Home |
Up |
Prev |
Next |
Welcome To Orithia
The birth of a child is a very special event. It announces the beginning of an Uru's journey into a new Shoku. In our case that Shoku is Orithia. What will befall the new agu over the course of its life here will be up to itself, others and plain dumb luck! In any event a new child is without sin and deserves the open hearted blessing of its flock. That is what the Church of Infinite Dimensions' birth ceremony is there for.
A new baby is a tender thing and deserves a tender hymn to welcome it into the world. Hyfrydol is a beautiful Welsh hymn with the appropriate qualities. It was written in around 1820 by Rowland Huw Pritchard.
This hymn of welcome bookends the start of an ivu's journey. It sets out the essential parameters of Orithia and the Earth that the child has found itself in. It briefly spells out in scientific terms what the place is and what the resident lifeforms are and how they live. It is like a short guide book entry for inter-dimensional travellers to Earth. Yes, the child will not understand it at the time but it is symbolic in that it sheets the BOLC home to the bedrock of this Shoku.
Music: Rowland Huw Pritchard, 1820
Words: Warren Mars, 2018
Welcome child unto Orithia; welcome to your brand new life.
Another Shoku of four dimensions, three of space and one of time.
Here you live again connected to Velas in all it's entirety.
This life is different but still somehow similar: a new perspective on all you can be.
Welcome child to Earth, our planet, orbiting Sol, our G2V star.
A ball of silicate rocks in compression surrounding a liquid iron core.
Out on the crust there are lighter molecules, liquid water and finely ground sand,
A breathable nitrogen/oxygen atmosphere, seasons, days and a glorious moon.
Welcome child to a world of animals: mobile lifeforms of which you are one.
They all must eat other life to survive, it may seem cruel but that is our way.
Some eat vegetables, some eat animals, some eat funghi, bacteria too.
All are our friends as they grew up beside us, be sure you respect them in all that you do.
Welcome child to a world of vegetables: stationary lifeforms that cover the world.
They can create their own form of nutrition by harvesting light from our father, the Sun.
Yes they are eaten and used to make houses by us and all of our animal friends.
Without them we can't live so keep them abundant, diverse, distributed, healthy and free.
Welcome child to the human society, realm where most of your life will be spent.
Much depends on the good will of others, which may, at times, be cruel and unfair.
Still we will do our best to be pleasant, decent and fair in our dealings with you.
Do unto us as we do unto you and the Church will support you for all of your days1.
The vocal score with chords is provided here.
I have also provided an SATB arrangement for choirs here.
Finally, I have provided a recording of my computer synthesizer playing the SATB arrangement. There is no singing and the synthesizer is very ordinary. Nevertheless the parts are all there and one can sing along with it or use it get an idea of how it should sound with your choir.
- This doesn't mean financial support. The Church provides a framework of morals, ceremonies and social networks that the ivu is welcome to be part of for its entire life provided it obeys the rules. This framework supports the ivu in various critical parts of its life but not in everything. It is up to the ivu itself, its family, or possibly the government, to supply the necessary financial support.