13 Continued

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Lady Bitterwind presents the Lustral water taken from the sacred Vermilion River by the Priestesses of Enchanted Realm Temple in Danville, Illinois. Formerly called PURE Sanctuary Temple, Enchanted Realm is charged with preparing the Lustral water used in each Lustration, a high honor. Rev. Reanna Marie is now the Head of Enchanted Realm, Sponsored in this capacity by Lady Bitterwind herself, who has long attended the Temple

Sunday morning came the Lustration itself!

Rev. David and Dedicant Paul acted as Paladin honor guard, crossing swords to create a ceremonial gateway into the Mother Temple precincts.

Rev. Casey acted as Guardian, offering the ceremonial challenge before the ritual began.

Gathering in the store just prior to the Lustration ceremony Rev. Aine Massie, Rev. Mark , Rev. Darius, and Rev. Kim Reffet share a moment with First Elder Lady Bitterwind (seated). Rev. Aine wears a Herald's tabard for her role as Vocifer while Rev. Kim wear's the tabard of her office as Elders' Herald.

Rev. Darius acted as Temple Dancer, to the great pleasure of the ladies (and some of the men), beginning the raising of energy in the Temple space.

Almost ready!! Having changed into their robes, participants anxiously await the stroke of noon and the beginning of the procession!

Rev. Aine Massie (Head of Crystalline Star Temple) acted as Vocifer, reciting key passages of the ceremony. Rev. Reanna Marie (Head of Enchanted Realm Temple) acted as Sonifer, announcing each section of the ritual. Rev. Debbe Tompkins (Head of Heritage Shrine) ceremonially cleansed the Temple space with salt and water. Rev. Rodney Eclipse Dysinger (Co-Head of Heritage Shrine), ceremonially charged the Temple space with fire and air.

Led by the Guardian, the procession begins

Lady Krystel was able to join us for the ceremony, but restricted her role to that of Grand Oracle owing to the rigors of the ceremony. The head of Trianna Temple assisted Lady Krystel in her role as Oracle.

Tradition First Priestess M. Rev. Krystel High-Correll with another High Priestess, in procession. An accomplished Oracle in her own right, she acted as assistant to Lady Krystel in the latter's capacity as Grand Oracle during the ceremony.

Led by Guardian, the procession stops at the entrance to the Lustration chamber, guarded by Paladin Commander Rev. David and Paladin Paul who formed a ceremonial arch with their swords for the procession to enter through.

Lady Ruthann and I cast the circle using a unique double sword preferred for the occasion by Rev. Jason Mycroft.

As the Guardian cleanses the space, Rev. Darius dances, building energy to help the cleansing of the Temple before the ritual begins.

Rev. Jason Highcorrell (of Selu Temple) acted as Guardian of the East. Dedicant Alex Linares (of Selu Temple) acted as Guardian of the South. Rev. Stargazer (of Selu Temple) acted as Guardian of the West. Rev. Virginia Powell (of Selu Temple) acted as Guardian of the North. Together with Lady Ruthann and myself they took part in the Invocation of the Seventy Gods which opens the ceremony.

Rev. Darius dances. Although the Lustrations do usually feature Temple dancing during the cleansing of the sacred space, this is the first time that the lead Temple dancer has been male. The majority of our Temple dancers have been young ladies and children. Rev. Darius did very well, and this was an interesting change.

The procession waits at the entryway and watches the dance!

First Elder Lady Bitterwind and her Herald Rev. Kim Reffet (Former Head of PURE Sanctuary Temple) now brought forth the Book of the Living to be Blessed.

Then it was time for the Great Rite. Rev. Dotty Demorae Sweeting (Head of Spiral Goddess Witan Shrine) acted as Rite Lector. Rev. Janet Schmidt (Head of Thousand Mirrors Temple) and Rev. Rick Schmidt (of Thousand Mirrors Temple) performed the Joint Charge.

Rev. Casey as ritual Guardian kneels and prays as the procession enters. The prayer helps to attune to Deity and colors the energy of the sacred space. The Guardians prayer: "Darkness: Light. Herself: Himself. Oneself: Forever".

The procession ends as Arch Priestess Lady Ruthann and First Priest Lord Don salute the altar. Now the prayer of the Guardian will cease and the ritual will begin.

Now Rev. Vera came forward to act as the Ancestors’ Lector, explaining the nature of our connection to the Ancestors. Elders’ Herald Rev. Kim Reffet then invoked the Ancestors.

Invoking the universal nature of the Goddess and the God at the high altar, concluding the ritual invocation of the Seventy Gods representing all the Earth.

Rev. Joy Fry and Dedicant Brandi (of Heritage Shrine) acted as Offertory Priestesses, Rev. Joy offering a bouquet of peonies and Brandi offering incense to the Beloved Ones, her baby Brooklyne on her hip reminding us of the continuity of life.

The Quarter Guardians dance symbolizing the Oneness of all Creation. The Quarter Guardians are: East, Rev. Jason Highcorrell, Chancellor's Herald (in herald's tabard): South, Alex Linares: West, Rev. Stargazer: and North Rev. Virginia Powell (in white tabard)

Arch Priestess Lady Bitterwind brandishes the Book of the Living. This book, which is Blessed during every Lustration, contains the names of all Correllians living or in Spirit. When the Book is Blessed all those whose names are recorded in it are symbolically Blessed as well. The Book is handmade, written entirely in the Correllian Alphabet, and illuminated with various artworks.

When the ceremony was completed the results of the Deeming were announced: each of the four Shrines which had been Deemed were judged ready for Temple status. Rev. Vera and Rev. Dotty were called forward and honored as new Temple Heads. Rev. Virginia Powell was also called forward and named as the new Head of Selu Temple. Congratulations to all of the new Temples!

Rev. Don congratulates Rev. Demorae and Rev. Vera after announcing that their Witan Shrines have been Deemed ready for full Temple status.

Rev. Don invokes the Ancestors into First Priestess Lady Krystel so that she may give the Oracle. Correllianism places great emphasis on the Ancestors and on the practice of Oracular work. The Lustration ceremonies grew out of rites aimed at seeking the Blessing of and messages from the Ancestors.

It had also been intended to announce the new Witan Herald at this time, but the decision was not made for another two days: the new Witan Herald is Rev. Tsitra Kent of Heilen Shrine. Succeeding Rev. Jason Highcorrell as Witan Herald, Rev. Kent will work to co-ordinate communications between the Tradition and its many Temples and Shrines. Congratulations to Rev. Kent!

The Blessing of the Lustral water. The Lustral water, taken from the sacred Vermilion river by the Priestesses of Enchanted Realm Temple, is proffered in an antique art glass cauldron, held by Elders' Herald Rev. Kim Reffet (former Head of PURE Sanctuary Temple). Grand Oracle Lady Krystel, still channeling the energy of the Beloved Ancestors, prepares to bring through Their Blessing. Between her hands Lady Krystel holds the sacred stone she uses to help transmit the Blessing to the water, which will then be transmitted by sympathetic magic from the water to Correllians everywhere.

The final announcements made were about the location for the next three Lustrations: the Fall Lustration is to be held in New York state; next Spring’s Lustration is to be held in the Washington, DC area; the Lustration for Fall of Year 6 will be held in Ohio.