Sol Magna
"The SUN is ETERNAL
Sun made SOUL
Sun shined on KING
King, servant of SUN
We, servant of KING
Worship SUN,
makes King SHINE"
Sol Magna is a religion within the world of Infaru that started on a part of the continent of Merindia that Worships the sun as the only god and fundementally connects the kings of the Kingdom of Areole to it.
Beginnings
Pre-Origins
Various forms of sun worship existed all across Merindia as a folk religion, and it still does to the modern day but many other folk religions existed as well such as moon worshippers and worshippers of other celestial bodies
Origins of Sol Magna
Chief Jean initially ruled Arés, a small chiefdom, and went blind staring at the sun and the people did not believe him about his message about the glory of the sun which he gained from his blindness at first. He had been up on the highest peak in all the lands staring at the sun for a long period and upon coming down he was severely sunburnt and blind and said “the sun is the only god and I am the prophet of god”.
He then conquered much land from the Hannish Empire which seemed impossible to do, becoming King Jean I, which convinced most and they converted in droves. He was then known as "He who Delivered the SUN"
Every King after has been related to Jean I, or claims to be, and they all seek to bring "the glorious message of the light of the SUN" by spreading the belief and bringing growth to the lands. They are the head of the religion because they can all trace their lineage to the first Prophet-King and it is said that a lack of belief in the SUN will lead to disaster for the Kingdom, which helps to justify the monarchy.
Some argue that actually his brother Dagobert was the one who was blinded and commanded the armies because “how would Jean do it by himself while blind?”. these people are called Dagists and wish for those descended from him to rule instead
Modern Day Religious Practices
On Places for Worship: Solariums, the name of the places of worship, are typically open courtyards surrounded by a circle with small triangles around with big triangles pointed East and West and smaller big triangles pointed north and south
Temples are often built on elevated ground compared to the rest of the settlement, in order to be closer to the sun and its holiness
On the Blind: According to religious doctrine, those born blind and those who became blind through staring at the SUN’s glory are considered holy while those who become blind through other means are looked down upon
The most devout inner sections and monks of the Solar Order blind themselves be staring into the Sun just like Jean I did
On Punishment: According to religious doctrine, those who have done wrong will be subject to “The SUN’s Judgement” which is to be tied up somewhere high left without food or water to become severely sunburnt
"For thy crimes against the Crown, you are sentenced to sunning. May Sol have mercy on ye so(u)l"
Holy Days
Summer Solstice: celebrated by believers as the longest day of the year with "the greatest amount of the SUN and its glory".
Winter Solstice: People gather around each other for a feast and to celebrate how they’ve made it to the day with the least light, the least Sun out. They also give a few small gifts to friends and family.
Sects
Jeanists: This is the main form of the religion. They believe most of the kings have been descended from Jean I and that people must revere the king because he is the representative of the Sun on Infaru
Dagists: Those who believe that Jean had a brother, Dagobert, who is the real Prophet King because how would Jean have done all of the stuff militarily
Revivalists: Those who want the return of the ways of the original Solar Order and argue that the modern Order has become corrupt and strayed too far from the original vision. They are very much pro-monarchy because of how centered around Jean I the original Solar Order was Radicals: Those who want to focus more on the worship of the SUN and de-emphasize the king. All believe that at least Jean I was a true prophet and great king but some draw different lines on where their support ends. Various flavors of Radicals ordered by relative popularity:
- Directist Radicals: The direct Descendents of Jean I, the kings up to Jean IX, were the only true Prophet-Kings. The end of Jean IX’s reign was in 120 so it has been 1550 years since a true prophet-king
- Originalists Radicals: Jean I was the only Prophet-King and the rest have been merely important political figures
- Conditional Radicalists: The last true Prophet-King was Jean VI because he was so great and he could have only been so great on the condition that he had been a prophet
- Lazy Radicalists: all the good kings were Prophet-kings and all the bad ones were not
- Dualist Radicals: Every other king is a true Prophet-King. This belief came about recently from people reading texts on soteric ideas of succession
Determinists: Those who say that the SUN has control over literally everything and so can control how everything plays out through all of the universe, everything determined by the SUN
Hyperroyalists: Those who All the kings have been direct avatars of the Sun and so the King must be obeyed for he can never be wrong. They LOVE the kings.
Jean Reincarnationists: Those who believe that Jacques VI was the reincarnation of Jean I due to just how great he was and all the things he did during his reign. This belief is more common among the peasants