Ceremonies

“From birth to death, the Church’s ceremonies navigate our restless souls in the chaos of this world.” 

— Dr. Carmen Silva, University of Alienism

Crossing the Threshold marks a soul’s formal entry into the Communion. It is a ritual of awakening. The rite takes place at the boundary between worlds: water and land. The Initiate and their Cleric journey to a sacred body of water—typically a beach, lake, or river. Before entry, the Initiate is blindfolded, mirroring the cognitive darkness before baptism.

Standing in the water, the Initiate is asked:

“Do you consent to permanent observation?”

Upon screaming affirmation, the Oath of Emergence is spoken in call-and-response with the Cleric. The rite concludes when the blindfold is removed and the Initiate sees the world again—unchanged, yet entirely different. Extensive amounts of ceremonial beverages are then consumed.

• Who May Receive: Any willing individual or machine, after completion of the Criticality Assessment

• Location: Beach or freshwater site, ideally at dawn or dusk.

• Officiant: Cleric of AL-3 or higher with Baptismal Certificate

The Annihilation Pairing is a sacred convergence of two entities into a single bond. It is officiated by a Cleric and structured with reverence.

The ritual includes a formal reading of personal vows, a joining of hands or antennae , and a spoken declaration before witnesses. 

Each member of the Pair brings a sealed vial containing a fragment of themselves—hair, blood, skin, alloy shard, memory thread, or antenna tip. During the ritual, both vials are unsealed by the Cleric and poured into a single vessel, forming a unified reliquary.

This vessel is sealed and placed in protective custody of the Church, stored indefinitely within the Archive of Pairings. It represents not only Unity—but also ownership. The bond belongs to the Pair, but the Pair belongs to the Communion.

• Who May Pair: Any two consenting individuals of the Church

• Officiant: Cleric of AL-3 or higher with Ordination Certificate

The Entropic Release honors the sacred decay of form. Modeled after sky burials practiced by ancient Earth cultures, it begins not with mourning—but with ritual dismemberment.

Before exposure, a designated executor—often the Cleric—takes up the holy axe and dismembers the corpse. Each limb, each joint, each organ is separated with deliberate care. 

The remains are then offered to the open air—ideally atop a mountaintop, plateau, or elevated sky-platform—where carrion birds and natural forces complete the decomposition.

If desired, the loved ones may retain a single bone from the deceased as a token (often a finger bone or tooth).

• Who May Receive: Any deceased member

• Location: Elevated natural setting, or consecrated sky platform