polemos:4th_age:religions:hoshania [Earth Sphere]

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====== Hoshania ======
One of the few monotheistic religions in the 4th Age, Hoshanism and its offshoots originate from [[polemos:4th_age:factions:lahamel|Lahamel]] and worship a singular [[..:..:celestials:creator|Creator]] God [[polemos:celestials:el|El]].

===== Sacrifices =====
A major theme of Hoshanism is the necessity of sacrifice to atone for wrongdoings, large and small.
These culminate in "state sacrifices" performed by the Dahbeqite priesthood on behalf of all the people of Lahamel.
Daily sacrifices of lambs and oxen are made along with time-keeping rituals of incense and lighting of lamps.

Several times a year major festivals require every head-of-household to gather in [[..:locations:Amahshalem]] and offer sacrifice to El on behalf of their family.
These sacrifices can vary widely and typically include a portion of whatever harvest or goods the household has yielded that year, but at least one animal sacrifice is expected to be included.

===== Principalities =====
Hoshiana associates some so-called gods of the [[..:..:religions:classical_pantheon|Classical Pantheon]] with angels and demons, with [[..:..:celestials:agkelos|Agkelos]] being merely one rank or form of angelic being.
Orthodox Hoshania makes little attempt to study or categorize the spirits underneath El, focusing mostly on any given spirit's loyalty to El instead of their place within the heavenly hierarchy.

More mystical sects pay more attention to the "princely" spirits and their hierarchy, with the typical arrangement being:
  * [[polemos:celestials:el|El]] (aka [[..:..:celestials:creator|The Creator]], [[..:..:celestials:malakel|Malakel]])
    * The Holy Ones
      * The Two Holy Words
        * [[..:..:celestials:krisis|Krisis]]
        * [[..:..:celestials:hilasteria|Hilasteria]]
      * The Three Wheels
        * Hophshiel - [[..:..:celestials:eleytheria|Eleytheria]]
        * Tamamel - [[..:..:celestials:moira|Moira]]
        * Orel - [[..:..:celestials:erevno|Erevno]]
      * The Four Living Ones
        * Oriel "The Lion" - [[..:..:celestials:erihal|Erihal]]
          * Archangel [[..:..:celestials:Michael]]
        * Chesedel "The Ox" - [[..:..:celestials:symponia|Symponia]]
          * Archangel [[..:..:celestials:Uriel]]
        * Zaphkiel "The Man" - [[..:..:celestials:chronos|Chronos]]
          * Archangel [[..:..:celestials:Raphael]]
        * Shalemel "The Eagle" - [[..:..:celestials:iremia|Iremia]]
          * Archangel [[..:..:celestials:Gabriel]]
    * The Fallen Ones
      * Abaddon - Apollyon The Destroyer
      * Lilith - [[..:..:celestials:perifania|Perifania]]
      * Nergal - [[..:..:celestials:basano|Basano]]
      * Ishtar [[..:..:celestials:psema|Psema]]
      * Chemosh [[..:..:celestials:thymos|Thymos]]
      * Tiamat [[..:..:celestials:konran|Konran "The Twelfth"]]

===== Serat Hoshania =====
An ethnic variant of Hoshanism practiced by the [[..:factions:lahamel#gobahim|Gobahim]].
It holds to all the basic beliefs and rituals of orthodox Hoshanism, with the additional oral history of promises made by Malakel to their patriarch Hahak.
According to the Gobahim El did not establish the temple at [[..:locations:Amahshalem]] as the only acceptable site for state sacrifices, but as the only site for the Shahtafim.
The Gobahim were granted their own site for sacrifice, specifically upon Mount Serat.

This claim is disputed by the Dahbeqite priesthood, who insist that the temple is the center of the world, and view worship at Serat as heretical.
They also speak of Seratism as the "foot in the door" that led many wayward Dahbeqites to begin sacrificing on the myriad mountaintops instead of traveling to Amahshalem.