The Curia Cruentus
From LanceaSanctum
The Curia Cruentus (or "Court of Blood") is a group of powerful Sanctified elders from around the world. Previously a little known group even within the Lancea Sanctum, the Curia was reformed and made public in October 2005 by several Admired Sanctified meeting in Phoenix, Arizona. These Sanctified put forward a document explaining the role and functions of the reformed Curia. The Curia was revised again in April 2007, but other than an announcement noting the changes, no revised document was put forth (meaning this wiki page is solely for OOC information, and should not be used IC). The structure is not mandatory or universally followed by all Sanctified, but is recognized by those who acknowledge the Curia's traditional role and agree with its declared purpose as the leading body of the Lancea Sanctum. It should be noted, however, that no single active Cardinal in the Lancea Sanctum has refused to join the Curia Cruentus.
Contents |
The Function of the Curia Cruentus
The Curia is as much a social club as it is a political body. It does not claim real power within the covenant, except for the single traditional power of the Curia as the authority on matters of covenant-wide heresy. Of course, any collection of closely allied, centuries-old Admired Sanctified has vast power, but the Curia's ideology claims adherence to the Sanguineous Catechism, which forbids the interference in the affairs of individual diocese.
Ordinary Hierarchy
The Curia Cruentus recognizes the roles of the ecclesiastic, or "ordinary," hierarchy as follows.
Priests (·+)
A Priest leads a congregation within a Parish and reports to the Bishop who leads the local Diocese. The Bishop determines the boundaries of the Parish. This office is usually only used when the Diocese has more than one parish, for the Bishop usually leads his home parish.
Alternate Names: Pastor, Father/Mother, Predicant
Bishops (···+)
A Bishop is the spiritual leader of the Sanctified who oversees one or more Parishes. Traditionally, each Domain has one Bishop, though large domains can have more than one. A Bishop can also oversee Parishes in more than one Domain, usually when there are no Sanctified in neighboring Domains of sufficient standing or experience to serve as Bishop there. A Bishop is the final authority on matters of Sanctified doctrine, teaching and faith within his Diocese.
Alternate Names: Episkopos, Presbyter, Monsignor, Shepherd, Archimandrite
Archbishops (····+)
An Archbishop holds Praxis in a domain, but is not the spiritual leader of the Sanctified there, and is always advised by at least one Bishop. However, the title of Archbishop is not automatic for any Sanctified who holds Praxis, for it infers greater standing within the Lancea Sanctum. As such, only those with sufficient standing in the Lancea Sanctum may actually claim the title and appoint one or more Bishops to oversee the spiritual affairs of his domain. A Sanctified who does not have sufficient standing and holds Praxis may still be a Bishop, or may simply be the Prince if he leaves the spiritual leadership of the Sanctified to another. An Archbishop's territory is called a diocese or an archdiocese.
Some Sanctified have chosen to define the position in another way, and this has also been informally recognized by the Curia. In this definiton, an Archbishop is a Bishop of greater standing that leads and advises at least three other Bishops, and who may also hold Praxis in a domain (though this is not required). Typically, an Archbishop does not act as Bishop in his own Domain, especially if he also holds Praxis, but this is not always the case. In such cases, the informal title of Prince-Bishop has also been used to recognize the dual roles.
Alternate Names: Exarch, Father/Mother Superior, Metropolitan
Cardinals (·····+)
It takes more than simply being recognized as one of the Admired among the Lancea Sanctum to be called a Cardinal, and even then the Curia is selective as to who it recognizes as one. The Curia Cruentus appoints and anoints its own Cardinals from those among the Lancea Sanctum who have become Admired, who have shown fidelity to Sanctified religious precepts (as interpreted by the Curia), and who also hold one or more of the titles of Priest, Bishop or Archbishop. There is no requirement for a Cardinal selected by the Curia to take up his duties in the Curia or to participate in it. There are four types of Cardinals appointed by the Curia:
Presbyteral Cardinal
A Presbyteral Cardinal, also known as a Cardinal Monsignor, is one who does not stand as Bishop or Archbishop in his domain. They are also sometimes known as Cardinal Priests.
Episcopal Cardinal
An Episcopal Cardinal, also known as a Cardinal Bishop, is a Cardinal who stands as the spiritual leader of the Sanctified in his Domain.
Diaconal Cardinal
A Diaconal Cardinal, also known as a Cardinal Archbishop, is one who holds Praxis in his domain, but does not stand as the spiritual leader of the Sanctified of the domain.
Principal Cardinal
A Principal Cardinal, also known as a Cardinal Prince, is one who holds Praxis in his domain and acts as the spiritual leader of the Sanctified there.
The four titles (Cardinal Prince, Cardinal Archbishop, Cardinal Bishop, and Cardinal Monsignor) are used only in very formal settings; normally, they are simply called Cardinal.
Alternate Names: Vicar, Pontifex, Father General, Patriarch
Honorary Hierarchy
The Curia Cruentus previously established an honorary hierarchy in order to recognize other leaders of the Lancea Sanctum and give them a voice within the Curia, thus to better represent as many of the Sanctified as possible. Unfortunately, few of the Sanctified were able to garner the support necessary within their respective groups to claim these positions. As such, the Curia no longer invites representatives of the major creeds (Patriarchs) to attend meetings, and has altered how it invites representatives from individual countries (Primates).
Primates (·+)
This is an honorary title recognized by the Curia for the Sanctified of the highest standing within an entire country. It is not used for regions within a country, and is not used in very large countries such as the United States. A country might have more than one province in it, but only one of the Sanctified therein will be called the primate of the country as the highest ranking prelate. Individual countries determine their own method for selecting its Primate. This title is purely a pre-eminence of honor, not of jurisdiction, making a primate the "first among equals" with respect to the other ranking Sanctified in his primateship.
Primates of sufficient standing, respect, or sheer power may be invited as guests to attend the deliberations of the Curia Cruentus. The Curia also tends to prefer listening to a Primate as an official emissary from a particular country, especially when considering declarations of heresy. Frequently, Primates only come from countries where there is no resident Cardinal. Should a single Damned be both a Cardinal and Primate, he is sometimes called Cardinal Primate.
There is no requirement of any particular standing higher than the equivalent of Priest in order to be chosen as Primate.
The Curia previously recognized more than one Primate from a single country, but it no longer does so.
The Structure of the Curia Cruentus
The Curia Cruentus consists of the Cardinals recognized and approved to join its ranks. The Curia only recognizes a Sanctified as a true "Cardinal" if he has achieved Admired status, has been approved by a general vote of the Curia itself, and has been anointed by another Cardinal on the Curia. Cardinals on the Curia have the right to speak, to propose votes, and to cast one ballot each in a vote.
The Curia may also choose to allow guests to attend its deliberations. These are approved on a case-by-case basis, through a full vote of the Curia.
From among their number, the Cardinals select a Cardinal Vicar (also called the Vicar of Longinus) by a simple majority vote. The Cardinal Vicar organizes the meetings of the Curia. The Cardinal Vicar has only one power: to put forward an issue for a vote by the electors, or to decline to put an issue up for a vote. Only the Cardinal Vicar can call for an official vote. The Cardinal Vicar may be removed from office by a simple majority vote of the Cardinals (any Cardinal may call for such a vote at any time).
Members of the Curia Cruentus
Vox Primoris
- His Eminence, Cardinal Rui Romero Fernández
Cardinals
- His Eminence, Cardinal Pietro Sangiovanni
- His Eminence, Edward the Confessor
- His Eminence, Cardinal Santiago De La Vega
Guests
- Grand Inquisitor Charli
- Grand Paladin Vrai
