Theognosian Church

{| align="right" border="3" cellpadding="7" width="300" style="margin-left:0.5em;" !style="background:#c9c9c9" | Orthodox Catholic Church

Overview
The Orthodox Catholic Church or called by many of its followers the Holy Church. Founded in 2143, after the Terran Catholic Church headed by Pope Innocent I convoked a synod of all the Kardinals in Terra, in order to try the former Pope Pius II for crimes against the Holy See. Pope Pius II who was offically dead at the time was found guilty of all the charges that was brought against him. His cadaver was stripped of all Papal Regalia. The body of Pope Pius II was then thrown into a river. Somehow the corpse managed to escape the river and found his own Holy See, the Orthodox Catholic Church. It is widely debated by historians but many feel that grave robbers found the body of Pius II and played a hoax that Pius II was some how alive. Then several politicans and Kardinals unhappy about the Deltarian Church used the hoax to their advantage and started their own Church, were they would have full power.

Support for Orthodox Catholicism has risen as result of Terran Catholicism dwindling in supporters. Orthodox Catholicism has attracted supporters all over the globe, mainly in Alduria, Rildanor, Kanjor, Quanzar, Solentia, Darnussia, Tukarali, and Lodamun.

The Holy Trinity
Orthodox Catholics believe in a God who is both three and one (triune). The Father is the cause or origin of the Godhead, from whom the Son is begotten eternally and also from whom the Holy Spirit proceeds eternally. The Holy Trinity is three, distinct, divine persons (hypostases), without overlap or modality among them, who share one divine essence (ousia)—uncreated, immaterial and eternal. Orthodox Catholic doctrine regarding the Holy Trinity is summarized in the Nicene Creed (Symbol of Faith).

Jesus Christ
Catholics believe that Jesus is the Messiah of the Old Testament's Messianic prophecies. The Nicene Creed states that he is "... the only begotten son of God, ... one in being with the Father. Through him all things were made ...". In an event known as the Incarnation, the Church teaches that God descended from heaven for the salvation of humanity, became man through the power of the Holy Spirit and was born of a Jewish virgin named Mary. It is believed that Jesus' mission on earth included giving people his word and example to follow, as recorded in the four Gospels. Catholicism teaches that following the example of Jesus helps believers to become closer to him, and therefore to grow in true love, freedom, and the fullness of life.

Faith and Reason
Following the Holy Fathers, Orthodox Catholicism uses science and philosophy to defend and explain her Faith. Unlike Roman Catholicism, she does not build on the results of philosophy and science. The Church does not seek to reconcile faith and reason. She makes no effort to prove by logic or science what Christ gave His followers to believe. If physics or biology or chemistry or philosophy lends support to the teachings of the Church, she does not refuse them. However, Orthodoxy is not intimidated by man's intellectual accomplishments. She does not bow to them and change the Christian Faith to make it consistent with the results of human thought and science.

Icons
The icon is an artistic depiction of Christ, the Mother of God and the Saints. God the Father cannot be painted, because He has never been seen. God the Holy Spirit has appeared as a dove and as "tongues of fire." He may be shown in this way. God the Son became a man, and He may be painted in His human form. Icons are more than sacred pictures. Everything about them is theological. For example, they are always flat, flat so that we who inhabit the physical world will understand that the world of the spirit where Christ, His Mother, the angels, the saints, and the departed dwell, is a world of mystery which cannot be penetrated by our five senses.

Including statues in its worship is also allowed. The statues are life-like and three-dimensional. They seem to imitate the art of ancient Greece. Both arts are naturalistic. The Latins portray Christ, the Mother of God, the saints, even the angels, as if they were in a state of nature. This "naturalism" stems from the medieval idea that "grace perfects nature." The person or persons are represented on the icon as deified. He or she is not a perfect human being, but much more: They are transfigured and glorified. They have a new and grace-filled humanity.

Death
Orthodox Catholics believe that when a person dies the soul is temporarily separated from the body. Though it may linger for a short period on Earth, it is ultimately escorted either to paradise (Abraham's bosom) or the darkness of Hades, following the Temporary Judgment; Orthodox Catholics do not accept the doctrine of Purgatory which is held by Roman Catholicism. The soul’s experience of either of these states is only a “foretaste” -being experienced only by the soul - until the Final Judgment, when the soul and body will be reunited.

Role of the Church
The Orthodox Catholic Church holds that the Church "... is the continuing presence of Jesus on earth." The Church structure, therefore, is important in continuing the good work of Christ and Pius II. Unlike most forms of Catholicism, Orthodox Catholicism allows priests, laymen, etc., to marry and raise a family.

Orthodox Catholic Popes
Title: His Holiness, Bishop of Sanctus, Vicar of Christ, Successor of the Prince of the Apostles, Supreme Pontiff of the Holy Church, Sovereign of the State of the Sanctus City, Servant of the Servants of God, and Patriarch of Terra.

