Godsday Services

Godsday Services at the Monastery of Merikka

The monastery stands amidst rolling fields of grain, orchards heavy with fruit, and gardens in full bloom. The main worship hall is a grand stone structure with high arches, adorned with frescoes of the seasons and carvings of the Velari guiding farmers. The air smells of freshly turned earth, flowers, and incense.

The Service

Dawn Procession

• The service begins at sunrise, symbolizing new growth and the promise of a fruitful season.
• A procession of monks and priests, clad in robes of green and gold, carries tools of the harvest (scythes, rakes, and baskets) to the altar, where they are blessed with holy water.
• The congregation sings a hymn invoking Merikka’s blessings for the day.

Litany of the Velari

• The Velari, Merikka’s holy attendants, are honored in turn. Each is associated with an aspect of agriculture or nature (e.g., planting, growth, harvest, weather, and soil).
• Monks recite their names and attributes in a rhythmic chant, while offerings of grain, fruit, and flowers are placed at smaller altars dedicated to each Velari.

Seasonal Reflection

The high priest or priestess delivers a sermon tied to the current season:

• Spring: New beginnings and planting.
• Summer: Hard work and growth.
• Autumn: Gratitude and harvest.
• Winter: Rest, reflection, and preparation.

The reflection often includes practical advice for the community—when to sow, how to prepare for drought, or spiritual reminders about harmony with nature.

Ritual of the Cycle

• Seeds are planted in a consecrated patch of soil within the monastery, blessed with holy water.
• A loaf of bread, baked from the last harvest, is broken and shared among the congregation.
• The ashes of previous offerings are mixed into the soil, symbolizing renewal.

Communal Feast and Offerings

• The service concludes with a communal feast in the monastery gardens. Simple but hearty food (fresh bread, fruit, and vegetables) is shared as an act of fellowship.
• Families bring a portion of their produce as an offering, which the monastery redistributes to the poor and needy.

Special Features

Sacred Songs and Dances

• Choral hymns are accompanied by simple instruments—flutes, lyres, and drums.
• Traditional dances mimic the planting, tending, and reaping of crops, performed by the monks and young initiates.

Blessing of Tools and Livestock

• Farmers bring tools and livestock to the monastery courtyard for blessings, ensuring prosperity and protection.

Prayers to the Velari

• Individual worshipers light candles or place small offerings at altars for specific Velari, seeking their favor for personal needs (e.g., good weather, pest control, or fertility).

Seasonal Variations

• Spring: Seed blessings and a planting festival.
• Summer: Special prayers for rain and protection from storms.
• Autumn: Grand harvest celebration, including a ritual threshing.
• Winter: Solstice rites with firelight and storytelling about Merikka’s guidance through hardships.

The service strikes a balance between reverence for Merikka’s divine role in sustaining life and the joy of a community united by their labor and shared gratitude. The Velari’s presence ensures a deeply personal and multifaceted connection for the worshipers, as each finds a place within the broader cycle of nature.