Solstice Day

A major holiday celebrated by worshipers of the goddess Diche, to celebrate the gift of the sun and its light to the material plane, as well as the dawn of a new year.
This marks the day where farmers harvest their crops at the earliest rays of dawn, believed to bless and bring abundance.
Clergy of the Cathedral of Light would be present for the harvest to signify the goddesses’ favor upon the lands.
 
This day celebrates and honors as a sign of gratitude to the Radiant one, as it marks the day she gifted the sun to the planes, and its light brought fort life to them.
It is the longest day of the year, with the most sunlight, and the shortest night.
Followers of Diche celebrate the holiday by dressing in bright red and other sunrise hues. People sympathetic to the practice have the custom to wink at celebrants with whom they establish eye contact. This practice often results in lasting friendships.
It was also customary to wear flower crowns made with sunflowers and other yellow flowers and wheat stems.

 
A solemn ceremony is held at the main temple of The Cathedral of Light, hosted by Kelddath Ormlyr, human cleric, the most radiant high priest of Diche and Diene Tally, human wizard, the most radiant High Magus of the church.
Together they sing the “Song of Dawn”, an elegant song honoring Diche with an intricate combination of choral harmonies, followed by a performance of the Chorus of Paladins.
After the ceremony, the clergy join worshipers to celebrate with followers of towns nearby temples of Diche, with a festival that sees much feasting, music-making, and frolicking in the fields. It is a time when love blossoms, and often acquaintances become romances and courtships traditionally become betrothals.
All shops close at highsun and thereafter people join the festivities, everyone is welcome even people that don’t identify themselves as followers of Diche.
The golden night, as it is traditionally called, shortest of the year, always coincides with a full moon, ensuring an unusually brighter night. Celebrations often go well past late hours.
This is also time for new members of the clergy to be appointed with different titles among the church, and usually some couples get married on this day, among the festivities.
It is said Diche herself takes a hand to ensure good weather for the occasion. That the sun shines brighter and bigger in the sky.
 

 
I would always attend the festivities with Diene, we would dress all fancy and rejoice in a new year full of sunlight, in gratitude to my mother. I would attend the ceremony and watch Diene sing that beautiful song, in awe. We visited Thalisius-Flora together to join the others in the frivolities of the occasion. I always wondered if one day, I too would sing the “Song of Dawn”, the highest privilege among the clergy of the cathedral, as Diene does. One day I’m sure I will…