Location
The Monastery of Divine Wisdom is located at the eastern end of
Grites Bridge one of the busiest and most commercially active areas of the capital of
Wesdaland and also close to the city's foreign quarter, populated by many
Oronai and
Blatian merchants from the
Blatian Empire and the
Republic of Valia. Hence the building's perfect location.
Patrons of the project
The project of the monastery was was the initiative of Empress Lucille of Blati, a former
Knight of Light and a Wesdalandian by birth, as a way to honor her former homeland, as well as to extend the influence and patronage of the
Blatian Empire and the imperial family, and as a way to harmonize both the
Yemuist Faith and the
Reformed Church.
This is also the origin of the name for the new building, the Monastery of Divine Wisdom, since Yemuists believe that Yemu had his revelation with the help of the gods, and believers of the Reformed Church believe that
Blatikuski, The Prophet of Blati. is the avatar of
Abbon Shabai, king of the gods, god of the sun and wisdom. Therefore, what he preached can be considered Divine Wisdom. For the Empress, both faiths are compatible because they both deal with the struggle of good against evil in different spheres: one in the personal/religious realm and the other in the magical/ethical. Furthermore, the location of the new building is not trivial, as it is also a way to please the faithful of the Reformed Church, and especially the Blatians who live in the city, where they work as merchants, librarians, and artists.
Of course, the monarch of Wesdaland and his family could not be absent on this occasion to show their faith and piety. The King and some members of the
Houses of Blood have contributed money and resources for the construction of the religious complex. Some of these nobles have already expressed their desire to be buried in the monastery crypt when they leave the mortal world to join the gods. It is because of this collaboration that the coats of arms of the Emperor of Blati and the King of Wesdaland are displayed above the main entrance of the monastery.
Even some residents and pilgrims visiting the city have contributed to the building's construction. In fact, the monks had the brilliant idea of inscribing the names of each donor on the paving stones along the path leading to the main temple as a token of gratitude and to record the faith of all these people for all eternity.
Main plans
So far, part of the northern cloister and the central nave of the main temple have been built. The religious complex is expected to also include a second cloister to the south and, at its southern end, a small chapel dedicated to the prophet, where followers of the Reformed Church can congregate and pray. It is hoped that the necessary priests will come from other churches. It has also been established that when the main temple is built, it will have two adjoining chapels housing statues of the founders of both religions, and that religious services will be held in accordance with the regulations and rules drawn up and signed by Empress Lucille, including schedules for both ceremonies.
The monastery will also have an infirmary, two hospitals, and two libraries, as well as a hall where
Meditation and magic practices will be carried out. The organization of the hospitals, as the Empress herself has arranged, and to which the King of Wesdaland has also given his approval, will be based on the organization and methods used in Blati in the famous
Monastery and Hospital of St. Titianus. To carry out this humanitarian effort and to keep both the hospitals and the monastery itself clean, as well as to irrigate the gardens and orchards, the monastery will need a significant water supply. To this end, the King of Wesdaland has requested that Blati send several engineers to help lay out pipes and water conduits. If this is achieved, the Monastery will have the first and only piped water supply network, as well as a sewage system, never before seen in any city in the kingdom, where such systems are either very simple or nonexistent.
When completed, it will be the largest monastic complex in the Kingdom of Wesdaland, and perhaps one of the largest on the continent of Teria. It will accommodate between 200 and 300 monks and nuns and will represent an architectural fusion of the Wesdalandian and Blatian styles. Both the walls of the cloister and the main temple will be decorated with beautiful frescoes and sculptures by the best local artists, hired by the King of Wesdaland, while the golden statues of Yemmu and the Prophet will be made of gold, brought from the mines in the north of the kingdom, by artists from the
Elvish-Oronai lands.
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