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Apostolic Department of Cildania
מחלק שלחית של קלדר
ܩܝܣܡܐ ܫܠܝܚܐ ܪܩܠܕܪ
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Type Patriarchal Hosian
Theistic philosophy Monotheistic, Unitarian
Supreme divinity Elyon
Major Prophets Ariel, Elior, Eliyahu
Region Cildania, diaspora
Headquarters Cildania City
Founder Saint Sebastian
Founded 9th century
Recognition Apostolic Church of the East
Merged into Apostolic Church of the Isles
Liturgical language Church Cildanian
Liturgical rite Kathuran (OOC West Syrian) Rite
Members Approximately 94 million


The Apostolic Department of Cildania (Qildari: מחלק שלחית של קלדר, Maḣlaqa Shelaḣit shel Qildar; Church Cildanian: ܩܝܣܡܐ ܫܠܝܚܐ ܪܩܠܕܪ, Qisma Šliḥɑ d-Qildar) was an autocephalous Eastern Hosian church based in Cildania.

The Department was the major denomination of Hosianism within Cildania. It came to the island from Arakhim in today's Barmenia and quickly established itself. The Department of Cildania used Church Cildanian as its official and liturgical language. The church was led by the Patriarch of Cildania.

The use of the word Department instead of Church is unique to Cildania and dates back to a time before the Council of Princes when the Department saw itself as both the Religious and Secular authority in Cildania. In most situations where the word Church would be used in other denominations, Department or Departmental is substituted with the word Church being retained in reference to the Immortal Church a theological definition of God or Heaven. However most non-Cildanian texts, this wiki included. still use Church as it normally would be used even when talking of Cildania.

In 3981, following the Synod of Qart Qildar, the Apostolic Department of Cildania was united with the Badaran Apostolic Church to create the Apostolic Church of the Isles.

History[]

DOCPriest

Cildanian priest in traditional vestments

Present Day[]

The Department recognizes the other Eastern Hosian Churches and regards itself as being in communion with them (although to all intents and purposes it has long broken from them) and superior to them, the Cildanian Department is traditionally on the more conservative wing of the Eastern Churches. The major belief which separates the Department from the other Eastern Churches is that of the Divine destiny of Cildania and in the superiority of the Cildanian people.

The Department regards Cildania as the natural capital of Hosianism. Being the Birthplace of Ariel and in the Cildanian translations of the Holy Books (and only the Cildanian translations) Eliyahu.  Departmental Hosianism includes a number of additional texts, including the Book of Adonas (Considered by foreign scholars to be a retelling of the pre-Hosian Qedarite mythology in a Hosian context), the Prophet who guided the proto-Qildanians after Ariel left, The Books of Sabastian, following Saint Sebastian and his successors through the early history of the Department, The Books of Dawn, a re-telling of the story of creation and the Qedarite and Celda migrations from a Cildanian perspective. Foreign clerics and theologians often use the term 'Departmental' as a euphemism for someone with an overly nationalistic religious view as this is the reputation of the Departmental.

Liturgy[]

The Mass is celebrated on Sundays and special occasions. The Holy Liturgy consists of Annunciation Reading, Bible Readings, Prayers, Songs and Oaths to Cildania. During the celebration of the Liturgy, priests and deacons put on elaborate vestments which are unique to the Department of Cildania.

Apart from certain readings, all prayers are sung in the form of chants and melodies. Hundreds of melodies remain and these are preserved in the book known as Beth Gazo. It is the key reference to Departmental church music.

Vestments[]

The clergy of the Department of Cildania have unique vestments that are quite different from other Christian denominations. The vestments worn by the clergy vary with their order in the priesthood. The deacons, the priests, the bishops, and the patriarch each have different vestments.

The priest's usual dress is a black robe. Bishops usually wear a black or a red robe with a red belt. They do not, however, wear a red robe in the presence of the Patriarch who wears a red robe. Bishops visiting a diocese outside their jurisdiction also wear black robes in deference to the bishop of the diocese, who alone wears red robes. Priests also wear phiro, or a cap, which he must wear for all the public prayers. Monks also wear eskimo, a hood. Priests also have ceremonial shoes which are called msone. Then there is a white robe called kutino symbolizing purity. Hamniko or Stole is wore over this white robe. Then he wears girdle called zenoro and zende meaning sleeves. If the celebrant is a bishop, he wears a masnapto, or turban. A cope called phayno is worn over these vestments. Batrashil, or Pallium, is worn over Phayno by Bishops.

Administrative Divisions[]

The Department is structured with the Canton Departments [i.e. Department of Akildar] which manages the Parish appointments, settles local departmental disputes and the maintenance of Departmental properties. The National Department is responsible for settling disputes between the Canton Departments and maintaining relationships with ER Departments and Christian churches abroad, the National Department also elects the Patriarch should the post fall empty through death or resignation.

The Patriarch of the Cildanian Department as an authority above all else and has the responsibility of setting Departmental policy and, in the past, had the right to appoint the Cildanian Head of State and recognize the inheritance of Peerage and Hereditary Titles, although today the national government no longer recognizes Departmental authority on these issues.

A Patriarch may choose upon appointment to use his own name or to adopt a Saints' name or that of a past Patriarch.

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