Selucia

[Aethan]

Cor, the best-selling gossip magazine in Selucia

What has become of the Celers?
The dynasty that began with the proclamation of Aelius Celer as Caesar of Selucia and that continued with such important names in the history of the nation as Caesar Argos Loukas or Rector Panegyris Priscian today lives its lowest hours


Left: Aelius Celer; Right: Bacchis and Velia Celer are the last members of the family with the Celer surname in first place

In 4107, in a small town of Oleria, known at that time as Uleroth, a child was born who, at just 29 years old, would become the most powerful political figure of the moment in Selucia, and one of the most remembered of Selucia's golden age - with the permission of Seia Nerva -.
Aelius Celer, the third son of two day laborers, began to show symptoms of his great decision-making capacity since he was a child, having clear from the beginning his interest in becoming a lawyer and fighting for the rights of others. He started to get involved in politics at the age of 18, when he decided to become a militant of the newcomer In Marea. Due to this decision, he had great problems with his father, a former militant of the dictatorial Factio Conservativa, who refused to recognize him as his son if he continued with this decision. That didn't change his mind, and Celer started to get involved in more internal issues of the party, getting prestige all over the nation due to his strong thoughts about the current laws. He ended up representing Uleroth in the Ekklesía from 4131 to 4135 as regional deputy. Just a year later, with the resignation of Athena Scudo, he would become the fourth general secretary of the party. And then the miracle worked. Although In Marea's electoral results were not the best - practically all of his predecessors had achieved better results - it was his capacity for dialectic and negotiation that led him to retain power for almost 30 years without interruption, until he decided voluntarily to retire. During that time, his policies were aimed at fully returning democracy to Selucia, after the fall of the dictatorship carried out by his predecessors, and carried out a comprehensive reform of the State. He contributed to the creation of the Selucia National Intelligence Center, as well as to expand and protect the rights of the minorities that populated the country, for which he received the Selucian Golden Medal in 4159.

Rejected in his youth by a father who did not know how to or did not want to understand his sexual orientation, his mother was his main support throughout his life, both politically and personally, and after his wedding announcement with the architect Adamus Leptis, no one expected that the Celer family would become so relevant in the history of Selucia for years to come. The couple adopted a child, Henricus Celer-Leptis, although that did not prevent them from divorcing in 4145 after learning about Adamus Leptis' affair with another man. Without letting his personal situation affect his political capacity or his overexposure as the country's leader, he remarried in 4148 to a woman, Sentia Aquilius, with whom he had three children: two girls, Orania and Helvetia; and a child, Artamo.
Aelius Celer died in 4216, and although at that time his figure had not reached the levels of popularity that he now enjoys, notable political and media figures of the time attended his funeral. And from that moment, the lives of their descendants were marked by politics. The lineages of Orania and Helvetia ended soon, since the only daughter of Orania would pass away with only two years, deeply marking her mother who refused to have more children; while the two children of Helvetia died in a traffic accident with her husband. In this way, Henricus Celer-Leptis and Artamo Celer became the only representatives of their father's legacy, although at that time it was not known that the family would have so much political power. They both had two children each, and from there, the family would begin to expand. Several members of the Parliament emerged from it, two ambassadors of Selucia, one member of the Supreme Court - Iulius Parsus, who served from 4535 to 4555 for Insularia, although this data was unknown to a large part of the population - six mayors - the vast majority in the city of origin of the family, Panassia - and various high military positions.

However, the name of the family did not come out again until another young man, named Argos Loukas, learned of his very own origins. Mr. Loukas, who reached the rank of admiral in the Selucian navy and had studied physics at the university, became the new secretary general of In Marea, the party of his predecessor, by surprise in 4350, thanks to the support of important political figures of the moment such as the praetor of Insularia Ares Zervas. In the elections called that same year, his party swept, thus managing to become Caesar de Selucia, a position he held on three different occasions, for a total of 20 years. During his government, two important events would mark his legacy: the creation of the Aquilius Music Awards and above all and following the law approved by Ares Zervas in Insularia, the salary breach in Selucia was declared illegal regardless of sex, gender identity, ethnic group, sexual identity, nationality or religion.

