World Synod of Craedock

The World Synod is a congregation of spiritual leaders and religious emissaries from all over the world of Craedock, used to update the official Holy Canon, the beliefs that comprise the Duotheism. Most of the world's denizens recognize a major religious belief to be true, correct, and undeniable only once it has been approved by the Synod. Local religious hierarchies the world over often have sway over their regions' beliefs, but major revelations such as the discovery of a new angel or a prophecy that has global implications are typically discussed at the Synod.
The World Synod meets at Canolith in Unitia once every thirteen years, on the first day of Aftsummer, and may last anywhere from a few days to several weeks. The Synod also establishes Duotheistic holidays, and formalizes the Holy Standard Calendar of Craedock. Although the validity of religious ideas falls upon the shoulders of the Synod, the council itself holds no legislative power over other countries. Countries sponsor their individual emissaries to the Synod, usually through tithes, to speak on behalf on their region's beliefs. Public celebrations are often held when one territory's ideology is adopted as Holy Canon.
Emissaries include a wide array spiritual leaders, including high ranking priests, oracles, prophets, druids, philosophers, aesthetics, theologists, astrologists, bards, and missionaries. They are usually granted authority, and speaking time, based upon the geopolitical weight of the country that sponsored them, and more importantly the amount of tithes donated to the council's host nation Canolith, whose monks determine the congregation's itinerary.
In addition to theology, the Synod keeps a record of lore in Canolith's great library. Of particular note to Craedock's public is the Writ of Legend, a mythos of great epics and odes of the world's bravest and most altruistic adventurers, as well as Craedock's most dangerous monsters and residents. Such examples include the first liberation leaders against the Obelisk Empire, the lich Kazesash, who escaped death and Uzuli's judgement, and the oracle Ignara who prophesied the Fall of the Elder Stone. The Synod also discusses revelations in the realms of science, mathematics, technology, literature, song, and culture and takes records for the great library. A number of festivities also accompany the Synod, including sporting events in celebratory competition between the emissaries' host nations.
Although the tradition of spiritual leaders convening and comparing their ideas, beliefs, and visions of The Cosmology is a practice that predates Craedock's written history, the World Synod wasn't named as such until sometime around 1000 AE (Aar's Era, or about 7500 years ago, this is also when Aar's Era itself was named and became the first named era). It originally only met on the occasion of invitation at various host territories all over the world, with several decades in between each meeting. During the Chroniclers' Era, at approximately 500 CE (about 6000 years ago) it was formalized to meet once every 50 years. When the Obelisk Empire ruled much of Craedock in the Henge Era, the Synod was interrupted for a few centuries as the Empire blocked the congregations in order to exert greater control over Craedock's religious beliefs, but was restored under their moderation. After the Empire was abolished and the Royal Era began, frequency was increased to every thirteen years, thirteen being a holy number as the sum of the god, goddess, 3 archangels, and 8 grandangels.

Type

Religious, Other

Parent Organization

Duotheism

Location

Canolith

© Dylan Eugene Wheeler 2018
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