Pope Pius II
(From the Terran Catholic Church)

''Pius I's only son, L'ubomir Bátory was also the only witness to his fathers death. From his account, the late Pope was overcome with a fit of depression, and committed suicide by stabbing himself in the heart, face and throat, several dozen times. As he took his final breaths, his dying wish was that L'ubomir would inheret the Papacy, and continue the Bátory bloodline. L'ubomire reluctantly accepted, and after a 30-day period of national mourning, he was proclaimed Pope Pius II, in honour of his father. Pius II brought about many administrative changes in his edicts, declaring Castle Kachetovo in, Darali, to be the new Vatikan and Holy See. He excommunicated the High Synod, several of whom he recommunicated after displaying what he considered to be 'heartfelt penitance'. He served for eighteen years, before voluntarily abdicating the Papacy in favour of his archrival, Igor Nádašdy. In his retirement he married Barona Ivanka Nádašyova, his childhood sweetheart, and later died of natural causes. Eight months after his death he was made the first victim of the infamous Cadaver Synods.''

Somehow founded the Orthodox Catholic Church, his body was most likely stolen by grave robbers then sold to various nobles who were tired of the Deltarian Church. After being succeeded in 2377, were Pope Francis I became Pope, Pius II was decreed a Saint and Eternal Pontiff.

Pope Francis I
Born in Dissuwa, Deltaria in 2325. Not much is known of the youth of young Fabianski, but his parents were secretly Orthodox Catholic. In 2341, Fabianski's family fled to Quanzar so they could practice Orthodox Catholicism openly. Fabianski was raised to become a member of the clergy and his father saved up enough money for him to go to a Orthodox Catholic School. At the time Priests of the Church were paid well and led wealthy lives because of the large amounts of tithes the Church collects. He then became a Priest in the Orthodox Catholic Church were he moved up the ranks quickly attaining Cardinal and then Bishop. Fabianski was crowned in a large Papal Coronation and this was the first Papal Coronation for the Orthodox Catholic Church. When he was crowned Pope, the first thing he did was crown Pope Pius II a Saint and an Eternal Pope of the all Humanity. He took the name Pope Francis I, a suprise to many.

Pope Francis I suceeded the dead and decaying Pius II in 2377.

Captain-General of the Holy Church
Title: His Excellency, Protector of the Holy Church, Leader of the Papal Armies, Grand Crusader, and Faithful Servant of God.

The rank of Captain-General is currently held by Francesco Cesare de Borja. The Papal Guard of the Orthodox Catholic Church are known to fight over ranks, Pope Pius II decreed that a new rank of Captain-General of the Holy Church shall be created in order to restore order in the Papal Armies. The Captain-General is regarded as an important rank for anyone who wish's for adventure and respect from the Catholic Community.

Structure
The Structure of the Church takes place in a framework of an absolute theocratic monarchy, in which the head of the Orthodox Catholic Church, the Pope, exercises full power over the Orthodox Catholic Church and Sanctus City.

Patriarchs
Countries with established populations of Orthodox Catholics are granted a patriarch to lead the faithful within their borders. While the Pope heads the universal church, the Patriarchs head the national churches. There are five Patriarchs as of 2672: Rildanor, Kanjor, Alduria, Quanzar, and Darnussia. More often than not, these Patriarchs comprise the front runners in the replacement of a deceased Pope.

Cardinals
The cardinals are senior members of the Church who advice the Patriarch and the Pope and aid the selection of the two upon resignation or death. There are a total of 17 cardinals:


 * Rildanor: 5
 * Kanjor: 5
 * Alduria: 2
 * Quanzar: 2
 * Darnussia: 2
 * Other: 1

Bishops
The bishops, who possess the fullness of the priesthood, are as a body (the College of Bishops) considered the successors of the Apostles and are constituted Pastors in the Church, to be the teachers of doctrine, the priests of sacred worship and the ministers of governance. There are 64 bishops located around the world:


 * Rildanor: 20
 * Kanjor: 20
 * Alduria: 7
 * Quanzar: 7
 * Darnussia: 5
 * Other: 5

The Great Schism
Schism involving followers and members of the Terran Catholic Church. The newly appointed Pope Innocent I of Deltaria with a synod of Bishops put the dead former Pope Pius II on trial, Pius II later somehow escaped and founded a new church. This caused a schism and the Orthodox Catholic Church was founded in Kanjo, Kanjor.

The Dark Ages
Often called the "Dark Ages" by Orthodox Catholics, this was a time period were the Church reached a whole new low. It lost many followers and the Church was reduced to a small handful of followers, roughly 10,000 people.

Revival
The Orthodox Catholic Church was revived in 2334 by Priest Samuel Sirachi. Samuel Sirachi involved himself in politics and started the Orthodox Catholic Traditionalist Party which later became the National Fascist Catholic Paty. The political party became a instant populist party in Kanjor and attracted many followers, the party then begain to affiliate itself with the Orthodox Catholic Church.

Affiliated Parties

 * Kanjoran Catholic Traditionalist Party
 * Parti d'Aristocratie