With his actions, the name of the Celer was once again put on everyone's lips, even though he himself had already lost the Celer of his first position - since his mother was Tulvia Celer, he received the surname Loukas from his father, relegating the Celer to a second position. Argos Loukas had two children, but the media attention on the family jumped to another branch when two members of it were for a period of time at the top of political power: Panegyris Priscian and her distant relative Umbria Segestes.
Panegyris Priscian, a former member of the Selucia national football team and whose family, despite his mother's surname, which had already been largely relegated, belonged to the working class, began working in the mine with his father, while combining it with his studies. Graduated as a nurse, it was at the university where he joined the Association of Antifascist Students, which is why he was arrested on several occasions in antifascist protests, especially against the government of the time formed by Factio Republicana, Factio Unitatis Patriae and Optimates. In 4482 he became the health secretary of Oriensos, and from there, his career, as well as his popularity, skyrocketed. He won the general secretariat of In Marea as his predecessors did, with an extensively left-wing program, and in the first elections he ran as the leader of the party, in 4491, he swept, becoming the 3rd Rector of Selucia by receiving almost 34 million votes. He maintained his popularity for 20 years, winning election after election. Once again, the Celers' negotiating capacity saved his successive governments, and his mandate is remembered for, in collaboration with Factio Republicana, the approval of the referendum law, one of Priscian's most ambitious projects. He also took part in a Majatran tour to meet with most leaders of the rest of Majatran nations, mostly to improve the international relations of Selucia and to negotiate new military and trade agreements. He also traveled to Pontesi after the dictatorial shift of the neighboring nation to start negotation talks.
The other piece, Umbria Segestes, was Praetor of Insularia for two different periods of time, but it was during her first terms, from 4503 to 4511, when she coincided in her position with the Rectorship of Panegyris Priscian, although both were completely unaware of being related.
The last great acquaintance of the Celer family was Hegio Cyprias, who was also Praetor of Insularia, for almost 30 years. Descendant of Henricus Celer-Leptis, some historians refuse to include him as a real descendant of Aelius Celer, since they do not have the same blood, but Celer himself wrote in his will that "Henricus is and will always be the same as the rest of my children" .

However, after that, everthing calmed down. The dissolution of In Marea contributed to the loss of track of the remaining members of the Celer family, and it is now, after the announcement of two of its members, that popular interest resurfaces.

The announcement of Bacchis and Velia Celer, brothers and the last two family members who still preserve the Celer surname in the first place - although curiously, the Celer brothers, despite being the last with the last name still visible, are the only ones who do not have Celer blood, since they are descended from Abelus Celer, one of Henricus's two sons - calling an informal meeting to all members of the Celer family triggered all the sirens on the Selucian newscasts. Although they are not a noble family, and the Celers have always rejected any kind of nobility title, they count almost as one.

And the question is, do we know how many members of the family there are today? Yes, it is known. Only three family branches are still alive: the Loukas, the Priscian and the Cyprias. One Priscian, Trebatia, is in the Panassia government, and one Loukas, Hanno, is a member of COSIRA in the Oleria regional assembly.

And what could the meeting be for? According to numerous sources in the family environment, the Celer brothers would like to speak with the rest of the members to bring the Celer surname back to the first place and in this way, preserve the legacy of their predecessor, or turn them into compound surnames - giving place to Celer-Loukas, Celer-Priscian and Celer-Cyprias - to preserve the legacies of all their ancestors. We will have to wait to see what that meeting takes place, and if it does, how long it will take for a Celer to return to power in Selucia. And if not, time to time.

[Polites]

Expansion of Argona
a.d. VII Id. Oct. MMMII a.R.P.c.
(October 8, 4813)

In MMCMXCVII a.R.P.c. (December 4808), as part of the preparations for the millennial celebrations in the year of the Republic MMM, the municipal government of the city of Argona, in collaboration with the Procuratorship of West Sadaria and the national government, initiated a city planning and expansion project with the aim of developing Argona in light of its current role as the capital city of the Republic. Several new buildings were planned, designed to serve as sites for the central government institutions, and expected to be completed by the millennium. Due to the tight schedule the only monumental building that was completed on time was the triumphal arch that served as a focus of the millennial celebrations. It is only this month that the other monuments were completed and inaugurated, and henceforth the governing bodies of the Republic can make use of these new buildings. Until now the legislative and executive institutions met in buildings designed for the provincial government of West Sadaria, or as is the case of the Senate, in the Temple of Hiatus.


The temple of the Di Civiles will serve as the meeting place of the Senate

The Senate will continue to meet in a temple, but this time one designed with the needs of Selucia’s collective head of state in mind. The Temple of the Di Civiles is dedicated to the three Gods of the State, Sol Lucidus, Terra Mater, and Neflons, and it will also serve to house the Senate. In Religio Seluciana public worship takes place outdoors, as unlike monotheistic faiths like Hosianism it does not draw a strict distinction between believers and non-believers. The primary function of a temple is to house the cult statue of the deity honored there as well as the treasury. The new temple can thus serve as the house of the Republic’s divine triad and the state cult to them, as well as the primary meeting place of the Selucian Senate.


