Holy Times of Reverence
Though all Valar are worshipped yearlong by the Elves, certain periods of they
year are attributed to particular Valar. These times are known as holy
times of reverence and are believed to hold great spiritual power and keys
to understanding the mysteries of creation. During their time of
reverence, the Valar bestow great wisdom and blessings upon the Elves. In
return, Elves perform sacred rituals or offer prayers as thanks for
their gifts.
Times of reverence are particularly significant for Elves with a patron Valar.
During their patron Valar's reverence, Elves experience a stronger and
closer bond with the Divine. They often receive visions of gifts of great
power. Good luck is said to follow them and much of Life's beauty is shown
to their eyes. For such reasons, Elves will often perform elaborate
rituals for their patron Valar's time of reverence; the closeness and
strength of their bond with the Divine making their offerings of great
value and joy.
All Elves observe the times of reference, though they may not overtly partake
in worshipping activities. Some do so out of respect for their patron
Valar, others out of their upbringing and customs of their family, race
and profession. Simply because an Elf does not participate in rituals of
the time of reverence does not mean they do not honor or veneer the Valar
in their own way. All activities partaken in during the times of reverence
depend on the individual Elf and his/her community. Whereas one Elf may
spend a moment of quiet meditation and communion with the Divine, another
may perform a powerful and elaborate ceremony. Thus times of reverence and
related activities are considered a private matter, even if shared by the
scope of an Elven race or Elven profession.
The times of reverence are as follows:
January (Narvinye) - Aüle
Aüle's time of reverence is particularly honored by Elven crafters, for Aüle
is the patron of artisans. It is common practice for crafters to donate
some of their wares to temples and shrines as offerings for Aüle. Those
skilled in masonry spend the month of January creating effigies and idols
in Aüle's image. These effigies are known to bring unprecedented skill
and good luck to the owners, thus they adorn many crafting halls. Many
crafters spend time in great meditation, for it is said that Aüle bestows
upon worthy Elves sacred words which open mountains and bring forth veins
of precious metals and stones.
If a winter is particularly long and cold, Elves pray to Aüle to bring
warmth into their lands. Children and young-and-heart have snowball
fights; their laughter is said to warm the heart of Aüle and bring
sunshine from beneath the clouds. Colorful snowmen are displayed before
most homes, showing the joy of winter and ensuring Aüle's graces for the
Elven kin.
February (Nenime) - Vana
February is known as Vana's time of reverence, the patroness of love and romance. The most important day during this time is Re en' Cormea, Day of Hearts. During Vana's time of reverence, much time is spent promoting and observing beauty - be it beauty of one's own creation or that of Nature. It is with great pride that the Elves show their works of arts and crafts, for Vana's love is reflected in each beautiful creation. No effigies or statuettes are made for Vana, as none can capture her beauty in a simple object. Instead, more abstract means are used to praise her: prayers, poetry and tales. Elves blessed by Vana, especially those who seek her as patron Vala, are known to see and feel beauty in every form. Vana graces beautiful form to lovers and Elves who marry during her time of reverence, and thus February is a popular time for Elves to wed.
March (Sulime) - Yavanna
Yavanna's time of reverence is particularly honored by young Elven wives
and maidens seeking children, for she is the Valier of fertility and
beginning of Nature. Elven rangers sing praise to Yavanna during her time
of reverence, for she brings the Forest back to Life. Of
greatest importance during her time of reverence is celebration of Sheelala,
holy day of Nature's beginning. Gifts of seeds and fresh spring water are
left at natural temples to gain Yavanna's graces. Elven gardeners and
farmers in particular are observant of Yavanna's time of reverence, for
she blesses crops and plants with good growth. As a part of the ritual to
celebrate Her, Elves craft horns of plenty (cornucopias - horns
filled with fresh fruits, nuts and effigies of Yavanna's grace) and share
them with their families. March is a particularly good time to plant seeds
for the spring harvest, for the ground is more fertile during Yavanna's
time of reverence.
April (Viresse) - Everan Ilsere
As spring enters the lands, winter clothing is tucked away and youth is free to dance through the forests. The most important day of Everan's reverence is Edhelie’ Marth or April Fools. During this holy day, Erevan Ilesere, the trickster patron of mischief and change, travels through Sosaria and causes strangeness and embarrassment to those who cannot laugh at themselves. He performs tricks on Sosaria's creatures in hopes of making Vána laugh and thus spread joy across existence. Vána's laughter is said to be the bringer of Sosaria's young, and when it dies, there shall be no more children in Sosaria. The laughter of Elves after mischievous tricks is a symbol of Vána's joy, and thus ensures laughter in the year to come. Elder Elves pray for Everan’s blessings, for he brings gifts of joy and youthfulness to those that honor him. Often times, bright ribbons are tied around Elven doorsteps, so joy and laughter enter each home freely.
May (Lotesse) – Oromë and Nessa May honors both Oromë and Nessa, Valar of the forests. Their time of reverence is of
particular significance to the Elven druids, for it is when the forests are open and ancient
knowledge is bestowed upon those worthy of it. During the month of may, most druids
undertake a pilgrimage to visit the Spirit Woods and the sacred woods of the realm. Ancient
Oaks and Yew trees share the mysteries of the Forest and Her creatures. May is also a
time for Elven archers and hunters to sharpen their skills. Nessa, Valier of freedom and
of hunt, is said to walk the forests with her blessed stags and blesses hunters with a
sharp eye and steady hand. Oromë and Nessa’s time of reference is known best for the
unified efforts of Elves to purge Sosaria’s forests of evil.
