Orthodox Communion

The **Orthodox Communion**, sometimes also referred to as the **Curia**, is the largest and oldest denomination of Trinalism. It is the state religion in most of Tannos. As the world's oldest and largest continuously functioning international institution, it has played a prominent role in the history and development of Tannos' civilisations. The church is headed by the Eccesiarch of Antis, known as the Rector. Its central administration is the Ecclesial Curia. Its followers are often referred to as **Orthodoxists**.

The Trinalist beliefs of **Orthodoxy** are found in the Prime Testament. The Orthodox Communion teaches that it is the True Religion founded by Anatar Pius after the Great Revelation, that its magisters and archons are the successors of His disciples, and that the Rector is the successor to Blessed Saxus upon whom primacy was conferred by Anatar Pius. It maintains that it practises the original Trinalist faith, reserving infallibility, passed down by sacred tradition. The twenty-six ecclesiarchates, and institutes such as monastic orders, Faith Militant, and lay orders reflect a variety of theological and spiritual emphases in the Communion.

Of its Five Great Sacraments Reconciliation is the principal one, celebrated weekly during Chanting. The Communion teaches that through consecration by a priest the water becomes as that which led to Anatar's Revelation. Blessed Saxus is venerated as Guardian of Elysium and Protector of the Faith, honoured in devotions. Its teaching includes Divine Healing and salvation through worship.

In 2039 the archon of Dernland, under command of the Dernish King, broke communion with the Rector, disputing the Curia's professed authority over Kings. In the 24th century, the Great Revival led to the Alarene Sect and the Blessed Movement also breaking away.

## Organisation

The Orthodox Communion follows an episcopal polity, led by magisters who have received the Clerical Orders who are given formal jurisdictions of governance within the church. There are four degrees of clergy, the Curial, composed of archons who hold jurisdiction over a large geographic area called an archonate and govern the communion as a whole; the Magisterial, composed of magisters who hold jurisdiction over a geographic area called a See and assist their archon; the Presbytery, composed of priests ordained by magisters and who act as an official of a chantry or provide other clerical functions; and the Devotional, composed of monks and other orders who devote themselves to a Holy Aspect. Ultimately leading the entire Communion is the archon of Antis, commonly called the Rector, whose jurisdiction is called the Great Communion.

The Rector is elected by the Conclave - a council of 60 which includes all archons and (some) Magisters. Members of the Conclave are known as Priors.

Most religious institutes only have male or female members but some have both. Additionally, lay members aid many liturgical functions during worship services.

Those who have taken Clerical Orders are usually expected to take a vow of chastity, however some monastic orders (especially those devoted to the Aspect of Parta) allow marriage within their order.

### Buildings

Depending on the rank of the official who leads the congregation, houses of worship may be a:

* Chantry, a house of worship run by a priest to serve a local congregation
* Minster/Duomo/Dom, the seat of a Magister and the centre of a See
* Basilica, the seat of an archon or other historically significant Minster

## Beliefs

Orthodox doctrine has developed over the centuries, reflecting direct teachings of early Trinalists, formal definitions of contradox and orthodox beliefs by clerical councils and in Primal Decrees by the Rector, and theological debate by scholars. Orthodoxists believe that it is continually guided by the Divine Wisdom as it discerns new theological issues and is protected infallibly from falling into doctrinal error when a firm decision on an issue is reached.

It teaches that revelation has one common source, the Trinity, and two distinct modes of transmission: Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition, and that these are authentically interpreted by the Curia. Sacred Scripture consists of the 6 books of the Pius Codex, consisting of 3 Doctrinal, 2 Revelatory, and 1 Addendum books. Sacred Tradition consists of those teachings believed by the Curia to have been handed down since the time of Anatar. Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition are collectively known as the "Well of Faith". These are in turn interpreted by the Curia, the communion's authority, which is exercised by the Clerical Orders.

### Nature of the Divine

The Orthodox Communion holds that there is one eternal Deity (often referred to simply as God), who exists as three "Aspects": Parta, the Creator; Sarcon, the Preserver; and Zerith, the Ender, which together are called the Trinitus. These "Aspects" were originally three distinct gods within the Ancient Antian Pantheon - who were Patron Gods of various parts of Tannos.

Orthodox Trinalists believe that Anatar Pius is the "Fourth Aspect" of the Trinitus. In an event known as the Revelation, through the power of the Divine Wisdom, the Trinitus became united with mundane nature - truly allowing salvation of mortals. Anatar, therefore, is understood as being both fully divine and fully mortal, including possessing a human soul. It is taught that Anatar's mission included giving people his teachings and providing his example for them to follow as recorded in the two Revelatory Books. Anatar is believed to have remained sinless while on earth, and to have allowed himself to die to reconcile humanity to salvation.

The Curia teaches dogmatically that "the Divine Wisdom proceeds eternally from the Trinitus and Anatar, from one and through the other".

### Blesseds and Devotions

A Blessed is a person who is recognised as having an exceptional degree of piety or likeness or closeness to Anatar, while beatification is the act by which an archon declares, with Curial agreement, that a person who has died was a Blessed. The first persons honoured as blessed were the First Faithful. Legends of their piety, even in death, were considered affirmations of the truth of their faith in Anatar and the Trinitus.

Beatification allows universal veneration of the Blessed in the liturgy of the Orthodox Rite; for permission to venerate locally, only Gratification (notation of the person's acts by a Magister or Devotiate Order) is needed.

Devotions are external practices of faith which are not part of the official dogma but are part of the popular spiritual practice. These include various practices regarding the veneration of the Blesseds, especially veneration of Blessed Saxus. Other devotional practices include the Pilgrimages, the wounding of Sins (self flagellation), and the worship of relics.