Statues of Mamors and Neflons guarding the entrance to the new Consular Palace

The Domus Consularis in Auroria is one of Selucia’s most important national monuments and it is inscribed as a IESCO global heritage site. Argona needed something equally grandiose to serve as the palace of the Consuls if it were to truly compete with Auroria as the new capital of Selucia. Interestingly, unlike most Republican monuments in Selucia which generally favor a more classical architecture, the new Domus Consularis is built in a medieval (OOC Gothic) style.


Exterior of the new Palace of the People, the meeting place of the People's Assembly

The legislative assembly of Selucia, with its 750 members, was most in need of a new meeting place, which it found in the Domus Populi (Palace of the People).

In addition to the new buildings, the municipal government of Argona has planned a significant expansion of the city, between the current location of Argona and the surrounding small towns. The expansion is planned to be built in a grid pattern and makes provisions for interior courtyards and a design accommodating mass transit. The expansion is planned to be completed within a decade, and once done it will transform Argona from a small provincial capital to the capital city of the nation.

[Polites]

Government Promotes "Queer Paganism"
a.d. VI Id. Maias MMMIII a.R.P.c.
(May 10, 4814)



In a series of recent measures the government run by the Pagan traditionalist Selucian Traditional Movement has moved towards an embrace and promotion of LGBT rights, particularly within a religious context. Selucia is now party to the Rights of LGBT+ Citizens Protection Treaty and the ancient Gay Rights Treaty, and in a recent piece of legislation introduced by Consul Tacitus Spurius Laurentius, the Republic is due to implement positive action for all government employees specifically targeted at gender and sexual minorities, in language openly critical of traditional Hosian homophobia. Moreover, the current Censor and former Consul Euthymia Bellona, herself identifying as lesbian, has regularly been attending meetings and worship events of Ecclesia Antonii, a Pagan congregation dedicated to the worship of Antonios (OOC Antinou), the deified lover of Augustan Emperor Lysander I, a congration with an open and explicit queer focus and a syncretic Selucian-Augustan practice.

At first glance it may appear counter-intuitive for a self-proclaimed Traditional Conservative political movement to take such an openly pro-LGBT approach. However, it is very likely that the Selucian Traditionalist Movement is using the traditional openness of Selucian polytheism towards LGBT people, at least in comparison to the historical attitudes of Hosian denominations, for its own political and religious purposes. Although pre-Hosian Selucian mores were thoroughly patriarchal, they did not condemn homosexuality or alternative gender identities as a matter of principle, and for this reason, after the rise of Hosianism, a disproportionate number of LGBT Selucians have been practicing Cultores, a situation that continues to this day. What is different now is that Selucian society as a whole has become more open and tolerant towards sexual and gender minorities. So the government is quite clearly attempting to use the historical and contemporary acceptance of LGBT rights within the ranks of Selucian polytheism as ammunition against its religious rival, Aurorian Hosianism, whose social teaching still strongly condemns homosexuality, in spite of the more tolerant attitude shown by the Church in recent times.

In addition to its aim to portray the Aurorian Church as out of touch with Selucian morality, there is another likely target for the government's actions, and that is the large proportion of religiously unaffiliated Selucians. According to the latest census nearly a third of the Selucian population has described itself as atheist, agnostic, deist, secular humanist, or as simply not belonging to any religion. As part of its religious restorationist project the government sees atheism as much as monotheism as a threat to Selucian traditionalism, and indeed the controversial Law on Atheism introduced by the Praetor Civilis criminalizes religious nonadherence and requires all Selucians to become members of at least one religious organization, irrespective of its beliefs. The government's policies are then probably an attempt to portray Selucian Paganism as the most inclusive religious tradition in Selucia and also one more appropriate to the spiritual and religious needs of queer Selucians than either Hosianism and irreligion. This attitude is probably best exemplified by a recent address by Censor Bellona to the Ecclesia Antonii:

I was raised in a conservative Hosian village, with a worldview dominated by moral absolutes. I left the Church due to my parish's anti-LGBT teachings and my family's intolerance, but unfortunately I kept the moral absolutism, this time becoming a rabid militant atheist. It was only after an intense mystical experience that I finally let go of this all-or-nothing attitude and learned to embrace the value of community and relationships. I became a Cultrix Deorum, joining a religious tradition that has no creed or dogma, but instead emphasizes reciprocal relationships with the Gods, Spirits, and other people. Leaving the absolutist black-and-white worldview of monotheism and atheism has helped me become a whole and complete person, and the path of our ancestors remains open to all those who seek it.

