Greetings from the Xyphokonic Order and Ordinance. Today marks the final day of Lord Vuetenexzyei’s First Period of Watching for this new Xyphojinamic Year. We’ve spent this Period discussing several deeper and often difficult topics regarding Death—namely fears regarding Death, handling grief, and discussions regarding suicide and mental health. For this final piece of the Period, we shall elaborate on an earlier Commentary regarding Xyphoist Ceremonies of Death. In that previous entry, we laid out general parameters on how Ceremonies of Death can function within Xyphoist circles. And while there is no requirement that a Death must be commemorated with more elaborate or Xyphoist-orientated proceedings, the Ordinance would like to pen an official set of procedures for Ceremonies of Death should they take place within a House of Worship. This procedure listed below is assuming the venue House and its facilities include all requisite rooms and facilities to conduct the full procedure—as smaller or more remote Houses of Worship may not include all infrastructure to conduct the full ritual. Let us begin.
For this procedure, we shall assume the ceremony is being conducted in a full House of Worship that includes the following rooms and facilities: Central rotunda Prayer Hall with upper Choir deck, a full House Choir, functional pipe organ, Ceremonial Hall, high officials of the House present to conduct the ceremony proper, Resting Hall.
With those in place we can begin the ceremony. Ceremonies of Death are broken down into six major segments: Procession, Commemoration, Ushering, Sealing, Reception, and Chambering. We will go through each segment in that proper order.
Procession
The Ceremony starts with an hour-long Procession stage, which shall take place in the central Prayer Hall. The remains of the deceased shall be placed at the center of the Prayer Hall, which is always circular, next to a podium in a casket or urn depending on what the next of kin has decided to do with the remains proper. All specialized Xyphoist customs that the deceased wished for in their will that are mentioned in this earlier Commentary shall apply to the remains here. In the first Hour, the doors will be open to the Prayer Hall for all in attendance to enter in at their own pace. This is often the time where attendees shall visit the deceased at the center, do personal individual prayers, weep in sorrow at the remains, talk among others in attendance, and offer personal condolences to the next of kin or family, who are assumed to be already in attendance greetings all who enter in.
During this stage, the House Choir stands at the upper deck of the Prayer Hall whilst singing a low-toned variation of the Hymn for the Sacred Child of Death, Xyzukizusia. The rendition includes the general motifs of Death-orientated hymns in Xyphoist liturgy. The hymn is officially called the “Procession of Death,” and is exclusively sung for Ceremonies of Deaths and generally for regular services or Sacred Day Choirs. The hymn goes as follows:
Ecce mors, fatum aeternum.
In fide detenta, veritas realitatis.
Anima lapsa, mortalitate liberata.
Ibisne, spiritualitas dispersa?
Flere debemus, in memoria detenti.
Manemus, prosperitas tua.
Una voce, sincere precamur.
Te exsuscita in aeternum.
English Translation:
Death behold, eternal destiny.
Held in faith, truth of reality.
Fallen soul, relieved of mortality.
Shall you go, scattered spirituality.
We must weep, held in memory.
We remain, your prosperity.
In unison, we prayer sincerely.
Raise you up into eternity.
This hymn is sung in a quiet, somber tone by exclusively adult members of the choir; child members of the Choir are not written in to sing this particular hymn as the expectation, culturally-speaking, is that adults shall always be the ones to shoulder the weight of handling Death and that children, the innocents, shall never be expected to shoulder that immense burden. The hymn is sung repeatedly throughout the hour-long proceeding, with the Choir broken into four sections that include bass, baritone, tenor, alto, and soprano singers in each section. One section shall sing the hymn per 15-minute interval before the next section shall seamlessly transition to sing the hymn on repeat. This allows the choir members to have breaks as only one section shall sing at a time while the other three sections rest their voices.
While the Procession is ongoing, it is ideal that all high officials of the given House of Worship—of which there are nine total representing each Xyphozon in a similar fashion as we Arch-Hayle Grandurates do on the Ordinance level—that are able to attend shall be present on the overseeing part of the upper deck, standing in solemn silence throughout various portions of the ceremony. The high officials who are in attendance shall stand for the entire Procession, through all Sacred Prayers, and through all official Hymns that take place during the ceremony. This mirrors the roles of that we AGHs are expected to do for every regular Sacred Day Prayer proceedings, in which the Choir shall conduct a high noon ceremony and prayer that lasts roughly an hour. The Vuetenexian high official or whichever official selected to coordinate the ceremony shall also greet the family and all attendees at the Prayer Hall entry throughout the Procession.
