Church

   Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica--the Gnostic Catholic Church--is the Ecclesiastical arm of Ordo Templi Orientis. It provides sacraments such as the Gnostic Mass--the principal ritual of both the E.G.C. and O.T.O.--as well as Baptism and Confirmation.

   What does Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica mean, exactly?

   Ecclesia--Latin for "church" or "congregation." The E.G.C. is in fact a church.

   Gnostica--Following Gnostic tradition, E.G.C. emphasizes the importance of intuitive apprehension of spiritual truths, as opposed to acceptance of doctrine. The Gnostic Mass is intended to aid each individual in this effort. E.G.C. clergy aren't in place to enforce dogma, but rather serve to help each individual come to an understanding of his or her path to Divinity, however he or she may see it.

   Catholica--E.G.C. is catholic in the proper sense of the word: "of broad or liberal scope; comprehensive; including or concerning all humankind; universal". E.G.C. is believed to be beneficial to all humanity, regardless of the specifics of individual beliefs and/or practices.

   Fayetteville's chapter of the Gnostic Catholic Church, Rosa Munda Sanctuary, holds Mass every other Sunday at 7pm. Please see the Calendar section for more details. Interested parties should arrive at least half an hour early, so we can run through procedures and keep things as non-confusing as possible.

   Thelemic Holy Days

   We also celebrate the Thelemic holy days, as outlined in The Book of the Law:

The Rituals of the Elements and Feasts of the Times are observed at the Solstices and Equinoxes
The Feast for the First Night of the Prophet and His Bride is observed on August 12
The Feast for the Three Days of the Writing of The Book of the Law is celebrated on April 8, 9, and 10, generally starting at noon each day
The Feast for the Supreme Ritual (the invocation of Horus) is celebrated on March 20, and signifies the beginning of the Thelemic New Year
The Feast for the Equinox of the Gods is celebrated on the Vernal Equinox of each year to commemorate the founding of Thelema in 1904
Birth is commemorated through a Feast for Life. Thelemic birthdays are known as Lesser Feasts.
Puberty is commemorated through a Feast for Fire (boys) and a Feast for Water (girls)
Death is commemorated through a Greater Feast for Death

   Baptism, Confirmation, and Ordination

   The sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation are provided for any interested party who can find a member of the Church to vouch for him or her. Membership with O.T.O. is not required for lay membership in the E.G.C. However, membership in O.T.O. is a requirement for ordination within the Church. Deacons must be an Initiate member of the II* (Second Degree). Priests and Priestesses must have reached the K.E.W. (Knight of East and West) degree, and must have trained as a Novitiate under the supervision of a Bishop of the Church. The E.G.C. Priesthood takes a great deal of study and effort, and candidates must have attained the IV* and P.I.* (Fourth and Perfect Initiate Degrees) before they are eligible to be invited to the K.E.W. and receive ordination.

   Links

E.G.C. Home Page Official home page of Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica.  Provides a more detailed overview of the church's structure and gives an account of E.G.C. history.

Thelemapedia Article on Gnosticism A short, concise article on gnosticism and its history. A great place to start learning about gnosticism.

Wikipedia Article Series on Gnosticism Provides a detailed history of gnosticism.

Liber XV: The Gnostic Mass Printer-friendly script of the Gnostic Mass, the principal rite of O.T.O. and E.G.C.

Annotated Mass Script Commentary and explanations provided by Sabazius, head of O.T.O. and E.G.C. in the United States. Explains just about everything anybody could ever possibly know about the whys, wherefores and whatnots of the Mass.