(OOC: Heavily inspired from this article from The Atlantic)

Although the government's openness to queer citizens is certainly commended by rights groups, many have also expressed criticism to the fact that LGBT rights are being instrumentalized by the government in its war against rival religions. Many have even accused the government of homonationalism and pinkwashing. The fact remains however that for many queer Pagans this government is the most open to their particular needs and claims than any government since the days of Lucius Cassius Aquilinus


Idol of god Antonios, considered a symbol of queer Paganism

[Aethan]

"No one has done more for LGBT rights than In Marea, which was an openly atheist party"
COSIRA's new secretary general opens with harsh criticism of the government for its "sectarianism" and "religious fanaticism", which he accuses of acting only to divide society and generate conflict.


Pyrgopolynices Auspex, new General Secretary of COSIRA

After several months of primaries to choose the replacement for Naevia Cosmas at the head of the party, last night the COSIRA Federal Committee made public the results, with which Pyrgopolynices Auspex was proclaimed the winner.
Mr. Auspex, firefighter, former Counselor of Defence of Oleria and right-hand man of the former governor of Olaria Agorastocles Proceus prevailed in the final three-party election against his opponents with more than 60% of the membership vote. Therefore, he will take the baton at the head of the party after the departure of Mrs. Cosmas. A candidate who already has several controversies behind him, since after his election as Oleria's Defense Counselor, various ultraconservative and ethnic groups accused him of not being able to know first-hand the problems of the citizens of Oleria as he was the son of an immigrant from Kalopia, even though her father is a citizen of Selucia. He was also attacked for not having higher education, since as soon as he graduated from school he entered the Oleria fire department, criticism that is expected to grow again now that he is a candidate for the Selucian Government. He has also denounced the harassment of his wife after the general public learnt about the brief affair he had in the past with his then partner in the Oleria firefighting department, the future Procurator of Oleria Agorastocles Proceus, with whom he later served in his government.

In his inaugural press conference after the results were made public, Mr. Auspex thanked the party members for the trust they have placed in him, and he hopes to do the best possible with the tools that have been given to him. Mr. Auspex, 33 years old, married and with a young son, belongs to the socialist branch of the party, ranking according to most political analysts more to the left than his predecessor in office.

At the press conference, asked about the different current affairs in Selucia, Mr. Auspex did not hesitate to answer all the questions from the journalists. Asked about the issue of the Iudi Seluciani, Mr. Auspex has reaffirmed himself in the position confirmed by the party that no representative of the party will attend the religious ceremonies that take place at the inaugurations, and that, if they once again reach power, they will rid the games of all religious symbols to make them an entertainment for all the citizens of the country, and not just "for a religious fanatic party." Referring to the expansion of Argona, he has affirmed that he only recognizes one capital of Selucia, "Auroria", but that his party will not oppose structural reforms that improve the living conditions of the citizens of Argona. However, he has also reaffirmed the will to withdraw religious symbols from the seats of the nation's parliamentary power because, in his opinion, "they once again link the whole of society with a specific religion, when the selucian reality it is much more plural and diverse than some would like. " It is at that point when it has taken the opportunity to criticize, as its predecessor did, the authoritarian and fanatical drift of the current government.

"We left a dictatorship of one religion to get into a dictatorship of another religion. This is a spiral that never seems to end and in which the only ones harmed are our citizens, who are singled out simply for having some religious beliefs or others"

. In line with this issue, he has used the words directed at the members of his party to make the government party ugly.

"A few days ago, in full parliamentary headquarters, the Minister of Justice of Selucia no less, referred to our deputies, and therefore, to the millions of citizens we represent, by using the words " perhaps expecting logic and common sense from communists is too much for their small brains. There's no use expecting more from people who clearly are not capable of more". Those were his verbatim words, which so far they have not retracted. And all this because we defend a nation of equals, in which one religion does not predominate. over another, and the State protects us all equally. Therefore, from the beginning of this legislature and until we receive an apology, COSIRA breaks any parliamentary ties with the MTS, and we will limit ourselves to acting as a serious opposition, responsible and defender of civil rights that, little by little, the MTS is taking charge of taking from our citizens. "

Finally, asked about the recent issue of "queer paganism" that is being promoted from sectors of the MTS, including the current Censor Euthymia Bellona, ​​Mr. Auspex has criticized the "pinkwashing" and the manipulation of history " that is taking place .

