Beneath the Golden Moon Services

The Holy Fire

Given the association of fire and flame with the Demon Agrik, it is no surprise that there is considerable attention paid to this element at Laranian services. There are two main functions served by the rites and practices surrounding the use of fire: the removal and warding off of any demonic presence or influence, and the elevation of those aspects associated with the Goddess, namely light, warmth, sense of community, and constancy.

Dispelling the Taint of Agrik

• After the fire or flame is established, some drops of (preferably blessed) water are sprinkled upon it. The flickering and weakening of the flames show that Agrik is present there, but is able to be overcome.
  
  
• Accompanying this, the priest says the following: "From this flame I have called forth, I drive out all evil. Through the eyes of the Goddess, I see your presence, smoky demon, and know now that I have the power to remove you from the world."
  
  
• Incense is then added to drive away the demonic presence by its sweet smell and holiness. The plant from which this incense comes is Beralik, which Larani gifted to the world after using its healing properties to aid Ambrathas.
  
  
• As the incense is added, the priest says the following prayer:
  

  "O Lady of Everlasting Virtue, Knower of Truth, we call upon You to lend us Your aid. Where our strenth is weak and fails, You are the vigour of all things; where others cannot, You are most able. We call upon You to rid this flame of all that is not of You. Where none can go unharmed, You walk untouched; where mortals walk in confusion and deceit, You understand all secrets. We thank You who haa shown us where evil lurks, and we thank You who has removed its taint."
  

Elevating the Properties of Larani

• A lump of resin is placed in the centre of the fire or flame, where it burns with a bright and constant flame, yet slowly. The preparation of this resin is involved and important (see below). It is preferable that all the work, including gathering the resin from the holy Kalamin tree, be done by the same priest as leads the service, though only the final stages of preparation are required to be performed by a priest.
  
  
• As the resin is added, the priest recites the following prayer:
  

  "O Mistress of the White Fire, Source of All Pure Light, may it please You to grant we who are gathered here a sign of Your immortal presence, that lives always and changes not. May You deliver unto us the tiniest part of that Divine Radiance which makes all bright in Tirithor, and through it allow us a glimpse into that most sacred realm.
  
  Here we are gathered to honour You, our Lady, and to do proper worship. In this place all are your vassals, and all submit to Your will. May everything be in accord with Your wishes."
  

• The priest then ends the summoning of the Holy Fire with the following formula: "We thank the Goddess, and rejoice that her presence is with us. May the Divine Light watch over and protect us always." With this, the service proper can begin.
  
  
• At the end of the service for which the Holy Fire has been prepared and created, the priest removes whatever remains of the lump of resin from the fire. It is then buried in the ground near the Kalamin tree associated with the temple at which the rite is performed (which, particularly in the case of newly founded temples with only a young Kalamin tree, might not always be the tree from which the resin came; see below).
  

Preparing the Resin

It is the custom for every Laranian temple to have, either in its grounds or nearby, a Kalamin tree. This tree, the type most beloved of the Goddess (the boulevards of Dolithor are said to be lined with the most perfect of their kind), plays an important part in many of the rites and rituals of the Church.

When the tree is old and sturdy enough, it is tapped, and its sap collected in a wooden bowl (which is stained a slight blue by its contact with the resin). This is then rolled into small balls by the priests, accompanied by much chanting and prayer, and stored for later use.

Newly established temples will generally receive their resin from their parent/sponsoring temple until such time as their own tree (which is grown from the seed of the parent temple's tree) is old enough to be tapped.

Common Fires

The above rituals are primarily for use by priests for services. However, it is common custom for even Peonians to perform a pared down version of the first ritual (Dispelling the Taint of Agrik). The elements are simplified of course; normal water is used, the herb is not required (though it is common enough that it is often used, particularly given its nice fragrence), and the accompanying prayer is reduced to some variant of "Be gone, demons! The Goddess is here!".