Aldegaria, November 25 3409 - His Holiness Zartosht III, Archbishop of Aldegaria and Sheikh (Patriarch) of the Aldegarian Patriarchal Church (ER) has called for an Ecumenical Synod in the Saint Aladdin Cathedral of Aldegaria. The aim of this Synod is to reunite the Patriarchal Church (ER) and the Hobrazian Orthodox Church, the two sister Eastern Hosian Churches. In addition to the bishops of the two churches, members of the lower clergy, laity, and representatives of other churches have also been called to attend the Synod.
In the name of God and Spirit, I call upon all the Bishops of the Eastern Patriarchal Church and the Hobrazian Orthodox Church to join together in a Holy Synod in this most ancient and holy Cathedral of Saint Aladdin of al-Buqiyya.
Brothers in Spirit, Our Lord Elijah taught us to love and cherish one another, and His Holy Apostles spread this message of love to all the nations. Our two Churches have faithfully maintained the Apostolic gift we received, without any change, addition, or subtraction. But the Deceiver, the enemy of mankind, jealous of the gift of salvation we received, has separated our two flocks, and poisoned our minds to think we are not of the same Shepherd. This grave error and attack on Hosian charity has broken the unity of the One True Church, and divided us in two. Through the actions of the Spirit of God, it is our hope that these differences can be overcome in order for us to once again be one, as the Lord asked of Our Father for us. For this I call upon you whom God entrusted with the care of his flock to love and forgive one another, as the Lord commanded upon us, so that through this Holy Synod we can restore that full communion of faith, brotherly love, and sacramental life which existed among us during the first centuries of the life of the Church. It is only through the unity of One Orthodox and Patriarchal Church that we may overcome the attacks of the Enemy, and resist the rising tide of Felinist and Yazdean fundamentalism, atheistic communism, and Hosian heresy. May Our Lord grant us the gift of love and forgiveness, so that we may once again be one. Amen.
Led by His Beatitude, Svimeon VI the Archbishop of Astoria City and Patriarch of Hobrazia, the bishops of the Hobrazian Orthodox Church from Hobrazia and the diaspora have arrived in Aldegaria. The Orthodox bishops are likely to agree to a union with the Patriarchal Church (ER), considering that the official stance of the Hobrazian Orthodox Church is that Eastern Patriarchalists are still part of the true Church, only separated by historical circumstances.
After a year since the call for the Synod has been made by His Holiness Zartosht III, there has still been no answer from the other Eastern Churches apart from the Hobrazian Orthodox Church. While the Hobrazian delegation has been attending the beautiful services at the St. Aladdin Cathedral, the impoverished Aldegarian Church is running low on funds needed to provide for accommodation and entertainment for the foreign guests. Many bishops have begun visiting the homes of the faithful, in the hopes of receiving a hot meal and something to drink. If the other Eastern Patriarchal delegations do not arrive soon, the bishops may be forced to resort to begging.
Laurencius Cardinal Diriania, OD, Bishop of Augusta, Selucia, has released a statement, condemning the statements concerning felinism by Sheikh Zartosht III:
A bishop who calls felinism a heresy is a deluded fool who insult God Eliyahu by calling himself a bishop. Those charlatan shepherds who lead the flock astray to the point of slandering good men are not worthy of respect. Felinism can be viewed both as a religion or a philosophy, but is in no way incompatible with the Hosian Faith, and many devout believers are also felinists. There is little astonishment in the spiritually fallen state of heretics outside the One True Selucian Patriarchal faith, as great of an insult this statement is. The one who calls himself Zartosht shall not find himself easily forgiven for this.
As a whole, the Selucian Patriarchal Church has never stated any official policy on Felinism.
Last edited by SelucianCrusader on Sun Dec 16, 2012 3:01 pm, edited 1 time in total.
(OOC: Technically, it isn't a heresy but a pagan religion. Unless you somehow say God is a cat which would be heretical because it misinterprets the scripture. By the way, the Luthoran Church of Hulstria being under my guidance at the moment, I'll send an observer.)
Bishop Hosianus von Grabengau of the Luthoran Church of Hulstria arrives as an observer, having left his country just in time to escape the totalitarian takeover. He releases a statement.
Although there are some very substantial differences between the Hulstrian Church and the non-Aurorian Churches of the East, as an ecumenical church we take especial interest in the unity of Hosians, despite differences in beliefs. We wish our brothers and sisters in God all the best and will offer our wisdom if asked, for God's glory.