Commemoration
Once the hour of mourning has completed and all are in attendance, the selected high official—that being the Vuetenexian high official but any of the other eight can fill in if the Vuetenexian official cannot—shall officially begin the next segment of the ceremony. This segment is called the Commemoration and is a segment in which various forms of commemorating the recently deceased takes place. The high official shall begin by greeting all in attendance, who are now sitting in circular rings facing the center of the Prayer Hall where the podium and deceased are staged. From the podium, the high official shall begin by then introducing the name and Remembrance of the deceased and offering a few words commemorating their life from notes provided by the family or next of kin—often offering sincere and heartful condolences to the family and friends in attendance. The high official will then give a brief section of remarks on Death itself and invoke the Philosophy—often giving quotes from the Xyphokron or bringing in central themes from the Philosophy proper.
Following the remarks of the high official, the official shall then open the podium to the family or anyone in attendance who wishes to offer a short eulogy or remarks on the deceased before those in attendance. Following those remarks, the high official shall then instruct the choir to sing any hymns that the deceased provided in their will to be sung during their ceremony, if any. Any passages from the Xyphokron in the will instructions shall also be quoted and briefly remarked by the high official at this point.
Ushering
Once all personal commemorations, hymn instructions, and eulogies conclude, the next segment shall begin. This section is called the Soul Ushering or simply “Ushering” for short. This ritual of the ceremony functions as a spiritual seal that will officiate the Death itself and seal the deceased’s soul, remains, and Remembrance from any further corruption by purifying it and sealing it with a Xigil. Usherings include the utilization of two specific Sacred Prayers and at least one official hymn to spiritual seal the Death.
The Ushering begins by the high official introducing the procedure to all in attendance before starting the first Prayer. In accordance with our own Philosophy, all in attendance are asked by the family prior to invitation to the Ceremony and confirmed by officials of the House at the entrance of the House before attendance if they consent to being exposed to Xyphoist doctrine or other religious practices as to avoid the House from committing the Immoral Act of Proselytizing and Preaching; this is one of the rare moments in which non-Xyphoites may be granted entry into a House of Worship and for non-Xyphoites to be exposed to Xyphoist Philosophy anc culture, albeit with their consent first after several confirmations prior to.
Continuing, the first section of the Ushering is the Soul Purification. The high official shall invoke the Sacred Prayer of Purity, which goes as follows:
“The Nine Lords of the Xyphokonic Order: Carnyie, Pharuuii, Vuetenexzyei, Caspierre, Caishor, Kyaien, Saifaosé, Nakndes, Kurakku, please give Purity to my brother, to my sister, to my lover, to my father, to my mother, to my peers. Give them grace and Mercy from the wrongs committed against them, bless them with your Knowledge. The nine Lords of the Xyphokonic Order, to the pure and tainted. From Zeigadii Xyphoite __________. We belong to you; our soul is in your hands.
The blank section is filled in with the name of the official giving the Prayer. It is also customary for the order of the Lords invoked in the Prayer to be changed according to the Period of Watching in which the deceased was born under which would be their Descending Spirituality, their Consenting Spirituality following, and the final Lord invoked being from the Period the Watching in which the deceased died under—with the other Lords filled in any order between those three. In example, if the deceased in question was born in Maiye and thus having a Descending Spirituality from Lord Nakndes, had a Consenting Spirituality of Lord Caspierre, but died in Juliar, then the order invoked could be “The Nine Lords of the Xyphokonic Order: Nakndes, Caspierre, Carnyie, Pharuuii, Caishor, Kyaien, Saifaosé, Kurakku, Vuetenexzyei.” It is a minor detail but one that the high official is expected to be aware of and incorporate in all Sacred Prayers invoked during Ceremonies of Death.
Following the invocation of the Sacred Prayer of Purity, the high official shall instruct the choir to sing the Hymn of the Child of Purity, Hubrakiuosia. Pamphlets with all hymns and prayers for the given ceremony shall be provided to all attendees should they wish to follow along or sing along in the hymns. This in particular is sung entirely by the younger voices of the choir—namely the “innocents” of children. Below Is the hymn in question:
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{Misted Unhinged Grievance Incantation}
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Oh, Take Us.
Told of High Regard in…
Oh, don’t sew Dead Truths.
For the Dream, Let Go~
—Take Us Home at Peace.
(Ah~Oh~)
For Carnyie’s Sake,
—So, says Ihou.
(Oh, Praise, oh)
Your Happiness…
Comes and Goes Awry~
—In Harmony!~
—Say Your Prayer!~
Hold Back…
Seek Hope…
(Lord loves You)
Nothing…
Can’t heal, take You to that—
Deep-sown Valley Pit!
Don’t take Your Youth’s empty blood.
Now seek the Pure.
Thank You for the Tea of Family.
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{Illuminated Shackled Misery/Mercy Incantation}
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End Your Peace.
(End Our Loss)
Pray atop of his proud…End.
