Alexandrian Nazarenes in Lac Glacei

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Alexandrian Nazarenes in Lac Glacei

Total population
~25,000 (1752 estimate)
Regions with significant populations
Anglien (~18,000-20,000) Eesdeheito (~2,000) Cognito, Glacei, other eastern cantons (~3,000-5,000)
Languages
Alexandrian (liturgical) Crandish Anglo-Saksen
Religion
Autocephalous Nazarene Church of Alexandria
Related ethnic groups
Alexandrian people Alexandrian Nazarenes in Vegno Alexandrian Nazarenes in Natopia

The Alexandrian Nazarenes in Lac Glacei are adherents of the Autocephalous Nazarene Church of Alexandria residing within the Grand Duchy of Lac Glacei, primarily concentrated in the canton of Anglien. The community traces its origins to the Alexandrian period of sovereignty over Anglien (1628 AN-1651 AN) and numbers approximately 25,000 faithful, representing the largest Nazarene Christian population in Lac Glacei and approximately 4% of Anglien's population.

The community is served by the Diocese of Anglien, a territorial diocese of the Autocephalous Nazarene Church headed by Cardinal Étienne Lavoie. Though ethnically integrated with the broader Anglo-Saksen and Crandish populations of Anglien through centuries of intermarriage, Alexandrian Nazarenes maintain distinct religious and cultural practices, including the use of the Alexandrian language in liturgy and the preservation of Alexandrian naming conventions and traditions.

The titular Duke of Anglien is Edgard III, Titular Emperor of the Alexandrians and Emperor Consort of Natopia to the late Vadoma I, whose ancestors ruled the territory during the Alexandrian period. The House of Carrillo has maintained connections with the Anglien community through the House of Carrillo Association and other diaspora support organizations.

Since the rise of the Nü Krantisk Rapskaff movement in 1752 AN, Alexandrian Nazarenes have faced increasing persecution alongside other religious minorities in western Lac Glacei. Archbishop Boniface VIII and Cardinal Lavoie have issued appeals to the international community for protection of the community.

History

Following the Treaty of the Clear Sea in 1628 AN, Emperor Edgard II extended Alexandrian sovereignty over Anglien, marking the second period of Alexandrian rule in the territory. The first period under Edgard I had lasted from 1510 AN to 1514 AN. With the establishment of Alexandrian governance, the Imperial Church of Alexandria founded the Diocese of Anglien around 1629 AN, with its seat in Johannsessbuurg.

During this 23-year period, the church constructed the Cathedral of St. Aldric (then dedicated to St. Natsanet), established between twelve and fifteen parishes across the canton, and founded parish schools and charitable institutions. A small diocesan seminary trained local candidates for the priesthood, reducing the community's dependence on clergy from the Alexandrian heartland. The Alexandrian language became established in liturgy, education, and administration, and Alexandrian naming conventions spread among families seeking to identify with the imperial order.

The Alexandrian Flu pandemic of 1651 AN-1652 AN devastated the territory, killing an estimated 70-90% of the population. Most clergy perished or fled. Emperor Edgard II died in exile in Dos Gardenias in 1658 AN. The territory fell to the Green, and the formal diocese ceased to function.

Survival during the Green (1651-c.1690s)

The collapse of Alexandrian authority left surviving Nazarene communities isolated and leaderless. A handful of priests who survived the pandemic attempted to maintain parish structures, but their deaths over the following years left the faithful dependent on lay leadership. St. Aldric of Anglien, a parish priest who remained when others fled, organized survivors and maintained worship until his martyrdom around 1653 AN. His example inspired subsequent generations of lay leaders who preserved the faith through oral transmission of liturgy and tradition, clandestine worship during periods of instability, and the maintenance of church records hidden from looters and raiders.