It would be remiss of me not to mention the ruthless persecution of the Hosian faithful, both Patriarchal and Luthoran, in my country. It is my hope that, despite our doctrinal differences, the plight of the Faithful in my country at present shall not be ignored by our Eastern brothers and sisters, and that they shall pray for us in our hour of need.
Hosianisch-Demokratisches Verbund - Hulstria and Gao-Soto
Those who have broken from the living body of the Church have lost the grace of God and taken the path of perdition. That is what happened to all so-called Hosians who accepted the Robber Council of Auroria, denying the gift of henosis granted to us by the Spirit of God becoming man. When the Western heretics abandoned theoria, the mystical knowledge of God through His Uncreated Spirit, they opened the gate for pagan rationalism. The worship of cats by some deluded Selucians is the clearest manifestation of this polytheistic tendency. Cardinal Laurencius may think that felinism is compatible with the Hosian faith, but he is clearly led astray by the Deceiver. We in the Aldegarian Church do pray for these poor lost souls, so that they may see the light of Truth and be spared damnation.
We of this Synod also pray for those Hosians who are persecuted for their faith in Hulstria, Badara, Aldegar, and Barmenistan. As a Church who has experienced centuries of persecution, we know the pain suffered by the Selucian and Luthoran Churches in Hulstria and elsewhere, and express our sincerest hopes that one day we may stand as One in the Spirit.
Cildanian, Badaran, Barmenian, and Kanjoran Delegations Arrive
Aldegaria, March 23 3412 - Following the call made by His Holiness Zartosht III for an Ecumenical Synod, all bishops of the Patriarchal Church (ER) and the Hobrazian Orthodox Church have finally arrived in Aldegaria to mend the wound between the two sister churches. The Synod is also attended by the Luthoran Church of Hulstria as an observer, represented by Bishop Hosianus von Grabengau. On this day, the Holy Synod begins in the Saint Aladdin Cathedral. It is expected that the Synod will have positive results, and end with the union of the two Churches and the creation of a single Eastern Patriarchal Church.
The Fathers of the Synod begin the first session with a prayer for all Eastern Hosians persecuted for their faith in al'Badara, Aldegar, and Barmenistan. The godless regimes ruling those countries are reminded that "Allahu ma'ana", God is with Us.
Aldegaria, July 7 3412 - After five sessions of the Holy Synod, spanning four months, the Holy Fathers gathered at the Ecumenical Synod of Aldegaria have agreed to reunite the two Eastern Hosian Churches. The name of the new church is the Apostolic Church of the East, and it reunites the Hobrazian Orthodox Church and the Patriarchal Church (Eastern Rite) into a single body. The Holy Fathers signed 12 articles of faith, 8 anathemas, and agreed on the organization and rites of the reunited church.
Articles of Faith:
1. We believe in One God, of one Ousia (essence), Prosopon (person) and Hypostasis, the creator of Caelum and Terra. 2. We believe that God is not of a substance that can be experienced, is eternal and without beginning or end. 3. We believe that God can reveal Himself however He wishes, and interacts with creation by means of His Spirit. 4. We believe the Spirit of God to be Uncreated Light of God, without beginning and without end. 5. We believe that the Ousia (essence) of God is invisible, and cannot be experienced even in the next life, while the Pneuma (Spirit) of God can be experienced even in this life. 6. We believe that the Spirit of God became man, and was born as Elijah of Yishelem of the Virgin Sarahaea, so that the Spirit may purify mankind and reunite it with God. 7. We believe that Henosis (Union with God) is the reason for the Spirit's incarnation, and that the Union is the process of man becoming free of unholiness; that Henosis begins now and is completed with the bodily resurrection; that Henosis is salvation, as Saint Euchites said: “The Spirit of God became Man so that man may become god”. 8. We believe that Theoria (knowledge of God) is the loving contemplation of God by man, and that it involves the whole person, not just the mind. 9. We believe that heaven is the unspeakable bliss caused by the full union with the Spirit of God after death, and that this condition is perceived as the burning fires of hell by those who are unreconciled with the Light of God. 10. We believe that God is loving and merciful and cannot allow limited sin cause unlimited suffering; that man can repent even after death, so that by the time of the resurrection, there will be no more souls in hell; and that even demons will repent and become angels once again. 11. We believe that God participates in Creation by means of Hierophanies (sacraments), and that the Incarnation of the Pneuma is the greatest Hierophany. 12. We believe that the Spirit of God inspired holy men to write sacred books, and that there is no limit to the Spirit's ability to inspire.