June (Narie) – Manwë
Manwë’s time of reverence is particularly observed by Elven paladins. Though it is time of
great prayer and meditation on their skills, it is also a time of travel for the Elven paladins.
Each of Sosaria’s shrines is visited, and gold donated as offering to the Valar. Of great
importance is Faradome, when Manwë is said to bless the champions of Elven kin with strength and skill. Jousts to
test the fine skills of Elven protectors are held, when both hearts of maidens and respect of
brethren are earned. Manwë blesses the Elves with courage and ability to overcome obstacles,
no matter their size.
July (Cermie) – Tulkas
July is time which honors Tulkas, the patron Vala of Elven warriors and bladesingers. During
his time of reverence, young warriors may complete their rite of passage by competing in
tourneys and strategic battles. This tournament is called
Ohtarie Merende, the Warrior's Festival. The victor of these tourneys is sometimes blessed by a
weapon dipped in bane, or shield of chaos. His time is often used to plan strategic battles,
or to train the Varar en’ Eldador. Elves leave offerings of weapons and armor for Tulkas, for
he trains the armies of Valinor for battle against Morgoth. Tulkas’ blessings are received in
form of ease to swing the blade, or in the ability to coat swords with bane that sickens Elven
enemies.
August (Urime) – Ulmo
Ulmo’s time of reverence is especially honored by Sea Elves, for He is their patron Vala.
During this time, Sea Elves perform the Moonlight Ritual. Little is known of this ritual, save that
it regulates the tides and restores balance to their kin. Songs of praise of Ulmo’s glory are
frequently heard across the oceans, and gifts of pearls and silver are thrown into the ocean
to gain His favors. Ulmo blesses the Elves with calm seas and good winds, thus many Elves
take to travel across the oceans. Elves who fish during the month of August must return half
of their fish to the sea, so their nets will be full through the year. Ulmo also shares his treasures
freely, thus special chests and treasures may be fished up from the seas.
September (Yavannie) – Mandos and Nienna
September is a time of reverence of Mandos and Nienna, Valar of death and passing. The most
important holy day during this time is
Yavieba, autumnal equinox. Though
Mandos and Nienna’s time of reverence is spent mostly in solitude and quiet meditation, Elves
will frequently gather together to praise the two and obtain their favors. Mandos and Nienna
teach about the importance and glory of passing, and the necessity of grief in Life. Their blessings
take form of acceptance of death and passing, as well as an ability do judge clearly and be clear
of mind and spirit. To honor Mandos and Nienna, Elves light candles each night, helping guide
spirits to gates of Valinor.
October (Narquelie) – Irmö and Varda
Aina' Re en’Giliath, Holy day of Stars, is a time of reverence of particular importance to Elven lore keepers. Irmö, the Vala of dreams and the unconscious, blesses the lore keepers with inspiration and thirst to understand Sosaria’s mysteries. Elves honor Irmö through spending less time in reverie and more in the dreaming states, allowing him to impart upon them wisdom and advice. To enhance their dreaming, many craft dream catchers (small devices said to capture nightmares and keep away creatures of ill that try to invade dreams), or drink special teas and wines. Varda, the Vala of magic and stars, also shares this month hand in hand with Irmo. Often it is her stars at night that inspire her followers and fill them with a soft wonder that casts aside all doubt and shadow from their hearts. Elves appreciate this time because it allows for a subtle form of learning and understanding mysteries of creation.
November (Hisime) – Estë
November is the time of reverence for Estë, the gentle Valier of healing. Especially honored by
Elven priests and healers, the time is spent in aiding others. Elven priests often partake in great
pilgrimages with the purpose of fortifying the body. As they believe the body to be the temple
of Valarim will and grace, many Elves may partake in fasting or restricting their diets to more
nutritious foods. Estë blesses those who are deemed worthy with greater understanding of
anatomy and greater skill of healing. Grave illnesses have been healed during Estë’s time of
reverence, and cures for plagues have been discovered. Estë’s priestesses are known for their
“golden hands”, for they radiate the gentle heat that Estë’s aura is known for.
December (Ringare) – Vaïre and Namo
Vaïre’s time of reverence is of particular importance to elves, for she teaches them of causes and consequences through oral history. The elves give a special thanks to Namo, the patron of longevity and passage of time; for he is one who gave the Elves their long lifespan. As the weaver of fate and time, Namo blesses Elves with understanding of Life’s design and allows them a glimpse into the complexity of creation. Of great importance is the holy day of Yeneasira, when wishes are woven into the tapestry of fate. Elven matrons gather together to weave a tapestry of the year’s events, patterns and colors inspired by Vaïre and Namo. The tapestry is displayed at the temple for the year to come, so each elf can learn from it and avoid repeating the mistakes of the past. It is also a time when Elves often share significant stories, beautiful songs, and rousing poetry of their past with their loved ones around the evening hearth, reliving the emotions that the stories invoke.