Festival of Saints
The Festival of Saints provides a day for all saints to be honoured, as well as a time when new saints may be considered to join their ranks.[1]
Overview
Most saints have their own holy days that are specific to them and their deeds (such as Drusus). However, this is a day for all saints to be honoured. This is especially important for very minor saints, such as Yorgic Thrice-Branded or Ewerft the Handless, who have small followings and little power within the Ecclesiarchy.
During this time, stories are told and devout followers try and convert people by extolling the virtues and merits of their chosen saint. As a result, it can be a dangerous (or at least frightening) time to go near to a shrine as citizens are accosted by frothing saint worshippers dressed in bizarre costumes and spouting proverbs.
Causing an equally strong response is the chance of being raised to sainthood. While it is uncommon for anyone to be so bold as to try and claim that they themselves should become a saint (though there are a few that have tried—some with surprisingly good cases), everyone seems to know of someone who died serving the Emperor and thus deserves the eternal recognition of the Ecclesiarchy. As a result, clerics and priests are subjected to long lines of supplicants and must listen to countless hours of prattle to then judge whether any are worthy of the greater attention of the Ecclesiarchy. Needless to say, it almost never happens; the last saint raised in the Calixis Sector occurred some two centuries ago.[1]
Sources
- 1: Dark Heresy: The Inquisitor's Handbook, pg. 197
