The Celestial Chorus

Tradition Sphere: Prime

Paradigm
The Tradition's doctrine states that in the beginning the One sung a Song, the Aum, and that infinite harmony split and formed into the One's children. All of Creation emanates from the Song, and the Song originates from the divine One. Thus the divine is everywhere, is in everyone and everything. People are the offspring of the One even as they are a part of it. And while the Tradition as a whole has not established doctrine on the exact nature of the divine, whether the One is a personal or impersonal force, and other theological questions, members are united by their belief that the One is a source of love and hope, and that it is present and active in the world today.

As the One directs divine energy to shape Creation, so too do the Celestial Choristers. Much of their magic is performed by beseeching the One for aid or drawing on divine authority to command Creation directly. In either case, it is not the prayers or rituals that bring forth miracles, but the mage's connection to the One. Their foci are thus designed to bring them closer to the divine through metaphor, religious reenactments, and expressions of love and compassion.

Organization
The hierarchy of the Celestial Chorus has changed little since the Roman Empire. The Pontifex Maximus, usually an old and well respected Singer who has demonstrated great wisdom, faith, and mastery of Prime, is the Tradition's leader and instructs the Congregation as a whole. The position is not one of absolute authority, however, and the Curia, the council of 17 ministers of the Chorus' eldest Singers called (of which the Pontifex and Primus are members) has traditionally asserted the rights to dictate the Congregation's mission as well as matters of faith. In the past the Curia would meet in the Celestial Chorus' main Horizon Realm, the Great Adytum, however the Avatar Storm has made this largely impractical. Beneath the Curia are the Exarchs, sometimes called "bishops", especially in areas where the Church is strong, they are tied a territory, their primary sanctuary being housed in a major city within it. The lowest level of the true hierarchy consists of Presbyters, sometimes called priests or elders (especially for non Catholic groups), they act as the visible face of the order, functioning as local leaders and organizing the order's activities on a small scale. The Catechumens are the newest members in the Chorus and usually apprenticed to a more experienced mage (called Praecept), who instructs them in the ways of the order.