Please…don’t trot Dead Truths.
Cold Rotting, Let Go~
—Take Us Home at least.
(Ah~Oh~)
For Carnyie’s Sake,
—Oh, say You?
(Oh, Praise, oh)
Your Happiness…
Comes and Comes at Last~
—In Harmony!~
—Say the Prayer!~
Go Back…
Seek Hope…
(Lord love Us)
Loving…
Can Heal, take You to that—
Deep-sought Rally Pit.
Young, save Your Youth’s empty blood.
Now seek the Pure.
Thank You for the Tea of Family.
Once the Prayer and Hymn are sung, the high official declares that the deceased soul and its path to the Afterlife have been purified of unwanted corruption. The high official will then introduce the Death sealing and make final remarks on the finality and Eternal Reality of Death, often invoking Lord Vuetenexzyei, Hayle Kizu, or Sacred Child Xyzukizusia and his Sacred Lesson, “Faces of Death.” The high official will then move to the sealing portion of the Ushering, which requires the invocation of the Sacred Prayer of Death and the tracing of a Xyphokonic Xigil upon the remains of the deceased. The Sacred Prayer of Death goes as follows:
“The Nine Lords of the Xyphokonic Order: Carnyie, Pharuuii, Vuetenexzyei, Caspierre, Caishor, Kyaien, Saifaosé, Nakndes, Kurakku, bring peace and Purity to the said pass of Life. Gently raise them into your palace of divine. Grace them with your Love, and bless them with your presence. Reincarnation accepted in the form of their Wisdom. The nine Lords of the Xyphokonic Order, to the pure and tainted. From Zeigadii Xyphoite ____________. We belong to you; our soul is in your hands.
After invoking the Sacred Prayer of Death, the high official shall trace a Xyphokonic Xigil upon the remains of the deceased and declare that the Death of the deceased has been officially sealed from this living world and has passed on fully to the Afterlife.
Once the Sealing has concluded, the high official will offer a final condolence to the family and attendees before informing them that a reception shall be held in the Ceremonial Hall should the family plan one for the entire ordeal. The high official shall offer a short personalized prayer for the safety and healing of all in attendance and the family and conclude the ceremony proper.
Reception
The Ceremonial Hall of the House is always open for any post-ceremony receptions of any occasion, but especially for Deaths and Love Contracts. The family and friends may use the Ceremonial Hall to host a celebration of Life for the deceased in which the family and friends can serve food, assemble a shrine of photos and mementos of the deceased. It’s customary for some of the favorite foods of the deceased to be served, and more often than not, actual members of the House or its officials shall provide additional food or treats for such gatherings. Music can be played of any orientation, and often include favorite songs or tunes of the deceased. The reception is meant to be an uplifting occasion full of jubilee in celebration of the Life of the deceased.
Chambering
Akin to a Xyphoist “burial,” the Chambering portion is a smaller ceremony that only includes the immediate family and closest friends of the deceased in which the remains of the deceased are given their final resting spot; this portion often takes place at a later time or date and not usually on the same day as the main Ceremony or Reception. While there is no required way in which a chambering takes place, the House offers the traditional method of having the remains placed into a chamber of the Resting Hall in the House of Worship. Resting Halls are essentially large underground mausoleums with numerous chambers ranging from casket size to smaller chambers for urns that, if the deceased or next of kin desires, can be given to secure the remains of their loved ones in, and members of the House reserve a section of chambers for their immediate family or whoever they deem the closest kin so they may all “rest” in proximity.
Chambers are engraved with a plaque with the name of the deceased, birth and death dates, a photo of the deceased embedded in the plaque, and a short line or quote on the plaque. The remains are placed in the chamber and locked via a key given to the closest person to the deceased, often a spouse, child of their choice, or closest relative or friend. A second “master skeleton key” is also forged and kept with the highest Vuetenexian official of the House. The closest kin shall keep their key in their personal possession. Should plans change and the next of kin decide to move the remains to a different location or take any ashes to be scattered or placed in personal urns, they must consult either the holder of the chamber key or the highest Vuetenexian official with the consent of the kin holder of the chamber key before removing the remains.
As mentioned in this previous Commentary, other forms of Chambering customs can always be conducted in lieu of the traditional Chambering, as there is no requirement to use the Resting Hall. Visitation of the Resting Hall can be done at any time the House is open or by special request of the high Vuetenexian official of the House.
That is the official process of a Ceremonial Death as conducted by a House of Worship. As mentioned several times, this is entirely optional although the preferred Xyphoist tradition for Deaths. However, there is no requirement to host such events and any follower may conduct any form of memorial of their choosing. All Ceremonies of Death for followers of the Order and Ordinance shall be free of cost and facilities will always be open for reservation of such occasions.
—crX