Old Erish

Language of the Faith

This article was written for Summer Camp 2024. Therefore it is unpolished and lacking formatting and information. Feel free to comment with any questions or requests for clarification.

Old Erish is the official language of the Faith, as well as the ancestral language of modern Erish, Caillish, and several other languages in the northern hemisphere. It is the original language of the Numinen, the holy book of the Faith, and remains the official language of the priesthood.
In times gone by, it was the only language that sermons were delivered in. Despite opposition from more conservative sects of the religion, this was changed in 4198 EA, allowing sermons to be given in the local language. The Numinen was also translated into several different languages, despite some concerns about the purity of the text. This meant that more people could connect with the message of the Mother, which, for a religion that preaches inclusion, was an important step in the right direction.
Old Erish is still taught in schools across Erias, so most citizens of the country have at least a basic understanding of it. It is not required to be fluent to enter the priesthood, but a high level of fluency is required before a priest is allowed to give sermons, even if the sermon itself is not in Old Erish. This is so that priest can have a proper understanding of the original text, not just of the translated one.