Religion in Paretia

Religion in Paretia

From top, left to right: Curs Purse Cathedral, Christo Rei da Precea, Painting of Saint Rodrigo, Precea Cathedral, Esodos Mazar, Sanctuary of Our Lady of Brígida, Santiago Réquiescia Cathedral.

This article discusses information on religion in Paretia. The country has been predominantly Sotirian, mainly Solarian Catholic, since the times that the Solarian Empire ruled the peninsula. The country however does have small groups of other faiths and sects, including Amendism, Episemialism, and Irfan. Irreligion is also a large minority within Paretia. WIP HISTORY

Sotirianity

Episemialism

Historically Episemialism was a very small group in the country, as the nation since the Great Schism with the Solarian Catholic Church was dominated by the latter. Since the 20th century the population has grown to around 2%, many of the Episemialist community in Paretia are migrants from Episemialist nations in western and central Euclea.

The largest Episemialist community in Paretia is the Amathian community, many of which migrated during the functionalist Kingdom of Amathia, the following Amathian Civil War, and the Amathian Equalist Republic. Other Episemialists come from Tengaria, Etruria, Miersa, Piraea, or are Paretian converts.

Other Denominations

The Álamarian Catholic Church complex in Álamar

One unique denomination is the Álamarian Catholic Church, founded in Álamar, Esmeira. It has it's own papacy headed by Pope Pedro II, it separated from the Solarian Catholic Church in 1965, it's founder, Pope Carlos, had claims the papacy. Some have compared it to a cult. It has it's own central church in Álamar and it's own traditions separate from the Solarian Catholic Church.

Other smaller denominations include the Brethren Church, which has around 15,000 members in Paretia.

Irfan

The Farrakhon Mazar in Burgo Coroa

Historically Irfan was a very small religious minority, most early Irfan in the country are descendants of small groups of Rahelians, Tagamics, and Pardarians who migrated and settled during the Tagamic Invasions. There also is a community of Gulbistani Irfan that migrated from the colony of Thyropinia.

Most modern Irfan in the country are migrants, mostly from Coius, mainly Rahelia and Bahia. The largest community of Irfan come from Tsabara, many of them refugees displaced due to the Tsabaran Civil War. Other nations where many Irfan migrants hail from include Yemet, Zorasan, Nise, and Sohar. There is a small community of converts in Paretia.

Throughout much of Paretian history, the Irfan minority of the nation have experienced severe discrimination by the rulers of the peninsula. There are accounts of murders, mob attacks, and arson committed against the minority, especially in the middle ages and early modern period.

Ashram

Draksarasa Monastery in Tosutonia

Ashram is one of the largest non-sotirian religious minorities in the nation. It's largely made up of migrants from Satria, namely nations like Rajyaghar, Arthastan, and Gulbistan. There are also around 20,000 converts from Paretia as well.

There are numerous Ashram temples and monasteries located across Paretia, the largest being the Draksarasa Monastery in Tosutonia, which has become a major tourist destination in Paretia and is seen as the central religious site for Paretian Ashramists.

Other Faiths

The Tulyata Temple of Tecêno

Festivals, events, and sites

A scallop shell, the symbol of the Way of Saint James.

Statue of The Virgin Mary at Brigída

One of the most well known Sotirian pilgrimages is located in Vicisa, the Way of Saint James, which goes to the city of Santiago Réquiescia, Vicisa. According to tradition the apostle Saint James is buried at the cathedral in the city. It attracts many Euclean Sotirians who do the pilgrimage. There are markers with shells located all over eastern Euclea that point into the direction travelled on the pilgrimage. The pilgrimage travels through many locations in Esmeira and Vicisa.

Palm Sunday celebration in Esmeira

Paretia's Holy Week festivals attracts many visitors to the country. Holy Week is a very important holiday for the Paretian sotirians, there are parades and events in every city across the country during it. There are many small Sotirian brotherhoods that hold their own events in their local towns, they usually dawn unique costumes known as a capirote. Precessions of floats, known as Pasos, with statues of Jesus Sotiras or The Virgin Mary are very common in the parades. Each day of Holy Week brings out different types of Parades, on Palm Sunday the floats have Jesus on a donkey with people carrying palm leaves, on Good Friday the pasos usually have Jesus carrying or on the Crucifix.

One famous Sotirian site in Paretia is the Sanctuary of our Lady of Brigída, located in Brigída, Luzela, it is the site one of the most famous and well documented Marian apparitions in modern history.