The Holy Patronic Church of Sollun

Adherents to faith of Sollunity believe that a prophetic figure named Sollun, descended from God Herself, walked the Earth some 1500 years ago; the tenets of Sollun’s teachings built upon earlier beliefs to form the pillars of the Sollunic Church.

The Patronic Church believes that on the night of Sollun’s conception, God Herself was present in his father. He died of exposure at midnight, and rose again at midnight beneath the full Moon.

Iconography

Their primary symbol is a silver disc. It represents the Moon beneath which Sollun suffered, died and rose again. Patronic Adherents often accent their clothing with white to commemorate this.
The Patronic Church often use depictions of Sollun’s Holy Father in art, as a stand-in for Sollun or for God Herself.

Principles

Prior to Sollun’s birth, the religion of his people focussed on the “Commandments and Virtues”, but Sollun added another two principles which came to define the faith:

  1. Through true, willing and deep repentance for one’s inevitable sins, anyone may be granted entrance into Heaven. The light of God Herself will be revealed and eternal damnation avoided by acts of attrition.
  2. Do not treat others in a way you wouldn’t want to be treated.

The Commandments

The Patronic Church teaches what one should avoid, and promises the punishment of eternal damnation to those who fail to live according to the way of Sollun. Do not:

  1. worship any other God, for they are false,
  2. practice imagery over me
  3. take the name of God Herself, the Creator, in vain,
  4. shirk the seventh day of holy dedication,
  5. dishonour your family,
  6. kill,
  7. betray,
  8. steal,
  9. deceive, or
  10. harbour greed.

The Sins

The Holy Patronic church teaches that humanity, being born from Lust, is inherently sinful. But that Sollun’s death and resurrection absolves that sin. All people must then live their lives in repentance of that sin through a life without further sin. In order to honour Sollun’s sacrifice. There are seven mortal Sins by which Sollunians should measure their behaviour.

  • Hubris – Dangerously corrupt selfishness, the putting of one’s own desires, urges, wants, and whims before the welfare of people.
  • Greed – The inordinate desire to acquire or possess more than one needs, especially with respect to material wealth
  • Lust – Succumbing to distraction or influence of hostility, temptation or corruption.
  • Envy – Sad or resentful covetousness towards the traits or possessions of someone else, desiring to take those thingss for oneself.
  • Gluttony – The overindulgence and overconsumption of anything to the point of waste
  • Wrath – Uncontrolled rage or hatred, inordinate to the offence given.
  • Sloth – Laziness of the body and mind, or a failure to perform one’s duties thoroughly or doing them without diligence.

Practices

Sollunian religious practice is fairly consistent in any Sollunian religious community. Common elements include a Sunday worship service, private and corporate prayer, study and reading of the Scriptures, and participation in rites such as baptism and communion.

Patronic worship takes place during dusk or after dark. This is done to honour God Herself, as a watcher when most eyes are closed. Official ceremonies are led by ordained priests. Ceremonies can include chants in unison or can be centered around a series of readings and quiet prayer.

Sermons and songs are admonishing or warning: since the Patronic Church focuses on discouraging bad deeds and bad behaviour, their religious community is one of repentance and solemn reflection.

Patronic churches tend to be sparse affairs. Their primary adornments being varied representations of Sollun suffering below the Silver Disc.

Recent proceedings that effect followers

Lately, the church has been known for its moral flexibility and its tendency to meddle in mortal affairs.

The last significant act of the previous Pontiff was to excommunicate the Padrician Emperor from the church, in the hope of his more-pliable daughter gaining the crown. This backfired, and the Emperor led his country into the arms of the Matrial faith.


That Pontiff died young, and was replaced by the conservative reformer Cardinal Nienta Salazar (taking the Pontifical name Theresa Cremada). Since coming into power, she set about bringing the Patronic faithful back into virtue, and has been largely successful.


While she worked, relations with the Matrial Orthodoxy have broken down. The Holy Patronic Church in Tassanos has stripped all Matrial faithful of noble title – save those who would convert. Now, the two churches stand on the brink of war.

The Gazette