Celestial Shrines
All of Juiwian temples in the west share a single building with their two deities. On one side stands a statue, over two meters tall, made out of pure whitestone. It shimmers gently in the dead of night. The stone has been carved to give her a veil, from the top of her head all the way down to the tips of her shoeless toes, painted with the blackish blue of night, a stark contrast to the bare whitestone's natural glimmer on her hands and feet. She stands with elegance only afforded to gods, palms open at her sides as an invitation to speak, share and pray.
On the opposite side stands another figure of whitestone, this one of a man, with a shield in one hand and a blade on the other. Both are at his sides as he stands, straight and regal. His eyes, armor and weapons are painted in gold crafted within temple grounds. His posture is relaxed, and an aura of cocooning safety seems to circle around the statue.
There is nothing human about the Celestials, yet their presence, their very existence, protects the world humans seek to survive in. Juiwian faithful believe that by creating a form combining Sun and human, they create a connection between the two beings who are so completely different, and thus create a place where humanity may, on some level, communicate with divines.
Before both statues lie altars, round in shape, and on their sides reliefs of alabaster picture ancient stories forgotten by time. The original ones, crafted with care in Nīwulá Valley during the Silent Age, have been later carefully copied every time a new temple was constructed. Upon these altars are placed gifts and sacrifices by the faithful as they come pray to the Celestials.
These statues and altars make up the heart of the Celestials' shrines, and every day believers of all walks of life flock to pray at the foot of the statues. They pray for good harvest and luck in marriage or friendships. They pray for luck in trade, or pickpocketing, or hiding from an enemy. They pray for fortune and long lives and deaths to their rivals. With temple doors open to everyone, these prayers and wishes can vary from the everyday to truly strange.
After, they leave a gift - a sacrifice - for the Celestials upon or around the altar of the Celestial they prayed to. The gift could be small or large, it could be half a bread, or a beautiful rose in full bloom, or a pouch full of gold and silver and every jewel known to man. Individual gift's value is said to be measured not by its value on the market, but its value to the one who gives it away.
In the east since the dawn of the Juiwian faith, Sun and Moon existed in separate temples dedicated to one instead of both. Other than that, practices between the east and the west regarding their shrines, with their statues and altars and praying faithful, remained the same.
Location: Juiwian temples in the west, Sun and Moon temples in the east
Created by: faithful of Juiwia both eastern and western