense is to be burned within the Temple or at the site in which the marriage is to be performed. Typically this is the incense of a King’s Ivy plant, but it can be swapped for any other number of incenses so long as they aren’t putrid in scent or nature. The Bridegroom is to stand at the altar or the point where the two are to be wed, and upon the sounding of a bell, gong, drum, or other culturally significant tone the Bride is to enter down the main walkway or aisle, escorted by their father, and stand before the Bridegroom.

 

II: Opening Prayer: The priest then begins the liturgy to whomever is gathered. The opening prayer should pay homage to the marriage between Horen and Julia, as well as the sanctity of the sacrament being performed before GOD and the importance of marriage.

 

EXAMPLE:

 

“We are gathered here today before the altar, in the sight of GOD, King of Kings and Master of the Universe, to join together man and wife in Holy Matrimony. This sacrament serves to bind them together, not in flesh, but in spirit. Two kindred souls bound in service to one another and the Lord GOD, just as Julia and Horen served and saved each other.”

 

III: The Three Trials: Before their hands are lightly bound by cloth the priest is to ascribe the bride and bridegroom three trials to prove their commitment to one another. The trials may be any that the priest wishes, though the most common are riddles, picking a wicked individual out of the crowd and beating them, and tests of physical capabilities. The soon-to-be-wedded couple is able to opt out of this part of the ceremony if they wish.

 

IV: Binding of the Hands: The priest is to then lightly bind the hands of the bride and bridegroom in a strip of white cloth. Next the priest is to trace holy water upon the brow of each and say a short, one to two sentence prayer, invoking again the bond of Horen and Julia and the solidity of the union before GOD.

 

V: Exchanging of Vows: The priest then turns to both of the individuals to be married and asks each of them, beginning with the groom, to swear by their vows after the priest reads them aloud. If the couple has personal vows they are welcome to request the priest read those, but traditionally a priest should ask the bride and bridegroom if they promise to be their wedded wife, that they are bound before GOD, that they will love and comfort one another, keep each other safe in sickness and in health, and stay true to one another from that day until their last. After both have said “I do” or some other variation of the phrase rings may be exchanged.

 

VI: Proclamation of Marriage: Then, the following liturgy is spoken to those gathered, as well as to the Lord GOD, finalizing the ceremony “As [Bridegroom’s Name] and [Bride’s Name] have now consented together in holy wedlock, and this has been witnessed before GOD and this company, before the Mercyflame and in His temple, having thereto pledged their lives and love to one another, I pronounce that they be wed together, in the name of our almighty Lord and GOD. Amen.”

 

Last Rites

 

I: Preparation of the Body: The body should be properly prepared if there is a proper ceremonial funeral. The body is washed with scented oils and the body is cleaned up to the best of the ability of its handlers. If in the aftermath of a battlefield, this step is often understandably forgone and the layman or priest may move on to the next step.
 

II: Construction of Pyre: Once the body has been prepared, it is usually set somewhere that can be set ablaze for cremation. If for a funeral or on the field of battle, a pyre may be constructed and the body set atop it.
 

III: Blessing to the Deceased: Salt is to be poured in a circle around the body now after its placement, to ward away lingering evil spirits that may have indirectly caused the person’s demise and so that the recipient’s soul may move on to the Seven Skies unhindered. Holy water is now sprinkled upon the deceased and a blessing is given. These generally vary and are free form for the layman or priest, but generally give a blessing to the recipient in their hereafter and are generally short.

 

Examples of Blessings:
[For the Faithful]
“Thy death was not in vain, for GOD has greater purpose for you in the Seven Skies. May GOD bring you rest. Amen”

 

Examples of Blessings:

[For heathens and heretics]
“Thy faith faltered, no power could save thee. May GOD have mercy on thy soul.”

IV: Official Ceremony: After this is completed, depending on circumstances, the ceremony may now begin officially. Generally an opening prayer and introduction is given for the deceased in a proper funeral ceremony in free form. Generally try to focus on the positivity of them having lived a virtuous life and being in the embrace of the Creator.
 

V: Lighting of Pyre and Collection of Ash: Lastly, the pyre is to set a blaze or the deceased set into the furnace to burn thoroughly until all that remains are ashes. Collect these in an urn or spread them somewhere nice as needed.

 

 

D E V S ✠ M A G N V S

 

[Mister_Gavin 567]

Spoiler

Please remove any mention of me or my character from this post.

 

Edited February 23 by Mister_Gavin