"In this nation, there is no political party or group that has done more for LGBT rights than In Marea, a party with many openly LGBT leaders, and which by the way, was an openly atheist party. The MTS will also criticize the great contributions that In Marea made to Selucian democracy, the legacy of Aelius Celer, Argos Loukas, Atia Vinicia Gryllus, Zenon Gogolas, Artemisia Oltra, and many more, will they also refer to them as "people without brains", despite the obvious and necessary changes that they managed to introduce in our country? They were key figures in the history of Selucia, but of course, as they belong to a different ideology than them, they are attempting to erase their legacy. From COSIRA we respect the religious freedom of each citizen and for Therefore, we welcome a religious movement that is more respectful of the LGBT community, which has traditionally been the target of criticism from the majority of current religions, but we cannot help but observe that this is just another movement of the MTS to introduce religion in all sectors of our nation, instead of building a more thought-free country for the whole world. MTS is looking for new culprits, and has found in "communism" - communism that currently does not exist in Selucia as such - their new scapegoat, to promote fear among the population. In the Calpurnian Law of Atheism, they themselves confirm this, after stating that "Atheism breeds communism, and communism, not Hosianism, is what currently seeks to overthrow the Republic and install its own totalitarian regime. We thus call for an end to this vile practice of religious non-adherence. ". In this way, they link atheism, communism, and Hosianism, issues without any relationship between them but that in the eyes of their fanatical followers only fuel hatred and division among our citizens. To affirm, as they have done, that "atheism is at the present moment a greater threat to our liberties and democracy" is a fallacy of colossal dimensions and a tremendous offense to the almost a third of the population of Selucia who openly declare themselves atheist. But they are not going to stop, and therefore neither are we. "

Finally, Mr. Auspex has confirmed that his party will give parliamentary support to the NPLS to obtain a majority in the Oleria government and to leave the Corgana government in a parliamentary minority, in addition to announcing that it does not plan to hold any meeting with the government at the less during this legislature.

[Polites]

Apotheosis of Caius Cassius Sophus and Octavia Flavia Hadriana
a.d. VI Kal. Oct. MMMIV a.R.P.c.
(September 26, 4815)


Cult image of Divus Cassius

In a recent Decree of the Senate currently being voted on by the People’s Assembly the Republic commits to recognize two major political figures from its past as gods. The apotheosis of Caius Cassius Sophus and Octavia Flavia Hadriana is being recognized by the ancient custom, namely a decree of the Senate and the consent of the People. The political pair were responsible for the restoration of ancient Republican institutions in year MMXXVII of the Republic (3838 CE) after having overthrown the repressive Imperium during the Barmenian Refugee Crisis. The political couple collaborated closely in spite of their sharp ideological and political disagreements, as Sophus was a CEO and a Patrician, supporting the privileges of the aristocracy and the business class, while Hadriana was a left-liberal activist and feminist leader campaigning for the rights of refugees. In spite of their differences the two laid the foundations of the Fifth Republic and represented a return to Republican principles and values in Selucia. The newly deified political couple are however not without their controversies. They both ruled Selucia as successive Dictators, and were engaged in a civil war against each other that led to the death of Sophus. Hadriana herself was later assassinated by the deceased Dictator’s son, not before she implemented the murder of over 5,000 of her political rivals during her rule as Dictatrix. In spite of their controversial nature, the two are seen as essentially Founding Fathers of the Republic, as the institutions and symbols introduced under their rule, closely modeled after those of the First Republic, remained in use for centuries and served as the basis for the restorationist project of the Duodecimviri.

Although Caius Cassius Sophus was a Selucian Patriarchal Hosian throughout his life, this is not seen as an impediment to apotheosis in Selucian polytheism, where all human dead are in fact worshipped as gods, known as Di Duoni (OOC Di Manes) irrespective of their religion, and human or animal spirits are not infrequently the object of worship. Octavia Flavia Hadriana herself converted to Selucian Paganism at the height of the Barmenian Refugee Crisis in solidarity with the Felinists and remains fondly remembered by Cultores and Felinists, while a Pagan cult dedicated to Sophus has existed for thousands of years.

The government-sponsored apotheosis of the political couple serves as a non-so-subtle jab at the opposition COSIRA, who had argued that the historical party In Marea had done more than anyone else for the rights of LGBT people. The Senatus Consultum instead argues that it was Diva Flavia that did the most for LGBT Selucians, the subtext being that, unlike the openly atheist In Marea, Octavia Flavia Hadriana also worked to end persecution against the Cultus and worked to introduce it as co-official religion in the Republic, and thus is more worthy of praise and worship.

[Aethan]

Selucia to create its brand new High Research Institution
The SuCoSQua will serve as the main national research institution in the nation, with the latest technology and brightest minds working in it


Design plan of the SuCoSQua headquarters in Victoria, Oleria

At noon this afternoon, the general secretary of COSIRA, Pyrgopolynices Auspex, brought to the People's Assembly the proposal for the creation of the Selucian Superior Council of Scientific Investigations - Summum Concilium Scientificae Quaestionis, SuCoSQua -, in order to bring together all scientific research of the nation and enhance the role of Selucia as a pioneer nation in science research and development, in line with what Kirlawa carried out a few decades ago.

