Greetings from the Xyphokonic Order and Ordinance. This Juliar, we will discuss a selection of topics relating to or adjacent to the topic of Death. Today we will dive into what Ceremonial Death looks like in Xyphokonic Culture. Do Xyphoists have specific traditions when it comes to handling Death and loss of life? Is there a funeral process to follow? How do burials work? Let us discuss.

The ceremonial actions taken after the Death of a mortal in Xyphoist Practice can vary to some degree from what many would consider standard practice. In general, preparation of the remains in most modern societies include the embalming process or cremation of the remains. Xyphoist Philosophy doesn’t explicitly state that there is any set customs that one MUST do with the remains of a dead mortal, only that the remains and the Remembrance be shown basic care and respect for the existence of said Death. As such, the desecration of remains is not a condoned action by the Ordinance; adding to, the standard options of embalming, casket funeral proceedings, and normal burial are acceptable if the recently deceased had willed it so before Death or the next of kin has agreed to this. Cremation is also acceptable.

However, Xyphoist Practice does have Xyphokonic-specific options for Ceremony regarding Death, and some customs are specific to one’s Descending Spirituality. A Xyphoist-specific custom is for the remains of a deceased mortal to be stored in a Resting Hall of a Xyphoist House of Worship—especially in a Zhourghei Temple. Some Xyphoist Houses will have a basement segment that functions as a mass ornate mausoleum for all Xyphoites who wish to be placed there in their Death. Each deceased mortal will get their own individual chamber for their remains, with chambers being the size of a casket to smaller chambers for urns if desired. The Chamber door will be engraved with a plaque with the full name, dates of life, and a special message on it—similar to a gravestone. The chambers are then locked and secured by the staff of the House to ensure no grave robbery takes place. The highest-ranking Vuetenexian of any said House shall hold a skeleton key to all chambers, and only 1 individual key will be created for each individual chamber, which will be given to the most trusted family or friend of the deceased; family and friends can come to the Resting Hall to visit the Chamber and decorate it if desired during House open hours and with the approval of House officials.

Outside of the option to use the Resting Hall, some Xyphozons will have their own individual customs that those of that Xyphozon can apply in their Ceremonial Deaths. For example, Nakndsian Xyphoites may want to be buried among flowers or have their remains cremated and mixed with wildflower seeds. Those of the Carneiyean or Kyaius Xyphozons, prone to light, may have candles lit in their funerals to signify the power of Light. Vuetenexian Xyphoites, in the past, have had a very ornate tradition of having the flesh removed from their remains to expose only the skeleton; following, the skeleton is painted with glossy golden paint or, if one were to be willing to pay for it, adorned with authentic gold. After, the skeleton will be dressed in a black sild cloak and a purple jewel will be embedded in the skull of the skeleton. This very ornate custom was crafted to emulate the likeness of Lord Vuetenexzyei and the Angels of Death, who are seen as golden skeletons in black robes with a violet jewel embedded in the forehead. Now, none of these are required practices, but the most devote of Xyphoites may wish to partake in such customs that pay homage to their Descending Spirituality, Xyphozon, and Lord of Watching.

The purpose of Ceremonial Death is to both acknowledge the Eternal Reality of Death while also respecting the Remembrance and remains of the deceased, and while there is no required option for how to do this, Xyphoist Traditions offer a variety of ways to pay a final respect and devotion to the Order and one’s given Descending Spirituality while leaving those loved ones still alive with a Remembrance enshrined in Ceremony.

—crX

Greetings from the Xyphokonic Order and Ordinance. This Commentary marks approximately one year since the official establishment of this current Ordinance, and we thank all of our readers and followers for coming along with journey with us. This also marks the start of the next Xyphojinamic Xyphokonic Calendar, as it always starts in the Vuetenexian Period of Juliar; this also marks the date of birth for the Sacred Child of Death, Xyzukizusia. All of these are significant occurrences in today’s Commentary topic: Why Death is Eternal in Xyphojinami. Let us begin.

Death is the process in which a mortal soul moves from its corporeal form in Xyphojinami to an ethereal spiritual form in Xykopsysomi. In this process, the vessel fails to maintain its connection to the Soul, the Soul is released, and the Soul is then taken to Desitun by Angels of Death, known as Reapers, so determine the Soul’s next Pathans if any at all. The process of Death can occur naturally through age or through other circumstantial measures such as illness or injury. Regardless, all mortals are subject to and will eventually succumb to Death.

The question levied, then, is why must all mortals succumb to Death? Why is Death eternal? In Xyphoist Philosophy, Death is the attribute of Lord Vuetenexzyei that signifies the Spiritual End of Life in Xyphojinami; it is the process that moves souls from the realm. As the Spiritual Spectrum was created to keep the flow of spirituality continuous to prevent collapse from Deceptuary’s corruption and other forms of instability, the need to move spirituality is done through transferring spirits to and fro between the two greater realms of Xykopsysomi and Xyphojinami.  Death is the process that moves that spirituality from Xyphojinami just as Birth is the process that moves spirituality from Xykopsysomi. Simply put, Death is eternal because Spiritual Ends are Eternal; it is necessary to keep the flow of spirituality continuous. Utter collapse of our existence would occur without Death.

This, then, explains the prevalence of Death’s influence in Xyphojinami. As we know, the Vuetenexian Xyphozon receives two Periods of Watching in Xyphojinami—Juliar and Octovurz. As with the dual periods that both the Carneiyean and Pharusian Xyphozons have, Death receives these two periods due to its integral role in Xyphojinami’s functioning. Likewise, the start of the Xyphojinamic Xyphokonic Calendar starts with the First Period of Lord Vuetenexzyei, and the first born of the Nine Sacred Incarnates is Lord Vuetenexzyei’s Child, Xyzukizusia; these occurrences were not by chance.

Xyzukizusia is the first born of the Sacred Children, and as the Nine Sacred Children are the first mortals to exist in all of Xyphojinami, Xyzukizusia is the first and eldest of all mortals. This means the incarnation of Death was initial since the inception of our realm; Death has always existed in Xyphojinami and was the first concept ever to exist in the realm of the living. Xyzukizusia’s presence as the first mortal signifies that we, no matter our status in life, are all subject to Death eternally.

—crX