The Church of Ithea
The Lady of the Hearth, Ithea is the goddess of hearth and home standing watch over the individual homes, as well as the community at large, including villages, towns and castles. It is common to see shrines to Ithea along roads leading into such places.
Ithea is also the goddess associated with fire, as in a hearth fire that heats, purifies, and injures those who do not show respect and care. When the savage wild presses against the safety of community Ithea is there to protect it. Ithea forms the core of most worship since daily life revolves around the home, a warm hearth, and protecting what one has. Despite being the goddess of hearth and home, healing, and childbirth, she is never pictured as having a spouse. Ithea's sister, Sirra, is the goddess of fertility and childbearing, so they are often depicted together and invoked at the same time during weddings and births.
Holy Symbols: A sheaf of golden wheat. A brazier or pillar of never ending fire.
Structure
The church is a patriarchal organization, with men occupying most high positions. The head of the church is known as the High Flame of Ithea and, thus far, has been a male except during the founding of the religion, which is believed to have happened when a lowly servant girl was given visions of the coming of the goddess and was instructed to spread the word and form the church.
Public Agenda
Outwardly, the public agenda is to protect the people and spread the worship of Ithea to lands where she is underrepresented or not known.
Assets
The church commands a large amount of assets.
History
The church was founded over 800 years ago, when a lowly servant girl received visions of the coming of the goddess and was instructed to spread the word and form the church.
Divine Origins
The worship of Ithea is an ancient belief system revolving around spirituality with nature. Their main teachings revolve around mutual respect and spirituality, and these teachings are passed on through readings by spiritual leaders at churches, small shrines, and weekly gatherings at worshippers' homes. Teachings come from lessons passed down from the first worshippers. It is believed that Ithea showed herself and gave her sacred precepts to a poor village girl named Eaorla, who wrote everything down despite not being able to write. Those who visited her were healed miraculously and the worship of Ithea spread rapidly.
Being an ancient belief system, the church has a rich history of traditions and customs, as well as stories from a wide range of backgrounds. An increasingly large amount of people see the worship of Ithea as a way to enrich their lives.
Cosmological Views
Ithea is one of the major goddesses in the pantheon and some would argue that she is the creator goddess. Her sister, Sirra, is on the same level as Ithea, but sees a little less worship simply because her sphere of worship is less encompassing.
Tenets of Faith
1. Oaths spoken in front of any flame must be honored
2. No lie must be spoken in front of a flame
3. One's word shall not be given lightly or foolishly
4. The Highest Good is healing the people
5. The Second Highest Good is pursuing evil and purging it from the land
6. Magic is sacred to the Land and using it for evil and self-gain is an abomination
7. Fire, especially the sacred flame in a church or shrine, is sacred since it is a meeting of this world with the divine fire of the goddess
Additional tenets of faith:
You shall strife for a life in harmony with all.
You shall not act upon your darkest desires, but instead cleanse them from your being.
You shall repay kindness with kindness.
You shall not fight another who is forgiven of their sins.
You shall work for the common good.
You shall not cause chaos or mayhem.
You shall cast out murderers and rapists, so they may find god and ask for forgiveness.
Ethics
Truth, honesty, and dedication are valued above all else. It is seen as a sin to cheat others (although there can be a fine line between cheating another person and simply negotiating a better deal) and to steal. Stealing is punished harshly, as are most crimes against the church.
Speaking against any good deity in front of a flame is a sin.
Pilgrimages are common occurrences, with many folk making at least one pilgrimage per year to a major shrine to seek blessings, healing, and to give thanks. Pilgrimages are actually a big business for the church, and more than one church makes its entire upkeep and more through donations given by faithful pilgrims.
Priesthood
Clerics of Ithea are allowed to specialize in the domains of Knowledge, Life, Light, and War. The church also has a large following among warriors, nobility, smiths, bakers, widows, and midwives.
The church is the largest religion in the Aerinnia and has a strict hierarchy that is overseen by the Grand Light of Ithea. This high priest, currently a priest in his 50's by the name of Antonius Deneaux, is chosen only upon death, abdication, or a vote of no confidence by a council of bishops and archbishops who preside over domains and holdings throughout the land.
The Church of Ithea is especially known by their convents of nuns who care for orphans, the less fortunate, the injured and ill, homeless folk and even travelers.
Convents are located in all major cities and towns and often, even the smallest of villages has a nun or priest looking after the welfare of the people. A good number of these lesser clergy don't even channel their deity's divine power, but instead rely on their medical knowledge and practical skill to look after the folk in their care.
Monasteries are much more rare, and tend to function more as austere working farms and breweries and are a place where people are often sent for reparations or penitence by clergy and magistrates. Punishment can be harsh for these people, and the monks can be harsh. Priests of ithea who choose the War domain often come from these harsh monasteries. The monks are not forbidden to marry but many do not, choosing instead a life of dedication and discipline without distraction. Some also leave monastic life to adventure or seek a practical existence outside the monastery among the common people.
Monasteries and convents may seem insulated, but they are more susceptible to the spread of diseases and plague due to the fact that they take care of the infirm.
Political Influence & Intrigue
The church has a robust communication network and is even known by those privy to such knowledge to hire thieves and guilds to pass clandestine messages. The higher clergy are paid well and will go to great lengths to protect their political influence.
The church itself and even the clergy own a great deal of land within major cities and towns and the higher clergy have comfortable homes and Summer estates in the countryside. While this may seem hypocritical, these same clergy are quick to credit Ithea's blessings for their good fortune and note that, if anyone is to hold power and wield influence, it should be members of the church.
Additionally, new initiates to the Censorate are often chosen from the most fanatical members of Ithea's clergy, with the 6th commandment regarding magic being stressed above all other commandments.
Sects
Since the worship of Ithea dates back nearly 1,000 years, many sects have developed over time. These various branches have the same virtues and commandments, with the main variation being what other gods or goddesses are worshipped alongside Ithea. This often depends upon the people and their local or regional gods that get mixed in for good measure.
Long may the sacred fire burn.
Founding Date
-200
Type
Religious, Organised Religion
Demonym
Ithean
Deities
Controlled Territories
Remove these ads. Join the Worldbuilders Guild
Comments