The proposal, which already has the support of the government - the MTS - and part of the opposition - COSIRA -, will make it possible to put order and better funding for the different research and scientific projects currently taking place in Selucia, as well as to promote the science and health in a nation that already traditionally enjoys great prestige in this field.

As this newspaper has been able to access the proposal, it is as follows:

Quirites,

Hereby my party wants to present the statute that would serve as form of government and functioning of the Selucian Superior Council of Scientific Investigations, henceforth referred to as SuCoSQua or Summum Concilium Scientificae Quaestionis. We bring this proposal as an attempt to unite all the research and scientific potential of our nation in a single entity, which can compete internationally and shall be worthy of admiration and prestige from other countries, in a nation like ours.

1. SuCoSQua shall be formed as an entirely autonomous and independent research body of the government, although it will receive state funding equivalent to 20% of the budget dedicated to the Ministries of Health (5%) and Science (15%).

2- The Governing Body of SuCoSQua shall be composed of a Grand Master (Magna Magister), chosen by a qualified majority among the scientists who carry out their activity at SuCoSQua, and a Scientific Council of 8 members, that shall comprise those who have been carrying out their work for the longest time at SuCoSQua and have participated in at least 10 scientific articles.

2.1. The Grand Master may only be removed in two ways: by a qualified majority of votes of the Council, and by an official referendum among the scientifics of the SuCoSQua, and their term will be limited to a period of three legislatures.

2.2. Legislatures shall last for a period of five years, and elections shall take place every five years. All applicants who deem it appropriate may stand for the position of Grand Master, without limitation on age or social origin, except for having the Selucian nationality (See Selucian Nationality Law: http://classic.particracy.net/viewbill. ... lid=554870)

2.3. To carry out a motion for removal, the scientists who present it must collect the signatures of at least 10% of the SuCoSQua workers, and present it to the Scientific Council, which shall then initiate the procedures to hold the recall vote, at which all the workers of the center will be able to participate. The outgoing Master, if removed, may appear at the following elections if deemed appropriate.

2.4. The 8 members of the Governing Council shall not have a term limit, although they can be removed by the procedure in section 2.3., and will not be able to retake their position.

2.5. The Master of the SuCoSQua shall be elevated to the same level as a Government Ministry, although the position shall not have political powers. Their opinion shall be taken into account both by the Quaestors of Health and Science, as well as by the Censor and Consuls themselves, when making important decisions on issues related to serious diseases or international scientific research.

2.6. The Master of SuCoSQua can sign bilateral agreements with other research centers of third nations, but these agreements will have to be subject to the current legality of the country in which the studies will be carried out. A vote in the People's Assembly is not required, and the People's Assembly shall only be able to refuse the agreement after a period of 5 years.

3- The scientists who work at SuCoSQua shall be carefully selected first by a specific cabinet of the Quaestor of Science comprised by personnel from the scientific community and then shall be approved by the Scientific Council of SuCoSQua.

3.1. An unfavorable decision of the SuCoSQua Scientific Council regarding the non-admission of a scientist may be revoked by the Quaestor of Science, which will allow the scientist to work for a period of five years at the center. At the end of that period, the Scientific Council once again shall have the power to decide on the future of the mentioned scientist, decision that shall not be rejected again by the Quaestor of Science. That means the Quaestor of Science can only intercede against an unfavorable report by the SuCoSQua Scientific Council once per individual.

3.2. The employment contracts of the SuCoSQua researchers shall be for an indefinite time, and the Scientific Council is the only one that could revoke them if necessary.

4- Investigation and research carried out by SuCoSQua scientists shall be subsidized by the Government, after a favorable report from SuCoSQua specifying the amount to be allocated to the research. From this amount, the government will not take over the financing unless the Scientific Council of SuCoSQua issues a new report favorable to it.

5- SuCoSQua researchers must receive express authorization from the Government to participate in international research on behalf of the nation. If they participate in a personal capacity and as representatives of SuCoSQua, they must receive the express authorization of the Scientific Council of SuCoSQua.

6- The patents carried out in the SuCoSQua shall not be done in a personal capacity, but will be made in the name of the SuCoSQua as a whole organization.

7- The center shall be made up of of three buildings: one allocated to research laboratories, one allocated for the SuCoSQua government headquarters and one containing a hospital, scientific offices and household for the scientifics' families coming from other parts of the country. The SuCoSQua shall integrate five institutions, one per region, with the same structure in each of them - for the exception of the SuCoSQua headquarters, that shall be allocated in the institution of Oleria, located in Victoria.

