The Blessing of Amias the Golden
History
The Blessing of Amias the Golden is the oldest celebration in the Spirit Calendar. It is a festival dedicated to the Greater Spirit Amias, Spirit of the Sun, the Day, Light and Fire. It started soon after the Revelation, when the elves of Kaat realized that around the middle of the year the sun shines brightest and longest and they interpreted it as Amias giving his blessing to the world.
Because Amias was the first Spirit ever seen by the elves of Kaat and saved the lives of lost wanderers, thus starting Spirit Worship, the elves of Kaat have always expressed their gratitude by leaving offerings near the mountains where Amias was first seen. Coincidentally, the building of the first shrine was also completed during the summer solstice. This is essentially what started the festival.
After the correlation between Amias and the summer solstice was made, the day of leaving offerings for Amias shifted from the day of the revelation, even though the spirits are still offered to on that day, to the summer solstice, the 13th of Firesun.
In the beginning the festival was rather simple. People gathered at the Amias shrine in the early morning hours and waited for the sun to reach its highest point, then they would sing and dance and ask Amias for his protection and guidance and leave offerings there.
Over the centuries the festival got bigger and bigger and as more people joined, different customs were introduced. Because of the amount of people, the festival was extended to two and then three days where groups of people would crowd around the shrine and sing their prayers, but as more shrines and later also temples got built, the crowds dispersed a bit to all the different locations, but the original shrine remained the most popular one.
The festival also got commercialized in certain regions. Professional dancers and singers were hired to perform for Amias in the name of everyone, food stands popped up around the temples and shrines as well as shops to buy offerings, talismans and Amias Stones. People have also started celebrating on all three days instead of just one and it has become associated with wearing certain clothes in shades of yellow, orange, white and red, as well as gold jewelery, a luxury many can't afford, but rental shops have also started where one can rent a costume for the festival.
Many have also started celebrating it as a family holidy and the people whose patron spirit is Amias, have started calling for a resimplification of the now incredibly oppulent and lavish celebrations that, according to the opinion of some of them, have lost their original meaning.
Others argue that it's the biggest celebration in Kaat and that it brings people together and tourists into the country and that that's a good thing and should continue the way it is.
Because Amias was the first Spirit ever seen by the elves of Kaat and saved the lives of lost wanderers, thus starting Spirit Worship, the elves of Kaat have always expressed their gratitude by leaving offerings near the mountains where Amias was first seen. Coincidentally, the building of the first shrine was also completed during the summer solstice. This is essentially what started the festival.
After the correlation between Amias and the summer solstice was made, the day of leaving offerings for Amias shifted from the day of the revelation, even though the spirits are still offered to on that day, to the summer solstice, the 13th of Firesun.
In the beginning the festival was rather simple. People gathered at the Amias shrine in the early morning hours and waited for the sun to reach its highest point, then they would sing and dance and ask Amias for his protection and guidance and leave offerings there.
Over the centuries the festival got bigger and bigger and as more people joined, different customs were introduced. Because of the amount of people, the festival was extended to two and then three days where groups of people would crowd around the shrine and sing their prayers, but as more shrines and later also temples got built, the crowds dispersed a bit to all the different locations, but the original shrine remained the most popular one.
The festival also got commercialized in certain regions. Professional dancers and singers were hired to perform for Amias in the name of everyone, food stands popped up around the temples and shrines as well as shops to buy offerings, talismans and Amias Stones. People have also started celebrating on all three days instead of just one and it has become associated with wearing certain clothes in shades of yellow, orange, white and red, as well as gold jewelery, a luxury many can't afford, but rental shops have also started where one can rent a costume for the festival.
Many have also started celebrating it as a family holidy and the people whose patron spirit is Amias, have started calling for a resimplification of the now incredibly oppulent and lavish celebrations that, according to the opinion of some of them, have lost their original meaning.
Others argue that it's the biggest celebration in Kaat and that it brings people together and tourists into the country and that that's a good thing and should continue the way it is.
Execution
The modern Blessing of Amias the Golden works as follows:
On the 12th of Firesun the precelebration begins. People light fires and cook food to be consumed on the main day of the festival. The first prayers are sung at sunrise and sunset. In the evening the feasting begins and part of the prepared food is eaten. Houses are cleansed with the smoke of incense and candles are lit everywhere.
The clergy meanwhile starts with the first part of a three part ritual prayer, which is usually done without an audience.
On the 13th of Firesun, the main celebration is held. Most people get into their costumes and travel to the nearest shrine or temple, the most dedicated of them travelling to the original shrine where the biggest spectacle is held. Those who are there for the spectacle either travel to the original shrine or the Temple in the Capital, where the biggest celebrations are held and the best of ritual dancers and singers are hired. The journey begins at sunrise, but those who have to travel farther often arrive the day before. On the way songs are sung.
