Aurelianity

Aurelianity, also known as Solarianism, is the collective group of religions that worship Sol Invictus, the single God as revealed by prophet Aurelios in the second half of the 4th century AIC (or the 17th century WE). Aurelianity became the official religion of Archadian Empire in 431 AIC (1721 WE) and has many believers across Hasperia and Arrakis.

The faith is divided into two main branches: Omnicanism and Sotiranity. There exists other, smaller branches such as the Cult of the Solar Twins.

Beliefs

Monotheism

Follows of Aurelianity believe that there is one god: Sol Invictus, and that all other so-called gods are nothing but aspects of the same god. To claim that there is more than one god is considered heretical.

Sun worship

The name Sol Invictus translates as Inconquerable Sun, but the religion goes beyond mere worshipping of the Sun. The Solar disc is seen as one physical aspect of Sol Invictus in this world, just as the Lunar disc. It is said that the Sun is the aspect of justice and life, while the Moon is the aspect of mercy and death. There is no evil counterpart to Sol Invictus, as even evil is an intrinsic part of Sol Invictus as the god that is everything.

The struggle between the harsh justice of the sun and the soothing mercy of the moon was seen as the key part of Sol Invictus by Archadians. As such, for example, courts are traditionally held in the evening, so that the judge is influenced by both and the necessary justice is soothed by humanity and compassion. Solar eclipse is seen as the domination of Lunar aspect and worshippers are required to forgive and show mercy to every transgression that happens. Equally, a Lunar eclipse is the domination of the Solar aspect and no mercy should be found on such a night. The equinox, a day when the Sun and Moon are equal, is a day of a great festival when Aurelians celebrate a world where everything is in harmony. The month before and the month following the winter solstice is a period of lamentation as justice seems to be leaving this world. The winter solstice itself is not celebrated, but religious masses are held where Sol Invictus is being asked to return harmony to this world. The summer solstice has traditionally been the day where the most serious crimes are tried as justice is at its peak.

The relationship between the sun, moon, and Sol Invictus is interpreted different in Sotiranity, with Sotiras' interpretation being that both the Solar and Lunar discs are Sol Invictus, but they are not separate aspects with different meaning. Thus, Sol Invictus is always both the supreme justice and the supreme mercy, always perfect.

Canonization

The Omnican Church, and some later Sotiran churches, named certain people as Saints, recognising them as having an exceptional closeness with Sol Invictus.

Religious orders

Followers of Aurelianity have been known to form religious orders, which are organisations made up of individuals choosing to have a closer relationship with Sol Invictus, choosing to live a more religious life. Notable examples are the Order of Saint Castor and the Order of Mount Sol.

Imperial cult

In ancient customs predating Aurelianity, Sol Invictus was said to sire a son, Garantius Rex, who was the founder of Archadia and the forefather of all the Emperors. However, this claim to divinity was mostly forgotten during the long Civil War that marked the end of the Empire. Very few worshippers of Sol Invcitus today worship the Garantius dynasty.

Scripture

The principal scripture of Aurelianity is the Certitudicon, a divinely inspired holy text written by Aurelios and his disciples. The first book of the Certitudicon is Cosmography, which details how the world was created and the early history of mankind.

History

Aurelianity was revealed to the Prophet Aurelios in the second half of the 4th Century AIC. Before then, Sol Invictus was one of many ancient gods of the Archadian pantheon, being one of the principal gods. Aurelios revealed that all the gods of the Archadian pantheon are nothing more but single aspects of the same god, Sol Invictus.

In 431 AIC, Emperor Marcus Garantius XXVI proclaimed Aurelianity to be the only official religion of the Archadian Empire. The emperor laid down structures that later become known as the Omnican Church. Traditionally, the Emperor of Archadia was the High Priest of the religion. The Emperor then granted rights to elect bishops to cities. As the need for administration rose, the position of archbishop was created as well, whose task as to oversee the bishops in his territory on the behalf of the Emperor. The archbishop was appointed by the Emperor from one of the local bishops.

In 782 AIC, Iosephos Sotiras issued a declaration accusing the Omnican Church of corruption and tyranny, beginning the rise of Sotiranity.