Joy to the World!
The church; early evening of the Feast of the Nuptials of the Year
Been a long day today - up all night waiting for dawn, singing in the day with candles and evergreen, using the high holy tongue to praise our Lady on her wedding day. Nanse nin per ta pa an-se ga-la-am... We were on our knees from midnight in the church, and it was bloody freezing, our breath steaming in front of us. Fucking painful, kneeling like that. First it's uncomfortable, then it's numb, then it starts hurting again, low dull hot ache that lights into a screaming burn, and then it goes back down into an ache and an annoyance and finally, sweet-fucking-finally, numbness again. Still, we got the braziers lit as the light starting rising, and the herbs we were burning got us all high enough that the aching didn't matter so much. Still nearly fell on my face when I tried to get up. A few of the novices did topple over, poor bastards. And we greeted the first light of day by blessing the altar with water and oil, and then we broke bread all together over the altar, mopping up the oil with the slices, smell of incense and herbs in the air, and we ate for love of each other and for our goddess. Fucking ace.
Day's been busy getting the feast ready for tonight. Novices were allowed to take a nap this afternoon, but I've had too much to do to think about lying down. Still, though I haven't slept in nearly two days, I'm feeling pretty alright.
Brother Ash leads the service tonight, and I'm glad he does. Think we're all coming to terms with the fact that Oya's not coming back, and we're going to need a new abbot or abbess. I'd pick Ash, myself. Some people have said I could do it, but I don't think that'd be right. I've got a long journey yet to go before I should be in charge of a community.
Greet the congregation at the door. Get a nice turn out despite the snow. People come in carrying gifts for Nanshe and our community, filling baskets by the door with dried fruit and bolts of cloth and handfuls of silver, and as the service starts novices heft the baskets up onto their shoulders and take them up the aisle to the altar while the rest of us sing with one voice
The lady of the good utterance whose purpose cannot be taken away;
Nanshe, may she be praised in the countries!
When the service is over, each member of the congregation is handed a candle. We extinguish the lights of the church, and light instead the candles of our members, row by row. Light ripples outward in the winter dark, and the doors of the church are thrown open.
"Go in peace," says Ash. "The darkness falls in the face of our love."
I watch them go out, light spreading across the pitch black courtyard. Never get tired of this moment, not even after twenty years. Think it'll always be one of my favourite moments of the year.
Some people head home, out of the gates, but most head toward the refectory where we'll have our feast. My stomach rumbles. I'm fucking starving. But for now I stay by the door, greeting our people as they go by.
[Open to all!]
Been a long day today - up all night waiting for dawn, singing in the day with candles and evergreen, using the high holy tongue to praise our Lady on her wedding day. Nanse nin per ta pa an-se ga-la-am... We were on our knees from midnight in the church, and it was bloody freezing, our breath steaming in front of us. Fucking painful, kneeling like that. First it's uncomfortable, then it's numb, then it starts hurting again, low dull hot ache that lights into a screaming burn, and then it goes back down into an ache and an annoyance and finally, sweet-fucking-finally, numbness again. Still, we got the braziers lit as the light starting rising, and the herbs we were burning got us all high enough that the aching didn't matter so much. Still nearly fell on my face when I tried to get up. A few of the novices did topple over, poor bastards. And we greeted the first light of day by blessing the altar with water and oil, and then we broke bread all together over the altar, mopping up the oil with the slices, smell of incense and herbs in the air, and we ate for love of each other and for our goddess. Fucking ace.
Day's been busy getting the feast ready for tonight. Novices were allowed to take a nap this afternoon, but I've had too much to do to think about lying down. Still, though I haven't slept in nearly two days, I'm feeling pretty alright.
Brother Ash leads the service tonight, and I'm glad he does. Think we're all coming to terms with the fact that Oya's not coming back, and we're going to need a new abbot or abbess. I'd pick Ash, myself. Some people have said I could do it, but I don't think that'd be right. I've got a long journey yet to go before I should be in charge of a community.
Greet the congregation at the door. Get a nice turn out despite the snow. People come in carrying gifts for Nanshe and our community, filling baskets by the door with dried fruit and bolts of cloth and handfuls of silver, and as the service starts novices heft the baskets up onto their shoulders and take them up the aisle to the altar while the rest of us sing with one voice
The lady of the good utterance whose purpose cannot be taken away;
Nanshe, may she be praised in the countries!
When the service is over, each member of the congregation is handed a candle. We extinguish the lights of the church, and light instead the candles of our members, row by row. Light ripples outward in the winter dark, and the doors of the church are thrown open.
"Go in peace," says Ash. "The darkness falls in the face of our love."
I watch them go out, light spreading across the pitch black courtyard. Never get tired of this moment, not even after twenty years. Think it'll always be one of my favourite moments of the year.
Some people head home, out of the gates, but most head toward the refectory where we'll have our feast. My stomach rumbles. I'm fucking starving. But for now I stay by the door, greeting our people as they go by.
[Open to all!]