Zheenkeef Prayers,Holy Days and Saints

Zhenkefan Prayers

The Zhenkefans do not adhere to standard structures, symbolism, or even liturgy, and so there are no set prayers to the faith other than the Creed. Indeed, every Zhenkefan is expected to extemporaneously compose prayers for any given situation. There are some common themes in these prayers, however. They often begin with an invocation to Zheenkeef—usually,

“Mother of Madness, heed my prayer!”

Prayers are said while drinking wine, and are nearly always take the form of poems or songs. The more complex the rhyme scheme, the better.

Holy Days

As with their prayers, the Zhenkefans do not standardize their holy days. In fact, vineyards often decide to have a ‘holy day’ with no notice. They announce to the community that the next day, or even that very day, just happens to be a sacred celebration. Other times, they spend months planning elaborate festivals. One time is always kept sacred for the Zhenkefans, though: the first pressing of the new harvest of grapes. A great festival is held for the pressing, and celebrants mix some of the juice from the new harvest with the dregs of last year’s wine to drink in celebration. Large congregations keep the party lasting long enough to bring new wine to full fermentation, and drink it to conclude their revels.

Saints

While the Zhenkefans do not name saints (they do not like such titles) they have a strong appreciation for martyrdom. Because the Zhenkefans have a fondness for those at the fringe of society, they revere and remember those who give up their lives for change, innovation, and wild ideas. Sometimes big, new ideas are unpopular, deemed dangerous, and result in the innovator’s horrible death. Zhenkefan vineyards remember such people with occasional toasts, honoring them as martyrs of the faith.