Intermarriage with local Anglo-Saksen and Crandish populations occurred widely during this period. The community lost its distinct ethnic character while preserving religious and cultural identity. By the time Lac Glacei emerged as an independent state, no separate "Alexandrian" ethnic category appeared in census records. The 1752 cantonal census of Anglien recorded 42.8% Anglo-Saksen, 44.5% Crandish, 7.4% Glaceian, and smaller percentages of other groups, with no Alexandrian category. The faithful had integrated into the broader population while maintaining their religious affiliation and cultural practices, including the use of Alexandrian in home prayer and the naming of children after Alexandrian saints.

Restoration (1690s-present)

As Lac Glacei stabilized under the rule of the Füstenberg dynasty, contact with the broader Autocephalous Nazarene Church resumed. Surviving parishes were restored, and the Diocese of Anglien was reconstituted as a territorial diocese rather than a merely titular see. The Holy See of St. Natsanet dispatched clergy to supplement the depleted local priesthood. The cathedral in Johannsessbuurg was rebuilt between 1695 AN and 1702 AN, incorporating fragments of the original Alexandrian-era structure. Upon its completion, the cathedral was rededicated to St. Aldric of Anglien, who had been canonized by Archbishop Leo IV in 1694 AN. The relics of St. Aldric, preserved by parishioners through the Green period, were installed beneath the high altar.

The elevation of the Bishop of Anglien to the Sacred College of Cardinals in 1748 AN reflected both the community's spiritual significance and its connection to the broader Alexandrian diaspora. Cardinal Étienne Lavoie became the sole Lac Glacei representative among the 107 cardinal electors.

Diocese of Anglien

The Diocese of Anglien comprises approximately twelve to fifteen active parishes across the canton, serving an estimated 18,000-20,000 faithful. The diocesan seat is the Cathedral of St. Aldric in Johannsessbuurg. Diocesan institutions include three parish schools providing primary education in both Alexandrian and the local vernaculars. It also includes the Society of St. Aldric, a charitable organization operating food assistance programs and shelters. It also operates a small preparatory seminary; most candidates complete formation at the Seminary of St. Natsanet in Dos Gardenias or at institutions in Nouvelle Alexandrie. The diocese maintains connections with the broader church through the Archbishop of Geneva and with Alexandrian diaspora organizations administered by the House of Carrillo.

Cardinal Étienne Lavoie

Étienne Lavoie (born c. 1690 AN) is the Cardinal-Bishop of Anglien and the sole cardinal from Lac Glacei. Born in Johannsessbuurg to a family that had maintained the Nazarene faith through generations, Lavoie was ordained around 1715 AN following studies at the Seminary of St. Natsanet in Dos Gardenias. Lavoie served in various parish assignments throughout Anglien before his appointment as Bishop of Anglien around 1738 AN. His episcopal tenure focused on pastoral care, expansion of parish schools, and maintaining connections between the isolated Anglien community and the broader church. He made regular visits to Geneva and cultivated relationships with the Alexandrian Curia. He was elevated to the cardinalate in 1748 AN by Archbishop Boniface VII, becoming a Cardinal-Priest.

As one of 107 cardinal electors, Lavoie participated in the Conclave of 1752 following Boniface VII's death on 24.XV.1751 AN. He cast his vote in the election of Archbishop Boniface VIII. By the time the conclave concluded in early 1752 AN, the Nü Krantisk Rapskaff movement had begun its rise in western Lac Glacei. Lavoie attempted to return to his diocese but found travel increasingly dangerous as the situation deteriorated.

By III.1753 AN, with the NKR insurrection having escalated into civil war, Cardinal Lavoie relocated to Vegno, where he coordinates support for his flock from exile. Working with Archbishop Boniface VIII and the Order of Our Lady of Storms and Sorrows, he has organized refugee assistance, maintained communication with clergy who remained in Anglien, and advocated with the governments of Nouvelle Alexandrie, Natopia, and other allied states for protection of the Alexandrian Nazarene community.

St. Aldric of Anglien

Saint Aldric of Anglien (c. 1620 AN - c. 1653 AN) was an Alexandrian Nazarene priest who served in Anglien during the final years of Alexandrian sovereignty and the catastrophic aftermath of the Alexandrian Flu. He is venerated as the patron saint of Anglien and of communities that preserve faith through persecution.

