The Pellarastic Rite
The heresy itself centers on the body of Christ, more specifically the Blood of Christ. Where the blood of Christ is central to the Sacrament of the Eucharist, whereby the transubstantial - or symbolic - consumption confers and nurtures God’s grace, the Elfredian Heresy teaches that when Christ resurrected, he shared his blood with his disciples, the divinity within changing them into the first magicians with innate magic (a separate belief of Saint Mungo’s was that all recorded cases of magical practice prior to this event was either artifice or using elements of the natural world blessed by God to be magical), and that all instances of the Precious Blood in the Eucharist was symbolically ritualistic.
As magical people began to slowly self-separate, out of a growing sense of displeasure with consorting with those they thought to be less worthy of God’s grace, the nations that would become Pellaras grew to favor the Elfredian Heresy, slowly adopting it in place of certain beliefs in the Celtic Rite.
Following the formation of the nation of Pellaras came the creation of the Pellarastic Rite, which was ruled to be the official religion of the nation. A natural consequence of this was the creation of a legislative body for the church, much like the Holy See, named The Synod of the Pellars, governing the Pellarastic Church, located within the Basilica of the Arcane – the location of which is known only to those the leaders of the Church deemed worthy of being informed – the only major basilica in Pellaras, named so for the Holy Door within, placed above the burial site of Saint Mungo.
Beyond the nature of the Elfredian Heresy, there is another key distinction within Pellarastic Christianity, when contrasted with non-magical Christianity. Burial customs. Though the Pellarastic Church maintained the practice of the recitation of the Office of the Dead, one specification is the recitation of the Midday Prayer for the minor hours, prohibiting the use of any other minor hours. Along with this specification, the Pellarastic Church did away with the Conveyance of the Body and the Ceremony by the Graveside. As such, for a proper burial to occur, the Priest was to perform the blessing ceremony within the church and the Final Commendation and Farewell.
Along with this divergence, the nature of the Elfredian Heresy caused the Synod of the Pellars to do away with the Eucharist, viewing all innately magical humans as being born with God’s grace, and the use of the gifts afforded them enough to foster that grace.
The last of the key differences came about due to the nature of the Church as a magical institute. Pellarastic Christianity as a mystery religion. Crucially, one must understand that mystery religions have two key aspects. The initiatory, and a lack of written record. Due to the need to conform to the ISoS the Synod of the Arcane, through an intriguing combination of ritual and illusion, bound a spiritualia nequitie in celestibus, creating a binding pact with the being to create a veil of secrecy over all magical locations, with the additional stipulation of only allowing said veil to part from religious centers if one has been initiated into the religion. By creating a technical allowance for the non-magical to see through an aspect of the veil they thusly interwove the two spell forms into each other, allowing themselves to self-perpetuate a strengthening feedback loop.
Where the hierarchy of the Pellarastic Church is concerned, the Church holds no singular head, such as the Catholic Church or the Church of England, instead having a council, named The Witan Weoh, otherwise known as The Wise Men of the Temple. Contrary to the name, The Witan Weoh is not restricted to solely men, as women born with magic are as blessed by the Precious Blood and God’s grace. The Witan Weoh itself is comprised of five members, so as to represent the five wounds of the Savior when he was crucified.
Each Wis is also chosen from each of the five primary regions of Pellaras, Cymru, Alba, Eire, Kernow, and a final representative of the islands and archipelagos around the main two islands. Each individual Wīs is seen to by three advisors. A Plascé Yldra – in the literal, the Place Elder, to be read instead as Elder Representative – which delivers and metes out the rulings of The Witan Weoh to their respective regions, fulfilling a similar role to the Cardinal Vicar of Catholicism. The second, the Plascé Ealdorman – in the literal, the Place Elderman, to be read instead as Substitute Governor – acts as a representative for each region, bringing forth worries, requests, and any other such issue, acting much as the Crown-cardinal does in Catholicism. The last of the Wis attendants is the Middel Gaderung – in the literal, the Middle Gathering, to read instead as Administrative Inbetween – who takes the role of coordinating the administrative duties of the Church, as well as managing the various offices within the Church fulfilling a similar role to the Moderator of the Curia within Catholicism.
The fifteen assistant roles themselves form what is known as the Félagskapr Plascé, which acts as a subordinate council, where each assistant is able to consult and discuss what has been brought to them, and to discuss what advice and complaints are most pertinent to bring forth to the Witan Weoh. Subordinate to the Félagskapr Plascé – but the Middel Gaderung in specific – are the Scōlere, the scholars brought forth to form what councils are required that require deliberation prior to the Wis of the Witan Weoh being appraised of it.
Below the Witan Weoh and the Félagskapr Plascé are the Biscopas – the singular of which is Biscop – of which there are five, each presiding over the five regions of Pellaras from their Minor Basilicas, the locations of which are listed as such:
Saint Godric’s Basilica located in Dowr Lehen – named so for the river it was founded at – in Kernow.
The Basilica of Saint Scot located in the magical settlement of Hogsmeade in Alba.
Saint Robert’s Basilica located in the magical village of Ben Builg – so named for the summit at which the town founder believed the Fir Bolg lived at – in Eire.
The Basilica of Saint Llywelyn located in the magical settlement of Branybryn – so named for the belief that Brân the Blessed spilled his blood on the hill – in Cymru.
Saint William’s Basilica, located in Afon Alaw – so named for the river it was founded around – on the Isle of Anglesey.
Each Minor Basilica is notable for being the last resting place of the saints they are dedicated to, having certain remains on display in reliquaries. The next level is the Yldra, serving the role of the Vicar in Catholicism, appointed and assisting the Biscop they serve. The final level of the Church is the Steode – in the literal Place, or Stead, but to be read as Representative – who fills the role of the Priest.
Where sainthood is concerned, the requirements are rather similar to those of the mundane, insofar as the possible saint must have passed on to the next life and, forgoing a request, have a minimum of five years passed from their death to be considered. The first is requesting the Steode of your respective region. If the Steode believes that the arguments as presented are convincing, they will request permission from the Basilica of the Arcane. If granted, a special tribunal forms to verify the candidate’s goodness, holiness and devotion to God, which, if successful, names the person a “Warrior of the Lord.”
Next, the Steode will send a report to the Basilica of the Arcane, which will be read by three of the Scōlere that form the Sanctus Cuncile – in the literal, the Sacred Council, to be read instead as Council of Saints – before being brought to the full council of nine Scōlere. Should the Sanctus Cuncile deem that there is sufficient reasoning, the candidate’s writings, and relevant aspects of their life will be examined so as to ensure none go against the teachings and practices of the Church, with a “devil’s advocate” arguing against the sainting, so as to ensure fairness within the final answer. If all Scōlere are in agreement, the candidate will be named “Venerable.”
If the candidate has martyred themselves, they may be beatified and thus named “Blessed.” Should they not have been martyred, the candidate must perform an act of magical strength such that the Sanctus Cuncile deems sufficient. Once the candidate has been beatified, there is one last requirement. Either a sufficient contribution to Pellaras as a society, or a significant advancement into understanding the particulars of magic. Should the Sanctus Cuncile deem it so, the candidate shall be canonized as a Saint.