7.1. Research laboratories shall consist of 12 interconnected buildings, with laboratories that must be maintained with the utmost care and, as far as possible, have the latest technological and security advances necessary for researchers to carry out their tasks. The government shall be responsible, along with the SuCoSQua itself, of acquiring the neccesary material.

7.2. The hospital, made up of 14 levels, shall have units for the containment and isolation of patients with serious illnesses, always having to guarantee the necessary security and maintenance measures.

7.3. Housing for the families of researchers must first be offered to those coming from outside the capital. If an individual stops working at the center, they must also leave the home.

8- The Quaestor of Defense will be in charge of ensuring the security of the Center.

Pyrgopolynices Auspex
Quirites

According to this proposal, the SuCoSQua could be put into operation once the construction works of its facilities are completed, whose main headquarters will be in Victoria, Oleria. Each of the other four regions will count with a SuCoSQua center, to allow the advancement of research in each of the regions without prejudice to the mobility or economic limits that scientists may have. In the same way, from COSIRA they hope that this institution enhances the interest in science of future generations, allowing more young people to approach science and be able to count on the best minds to participate in SuCoSQua research.

Despite the different positions that the different political forces have made around the institution - the MTS has alluded to science as a polytheistic instrument, while COSIRA has based its discourse on the strictly scientific - it seems that the project will go ahead without major problems and will constitute a new milestone in the history of scientific research in Selucia.

Speaking to the press, the general secretary of COSIRA and firefighter Pyrgopolynices Auspex, thanked the MTS for its willingness to collaborate and the support given to the proposal, and has advocated that science in Selucia is kept out of politics, and serves to improve the lives of citizens thanks to the sharing of the ideas of the brightest minds in Selucia.


First steps of the construction have been prepared

The construction of the SuCoSQua headquarters is expected to begin as soon as the proposal is approved by the People's Assembly, and to finish in a period of about five years at the most, taking into account the need to provide these facilities with the best security systems and research material.

[Polites]

“Church of Reason” Founded
prid. Id. Apr. MMMV a.R.P.c.
(April 12, 4816)

Under the provisions of the Calpurnian Law on Atheism all Selucian citizens are required to be members of at least one religious organization. Targeted specifically against the nearly 30% of the population with no formal religious adherence, the law has been controversial since its implementation, and many Selucians refuse to comply with its provisions. However, as the law does not include any criteria by which an organization can be considered religious in nature, including in terms of beliefs, most irreligious Selucians have become members of one or more non-theistic organizations. This month most of these congregations decided to merge and form a single united body, capable of standing up for the rights of nonbelieving members of society. The “Church of Reason” is a new religious organization formed under government auspices with an explicitly non-theistic and humanistic focus, designed to serve as a civil religion for non-believing Selucians, similarly to how the government fostered the establishment of the “Constitutionalist” faction within the Aurorian Patriarchal Church.


Temple of Reason in Marisia (West Sadaria), with the Republican motto Liberty, Equality, Fraternity inscribed on its frontispiece

The Church of Reason has already established a number of Temples of Reason and Science, most of them using abandoned churches. The focus of the rituals of the Church of Reason will be the veneration of Reason, Truth, Liberty, and the People, although its leaders take pains to emphasize that these are seen only as abstract ideals and not gods or idols, and that these ideals are in fact a part of human beings, as the Church very openly and explicitly rejects all supernatural beliefs. The Temples of Reason and Science are to contain statues of the “goddesses” of Reason and Liberty, as well as portraits of philosophers and scientists. Congregations are set to meet weekly on Sundays to sing hymns of devotion to Reason, and the Church of Reason has also decided to organize an annual “Festival of Reason”, with the financial backing of the state.

The organization of the Church shall be democratic, and weekly celebrations are to be conducted by elected priests and priestesses of Reason. The Church is also due to organize classes for the scientific and philosophic education of their congregants. Rev. Marcus Spiridonius, the first elected Priest of Reason, when asked about the purpose of this new organization and relation to the government, declared the following:

You know, I can’t say I’m happy that the government sees atheism as just another religion, when it clearly is not. But I also can’t say I’m not grateful for their financial and political support for our project. I don’t think religions have a monopoly on spirituality, and I think that those of us with a naturalistic and humanistic worldview should not be deprived of all the good things in religions. There’s no reason why atheists can’t sing hymns, congregate every week, or establish a community. Only that unlike religions we don’t congregate to worship non-existent beings, we gather to celebrate human reason and liberty and inculcate humanistic and republican values in our congregants.