At the temple or shrine charms and talismans as well as incense and candles are often bought as well as food. Then the talismans are personalized and hung at the shrine or temple and incense and candles are lit. The incense is used to cleanse oneself and then stuck into a designated bowl of sand, while the candles, in which wishes are engraved are placed all around the temple or shrine.
After that the clergy performs the second part of the ritual prayer. This part is accessible to audiences and many lay people join in this part.
At midday the ritual dances and songs begin and those who don't participate themselves watch. The dance is dedicated to Amias and his threefold nature. Every aspect of him has an act of the dance dedicated to it. The song accompanying the dance also tells of the nature of Amias' aspects and it tells the story of how he came to this world. The song also praises Amias and asks for his protection and good will. The dance lasts until the late afternoon. In the evening, before the sun sets, prayers are said (these are lay prayers, personal ones and don't have anything to do with the ritual prayers) and people circle around the temple or shrine in a clockwise-counterclockwise pattern.
At sundown the feasting begins and fires are lit everywhere. The celebration lasts until the moon has reached it’s highest point, then the journey home begins or camp is set up at the shrine or temple.
The third day of the festival, the 14th of Firesun, is led by the spirit wanderers. They perform their own rituals for Amias and bring their sacrifices to him. They also brew a special kind of sun tea that is offered to the people and do some divination. This is also a spectacle attracting many people. This day is a day of gratitude and reflection and soaking in the sun to receive its energy. The feast from the night before is also cleaned up on this day.
The clergy performs the last part of the ritual prayer, again without an audience.
On the 12th of Firesun the precelebration begins. People light fires and cook food to be consumed on the main day of the festival. The first prayers are sung at sunrise and sunset. In the evening the feasting begins and part of the prepared food is eaten. Houses are cleansed with the smoke of incense and candles are lit everywhere.
The clergy meanwhile starts with the first part of a three part ritual prayer, which is usually done without an audience.
On the 13th of Firesun, the main celebration is held. Most people get into their costumes and travel to the nearest shrine or temple, the most dedicated of them travelling to the original shrine where the biggest spectacle is held. Those who are there for the spectacle either travel to the original shrine or the Temple in the Capital, where the biggest celebrations are held and the best of ritual dancers and singers are hired. The journey begins at sunrise, but those who have to travel farther often arrive the day before. On the way songs are sung.
At the temple or shrine charms and talismans as well as incense and candles are often bought as well as food. Then the talismans are personalized and hung at the shrine or temple and incense and candles are lit. The incense is used to cleanse oneself and then stuck into a designated bowl of sand, while the candles, in which wishes are engraved are placed all around the temple or shrine.
After that the clergy performs the second part of the ritual prayer. This part is accessible to audiences and many lay people join in this part.
At midday the ritual dances and songs begin and those who don't participate themselves watch. The dance is dedicated to Amias and his threefold nature. Every aspect of him has an act of the dance dedicated to it. The song accompanying the dance also tells of the nature of Amias' aspects and it tells the story of how he came to this world. The song also praises Amias and asks for his protection and good will. The dance lasts until the late afternoon. In the evening, before the sun sets, prayers are said (these are lay prayers, personal ones and don't have anything to do with the ritual prayers) and people circle around the temple or shrine in a clockwise-counterclockwise pattern.
At sundown the feasting begins and fires are lit everywhere. The celebration lasts until the moon has reached it’s highest point, then the journey home begins or camp is set up at the shrine or temple.
The third day of the festival, the 14th of Firesun, is led by the spirit wanderers. They perform their own rituals for Amias and bring their sacrifices to him. They also brew a special kind of sun tea that is offered to the people and do some divination. This is also a spectacle attracting many people. This day is a day of gratitude and reflection and soaking in the sun to receive its energy. The feast from the night before is also cleaned up on this day.
The clergy performs the last part of the ritual prayer, again without an audience.
Components and tools
- Costumes in yellow, red, orange and white
- Gold jewelery
- Candles
- Incense
- Fire
- Charms
- Talismans
- Masks for the dancers
- Food and Drink
Participants
Priests and Priestesses who say the ritual prayers, often without audience. Only on the 13th the prayer is done in public.
Ritual dancers and singers who perform the story of Amias and other things.
The Spirit Wanderers who do their own rituals.
The Public.
Ritual dancers and singers who perform the story of Amias and other things.
The Spirit Wanderers who do their own rituals.
The Public.
Observance
The Blessing of Amias the Golden is celebrated during the summer solstice, when the sun shines brightest and longest. This often coincides with the full moon of the month of Firesun. The festival is a three day long celebration, which usually lasts from the 12th of Firesun to the 14th of Firesun. It is the most important festival in Kaat, which is also the primary place it takes place in. Other countries with a majority of spirit worshipers do practice the festival, but it's nowhere near as big as in Kaat. This is because every country has their own spirits that are most important to them.
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