## Sacraments

The Communion teaches that it was entrusted with Five Great Sacraments that were instituted by Anatar. The number and nature of the Sacraments were defined by the first three Clerical Councils. These are Initiation, Progenation (marriage & childbearing), Unction, the Clerical Orders, and Reconciliation. Sacraments are visible rituals that Orthodox Trinalists see as signs of Divine Wisdom and effective channels of God's grace to all those who receive them with the proper disposition.

The liturgies of the sacraments are central to the Faith's mission. According to the *Book of Saxus (chapter VI)*:

> *"In the this, the New Covenant, every sanctified action, especially the celebration of the Reconciliation and the sacraments, is an encounter between the Divine and the Mundane. These actions form our unity with God who, through Anatar Pius and his humblest of servants, gathers the great masses into the one Body of Faith. This assembly transcends all human affinities and unifies us before the Trinitus."*
>
>

According to doctrine, the sacraments of the church require the proper form, matter, and intent to be validly celebrated. In addition, the Curial Laws govern who may celebrate certain sacraments, as well as strict rules about who may receive the sacraments. Notably, because the Faith teaches that Anatar is present in the Reconciliation. Non-Orthodox Trinalists are ordinarily prohibited from receiving the Reconciliation as well (indeed they are forbidden from all sacraments, except that of Initiation).

Orthodoxists, even if they were in danger of death and unable to approach an Orthodox Cleric, may not ask for the sacraments from someone, such as an Alarene preacher, who is not known to be validly ordained in line with Orthodox teaching on ordination. Likewise, even in grave and pressing need, Orthodox Clergy may not administer these sacraments to those who do not manifest Orthodox faith in the sacrament.

### Initiation

Initiation is the first of Five Great Sacraments as a Trinalist. It washes away all sins. It makes a person a member of the communion. As a gratuitous gift of God that requires no merit on the part of the person who is initiated, it is conferred even on children, who, though they have no personal sins, need it on account of lacking revelatory knowledge. Initiation marks a person permanently and cannot be repeated.

### Progenation

Progenation is seen as the ongoing sacrament of adulthood. It is comprised of three parts.

#### Matrimony

The Orthodox Communion teaches that marriage is a social and spiritual bond between a man and a woman, ordered towards the good of the spouses and procreation of children. An Orthodox marriage, or any marriage between initiated individuals of any Trinalist denomination, is viewed as a sacrament. A sacramental marriage, once consummated, cannot be dissolved except by death. The Communion sets specific rules and norms, known as Advised Practice, that Orthodox Trinalists must follow.

#### Procreation

It is seen as a pious act to have children. The Communion also afford adoption as a sign of piety, but only for those unable to procreate between them. Inability of childbearing is not grounds for divorce in the Orthodox Communion, as it is in the Blessed Movement. However, it is considered a sin to refuse adoption in such an instance.

#### Induction

The final part of the Sacrament of Progenation is the ensuring that any children are Initiated into the Communion at an appropriate age, and ensuring their continuous teaching of the Faith.

### Unction

Unction is a sacrament that is administered to a one "who, having reached the age of reason, begins to be in danger due to sickness, circumstance, or old age", except in the case of those who "persevere in great sin". It is not a sacrament for those only who are at the point of death. Hence, as soon as anyone of the faithful begins to be in danger of death from sickness or old age, the fitting time for him to receive this sacrament has certainly already arrived.

The sacrament is administered by a magister or priest. It gives comfort, peace, courage and, if the sick person is unable to make a confession, even forgiveness of sins.

It is considered poor practice to liberally give Unction to those who are likely to recover soon.

#### Anointment, Binding and Funeral

The final act of Unction, after death, comes with the Anointment and Binding of the body. This is to ensure that the soul is cared for and its mortal vessel is treated with the last dignity before the soul may reach Elysium.

The body is anointed with blessed salt water, the same as that given at reconciliation. Special oils are then applied to the forehead, eyelids, tongue, chest, and hands of the body before it is bound tightly in a single piece of black linen.

After the anointment and binding, the funeral must take place as quickly as possible to allow the soul rest. Burial is the usual form of disposing of the dead,however burial at sea or cremation may be used in necessary circumstances (however the ashes must then be buried).

Whilst it is advised for all of these acts to be administered by one of the Clerical Orders, in instances where this is not possible, any faithful and initiated member of the Communion may conduct this final rite.

### Clerical Orders

The sacrament of Clerical Orders consecrates and deputes some Trinalists to serve the whole body as members of four degrees or orders: Curial (archons); the Magisterial (magisters); the Presbyterate (priests); and the Devotiate (monks). The Curia has defined rules on who may be ordained into the clergy. The priesthood is generally restricted to celibate men and women, and higher degrees are always restricted to celibate men. Men who are already married may be ordained if given dispensation by their archon. After becoming a priest, a person may not marry.

All clergy may preach, teach, initiate, witness marriages and conduct unctions. Only priests or higher can administer the sacrament of the Reconciliation. Only magisters and archons can administer the sacrament of Clerical Orders.

### Reconciliation

For Orthodoxists, the Reconciliation is the sacrament which completes Trinalist initiation. It is described as "the source and summit of the Trinalist life".

The Reconciliatory celebration, also called the Quenching, includes prayers and scriptural readings, as well as an offering of salted water, which is consecrated by the priest to become the Source of Divine Wisdom. The words of consecration reflect the words spoken by Anatar during the Imparting of the Wisdom, where Anatar offered his insights and soul to his Disciples. The sacrament represents the sacrifice of Anatar Pius. Anatar's death and ascent to godhood gives grace through the sacrament that unites the faithful with God and one another, remits venial sin, and aids against committing sin.