Anathemas:
1. If anyone believes that there is more than One God, or that God has more persons or hypostases, let him be anathema. 2. If anyone believes that the Spirit of God is a creature, or a being less than God, let him be anathema. 3. If anyone believes that man cannot be united with God, let him be anathema. 4. If anyone believes that Elijah of Yishelem was a mere man, let him be anathema. 5. If anyone believes that God can be known rationally, either in this life or the next, let him be anathema. 6. If anyone believes that hell is eternal punishment, let him be anathema. 7. If anyone believes that the Spirit is not fully present in the Hierophanies, let him be anathema. 8. If anyone believes that the Spirit only inspired a limited number of Holy Books, let him be anathema.
The Fathers agreed to organize the Apostolic Church of the East into 6 autocephalous Churches, each led by a Patriarch: the Hobrazian Orthodox Church, the Al’Badaran Apostolic Church, the Apostolic Department of Cildania, the Barmenian Apostolic Church, the Aldegarian Apostolic Church, and the Kanjoran Apostolic Church. The Patriarch of Hobrazia shall have the primacy of honour, followed by the Patriarchs of Al'Badara, Cildania, Barmenia, Aldegar, and Kanjor, in this order. The Patriarch of Hobrazia shall be the first among equals, and no bishop shall rule over the whole church. The governance of the Church shall be given to the Holy Synod, formed by all bishops of the Church, which can be convoked by any of the 6 Patriarchs. Each autocephalous Church shall be governed by a Synod, headed by the Patriarch of that Church.
The Synod also agreed on the following liturgies to be used in the Apostolic Church of the East, as inspired by God: the Divine Liturgy of Saint Hilarios (Byzantine rite), the Divine Liturgy of Saint Evdemoz (Armenian rite), the Divine Liturgy of Saint Sebastian (West Syriac Rite), and the Divine Liturgy of Saint Aladdin (East Syriac Rite).
Bishop von Grabengau congratulates Eastern Patriarchals on newfound unity
Bishop Hosianus von Grabengau, the Hulstrian Luthoran observer to the Synod of Aldegaria, congratulated the Eastern Patriarchal Churches on their newfound unity, despite his differences with the outcome reached. In a statement, the Bishop also outlined the differences of doctrine between the Luthoran Church of Hulstria and the new Eastern Apostolic Church.
Bishop Hosianus von Grabengau wrote:We congratulate the new Apostolic Church of the East on their newfound unity with joy in our hearts, for the unity of all Hosians in the One Holy Apostolic and Ecumenical Church is more important than what keeps Hosians across the world apart. The belief in Our Lord Elijah Hosios, the Spirit of God, proceeding from God to save us, is what unites Hosians across the world, and though doctrine may keep us apart in separate branches, we are one Holy Church, the Community of the Pious founded by Him*.
Though there are numerous differences between the new Apostolic Church of the East and the Luthoran Church of Hulstria, stemming from our acceptance of and profession of the Creed of Auroria and the Ecumenical Councils up to Auroria as authoritative, and the principles of the Church reformed after the Luthoran Abjuration, we hope dialogue between east and west will continue with equal recognition at least of our mutual Hosianity, that is, the true belief in God and His Spirit, Our Lord and Saviour, Elijah Hosios.
The Bishop said he would depart for Luthori to speak with the leaders of the Holy Luthori Church on behalf of his brothers and sisters in the faith in Hulstria.
* This is an attempt to replicate RL Anglican doctrine on what constitutes the Holy Catholic Church (branch theory, I believe it's called), which I believe is the Luthori view and therefore most probably the Hulstrian view.
Hosianisch-Demokratisches Verbund - Hulstria and Gao-Soto
Coalition for Beluz Consciousness Seeks Blessing and Support From the Apostolic Church of the East
Today,after the official formation of the Coalition for Beluz Consciousness,founder Rassimov Ustad congratulated the success of the Synod and asked the new Apostolic Church of the East for an official blessing and mass in support of the new movement.'Today,I ask the Holy Church and it's leaders to hold an official blessing mass in support of my movement.I shall dedicate my life to the religious and political enlightenment of all Beluzians'.Rassimov Ustad has been a member of the Patriarchal Church since his Baptism at 4 months old and regularly attends church services.He describes himself as 'Deeply Devout'.
Attachments
3 of Rassimov's children attending Sunday mass at Holy Patriarch Apostolic Church in Parloshire,Parlos Decina,Beluzia.
