The Sixth Church
The Sixth Church is the national religion of Ignan. It is a fanatical sect of Ainari worship, known for its extreme practices.
Priests of the Sixth Church are called Dark Priests and were once shunned, cast as witches and warlocks by the Holy Church. The clergy has since accepted this identity wholeheartedly; Dark Priests hold a very unique belief: The Sixth Church is to serve as a mortal Hell made to burn all sins from the world.
The Sixth Church is often represented by the Barbed Star; a circle with six points protruding from the sides. The symbol represents the crown of thorns that Aine wore during his martyrdom.
Mythology & Lore
The Sixth Church believes that all humans are inherently sinful and doomed to be cast into the depths of the The Sulfur Pits regardless of their deeds in their afterlife. No man is without sin; even Aine himself was plunged into fire. The hate-filled, evil parts that were left behind were left to burn in the bowels of brimstone before his divine spirit was freed, cleansed of all sin.
The First Sin
The First Sin is a belief that humanity's very first committed sin was allowing Evil to run free in the world. This is the sin that lead to the death and martyrdom of Aine, and can only be absolved by burning away the evil that manifested from this one fundamental sin.The Sulfur Pits
The Sulfur Pits refers to a landscape pocked with deep holes filled with bubbling brimstone. Here, all sin is cast off to burn away and be purified by fire. Mortals that pass are thrown into one of these burning holes to have their sin burnt away from their flesh before they're forced to climb up a burning cliff to reach their freedom. It is better known as Hell. This trial by fire will eventually allow the souls to return to the world so that they may begin Paradise.Paradise
Paradise refers to a perfect world created under Aine's guidance. It is a world free of evil, death, pain, and destruction. Paradise can never exist as long as Sin exists; and thus, Sin must be scoured until the Sulfur Pits no longer exist.Divine Origins
The Sixth Testament
The Church's name comes from the Sixth Testament of Riche. There are five testaments devoted to speaking out heavenly virtues to Aine, all written by his Apostles. The Sixth Apostle, Riche, wrote a Sixth testament that is often far removed from other Ainari faiths. The Sixth Testament states an observation and direct reflection on Aine's martyrdom. Riche believed that mankind has allowed evil to take root in the mortal soul, and that it would one day prevail over mankind to create a society that would only create more martyrs, more suffering, and more pointless deaths that force an endless cycle of suffering for mortal kind. Thus, his testament states that the complete annihilation of evil is a necessary evil rather than a necessary good; there is no means too great in destroying sin. This testament later served as a bedrock for The Idea of Evil; and is reflected in how the Sixth Church carefully, yet cruelly scrutinizes the concept of what is and what isn't sinful.https://www.worldanvil.com/w/veska-strawberryale/a/the-sixth-church-organizationTenets of Faith
The Sixth Church observes a series of laws called Leçon de Infernus;
It focuses on the elimination of sin not just from the self, but from all things.
Never Forget
Aine did not ascend by his own will, but because we have refused to forget him. Always remember the sins and who died for them.Memory is sacred to the Sixth Church; all acts are to be carefully watched and recorded, even the pettiest and simplest of crimes should be remembered, for they may end up leading the way to deeper sin. Those who have sinned before but are willing to absolve themselves can be forgiven, but they should always be watched to ensure that they remain pure.
Treat Sin
Sin and evil deeds are always to be understood under one mantra; that it is to be eradicated at all costs.Evil is always to be immediately treated through any means necessary; no matter how cruel and harsh. It is to be purged from the mind, body, and soul.
Hold no Secrets
Hiding sin is protecting it and allowing it to fester. The moment one finds sin is the moment that they should let the world know it.All sin, no matter how great or small, should be confessed and spoken to a public commune. There is no hiding sin within the Sixth Church; secrecy to them is a very foreign concept and in itself, a sin worthy of being treated as deceit. Evil is to be announced, not coddled.
Purge Sin Freely
Evil cares little for mercy, it only feeds upon it. No crime is too small; let lessons taught be done with impunity.Cruelty is not something that is evil to the Sixth Church, but it is a weapon that can be used to temper the body and absolve sins from those that have committed them. Evil, when committed for the sake of ridding of Evil, is thus never sinful.
Nothing is Inherently Evil
Evil is not something that is defined by shape, object, person, status, or standing. Evil is defined by action. To scrutinize others on the basis of things outside of their actions is in itself, an evil act.An important doctrine on the basis that all things can be utilised and used so long as it is for the sake of a good cause.
Worship
Sermons are held within monastaries; on the surface, most sermons that are held within the Sixth Church are generally not too dissimilar from any other sermon held by the Holy Church. Congregations happen within monastaries and consist of mass arriving before the clergy.
The Priests then arrive to begin their sermon; a recital of the heavenly virtues of Aine. In between each testament given, a bell rings from the Church to signify the next testament to be given.
After the sixth bell is rung, five minutes of silent prayer is offered towards Aine.
Asides from the ringing bells and moments of silence, this is standard for most faiths that devote their time to Aine.
Burning Confessions
What differentiates the Sixth Church from others is that confessions are committed through a fire. This is to represent the sulfur from Hell searing away the sins of the penitent. Whenever a confession is made, it is never made in secret. After prayers, absolution through fire is offered to the flock. Those standing within the flock will stand before the clergy and confess a sin that they have been committed. Afterwards, a brand will be pressed hot onto the skin of the confessing faithful. The Church offers recompense to those that have confessed their sin in this way; for scarring their flesh, they are granted a small sum of Gold to incentivize their honesty. It is not uncommon for devoted members of the Sixth Church to be riddled with many scars, etched from countless burns that mark a different sin they've committed in their life.Granted Divine Powers
Much like other Ainari faiths, the Sixth Church is granted access to Miracles dependent on their beliefs and resolve. They are also the founding sect of Devil Binding; a form of miracle that utilises Yokai to serve as a special conduit for their magic.
"Let all evil die in the dark, so that we may live in the light."
Type
Religious, Organised Religion
Capital
Alternative Names
The Dark Clergy
Demonym
Dark Priests, Sixten
Deities
Related Professions
Related Species
Related Ethnicities
Related Myths
The vibe of this church is presented so well, it feels all the more unsettling because it gives you the sensation that they might just have a point. (Also, I think you left a stray link at the end of 'The Sixth Testament' - just pointing it out)