[Aethan]

Cor, the best-selling gossip magazine in Selucia

The war on religion reaches the new technologies and the youth of Selucia
Melaenis Proceus, the son of the former Procurator of Oleria Agorastocles Proceus, brings the debate to the youth public after the approval by the conservative government of the law that obliges all Selucian citizens to be registered in some religion


The publication of Melaenis Proceus that has
been talked about on the networks, which reads
"My only religion is freedom"

The approval of the Calpurnian Law on Atheism (http://classic.particracy.net/viewbill. ... lid=631828), which provoked a bitter parliamentary debate and which ended up being approved by the exclusive votes of the current conservative government of the MTS by 378 votes in favor and 372 votes against, it seems that it has now reached a sector who is usually described as "outside of politics": young people.

While it is true that Selucia prides itself on the fact that most of its citizens are highly active in politics, it is no secret that generally young people are either the ones who follow with the most ardor everything that happens in the political environment or else they completely ignore it. And it seems that in this matter they were not going to be less.

The approval of a law of such social significance has not left young Selucians indifferent, who have quickly taken sides for one side or the other, and throughout the country there have been demonstrations in favor and against the measure, which has been shown widely divisive due to the high percentage of atheists and agnostics in the nation, around 30%, by a law that affects them mainly, and of which they feel they are targets and victims,being singled out by the government.

And the way that young people now have more at hand to express themselves are social networks, where over the days there have been debates about the convenience or not of such a controversial law, and that COSIRA has already committed itself as first measure to repeal if it returns to the government of Selucia.

Although many "influencers" in the country have not wanted to comment on the matter in their networks, a charismatic boy of just 19 years old has done so, who accumulates almost half a million followers: Melaenis Proceus, son of the former Procurator of Oleria Agorastocles Proceus, that a few hours ago posted a photograph on his social networks in which he is seen burning a piece of paper and throwing it into the air over a text that says "Mea solum religio sit libertas (My only religion is liberty)".

The Proceus, who like the rest of the inhabitants of Selucia are now obliged to register in a religion - although they have not made public in which they have done so, or if they have even done so in the newly created "Church of Reason" - have left clear on numerous occasions their disagreement with the new law, and they have been clear with their atheism. Now the publication of Proceus Jr., which in just a few hours accumulates more than 250.000 "likes" and about 400 comments, serves to make it clear once again that the problem, far from having been resolved, is still very latent in society. According to Melaenis himself has told this magazine, the burning paper is a "religious text", but he refuses to specify to which religion it belongs to, and encourages other citizens to continue with the protests throughout the nation, but also to vote in the next elections - for which there are less than a year left - to try to achieve change.

[Polites]

"Festival of Reason" Marked by Vandalized Churches and Temples
Id. Apr. MMMVI a.R.P.c.
(April 13, 4817)



With only a few moths until Election Day, the first "Festival of Reason", the annual celebration of the government-created non-theistic “Church of Reason”, took place in Victoria, Oleria, in an atmosphere of heightened tensions which quickly escalated into violence. The Festival started off peacefully, with orderly outdoors processions and hymns in honor of Reason and Science and an overall festive atmosphere. Passions however were quickly aroused when the organizers, imitating the gesture by Melaenis Proceus, publicly burned Hosian Bibles and desecrated Pagan idols on stage. The crowd, chanting "My only religion is freedom!" and "The People is the only god!", were whipped into a frenzy. With the security forces of the state passively watching and refusing to intervene, the crowd moved towards the center of the city and proceeded to attack Hosian churches and Pagan temples, which were looted and desecrated. The crowd proceeded to transform these places of worship into Temples of Reason and Science.

What is most surprising is the lack of a government reaction. Praetor Civilis Dionysodorus Calpurnius even congratulated the organizers of the Festival, arguing that "save a few minor and isolated incidents, this year's Festival of Reason was a resounding success". No arrests were made, and the government even recognized the transformation of places of worship into Temples of Reason. The Selucian Traditional Movement even pledged that, if elected again in November, it will increase the funding for the future organization of the Festival of Reason.

The government’s attitude towards the Festival of Reason seems to stem from a desire to instrumentalize the widespread anti-clerical sentiment in Selucian society and use it as a weapon against Aurorian Hosianism, while also attracting the votes of atheists and agnostics for the Selucian Traditional Movement. Moreover, the Movement seems to be signaling to the Pagan population that, should they fail to turn up on Election Day and support the Traditionalists, their lives and property might be in danger, as only the Traditionalists can keep a lid on anti-religious violence and keep it directed mostly against Hosianism. And to Hosians the message appears to be a warning as to what might happen on a much larger scale should atheists come to power again in November. This is a dangerous and risky gambit, as the government surely must know that it is easier to inflame popular anger than it is to control it. Government-sponsored anti-clerical violence may help keep the various religious groups in line, but this strategy could just as easily backfire.

[jamescfm]

Arch-Patriarch condemns vandalism of religious buildings in Selucia