Aldric was born in Johannsessbuurg around 1620 AN to a Crandish father and Alexandrian mother. He received his early education at a parish school and entered the diocesan seminary around 1640 AN. He was ordained to the priesthood around 1645 AN and assigned to a parish in Johannsessbuurg. When the Alexandrian Flu struck in 1651 AN, Aldric remained with his parishioners while many clergy fled or succumbed to the disease. As the formal diocese collapsed and the territory fell into chaos, he organized survivors, conducted burials, and maintained worship. He is credited with preserving church records, liturgical books, and sacred vessels that would later prove essential to the community's reconstitution.

According to hagiographic tradition, Father Aldric was martyred around 1653 AN during the lawless period following the Alexandrian collapse. A band of raiders or brigands, knowing the church possessed sacred vessels and relics, demanded he surrender them. Aldric refused. The traditional account holds that he declared: "These things belong to God and to the faithful who will return." He was killed, reportedly on 15.VII, which became his feast day. His remains were recovered and hidden by parishioners. When contact with the broader church resumed in the 1690s and the Diocese of Anglien was reconstituted, church authorities investigated the account of his martyrdom. Archbishop Leo IV formally canonized him in 1694 AN.

The Cathedral of St. Aldric in Johannsessbuurg, rebuilt between 1695 AN and 1702 AN, houses his relics beneath the high altar. His feast day, 15.VII, is observed throughout the Diocese of Anglien and by Alexandrian Nazarene communities with historical connections to Lac Glacei. St. Aldric is invoked as patron of those who preserve faith during persecution, of refugees, and of those who protect sacred objects and traditions. During the NKR persecution beginning in 1752 AN, his example has been cited by clergy and faithful as inspiration for resistance.

Connection to the House of Carrillo

Titular Duke of Anglien

The title Duke of Anglien is held by Edgard III, Titular Emperor of the Alexandrians and Co-Emperor of Western Natopia. The title descends from the Alexandrian period of sovereignty (1628 AN-1651 AN) and is maintained by the House of Carrillo as part of the broader Alexandrian imperial legacy. Edgard III (born 1664 AN) is the son of Francis Joseph IV and Queen Elizabeth I of Caputia, and the grandson of Emperor Edgard II, who ruled Anglien during its final years under Alexandrian sovereignty. Through his daughter Adelaide's marriage to King Sinchi Roca II, Edgard III is grandfather to the heirs of Nouvelle Alexandrie, including Princess Sayari, Prince Nathan, Princess Urpi, Prince Xanthorr, and Princess Phaedra.

The titular Duke has maintained connections with the Anglien community through the Alexandrian Patriots' Association and the House of Carrillo Association, which has provided educational scholarships and charitable support to Alexandrian Nazarene families, and the Imperial Culture Fund, co-administered with the Académie Alexandrin, which has supported the preservation of Alexandrian heritage in the diocese. Successive Bishops of Anglien have maintained correspondence with the House of Carrillo, and the House contributed financially to the restoration of the Cathedral of St. Aldric in the 1690s.

Statement on the persecution

The persecution of Alexandrian Nazarenes drew Edgard III's personal attention as reports of violence reached Lindström in early 1753 AN. On 12.IV.1753 AN, the Titular Emperor issued a formal statement from the Imperial Residence:

To Our Beloved Faithful in Anglien and to All People of Good Will:

It is with profound grief that We have received reports of the suffering inflicted upon the faithful of the Diocese of Anglien by those who have set themselves against the peace of Lac Glacei and the dignity of all peoples.

The Alexandrian Nazarene community of Anglien has endured much in its long history. When plague and chaos swept away the empire of Our ancestors, these faithful preserved the light of St. Natsanet through the darkest years. When the diocese was restored, they rebuilt their cathedral upon the relics of St. Aldric, who gave his life rather than surrender the sacred trust placed in his care. They have maintained their traditions, their language, and their faith across three centuries, a living testament to the resilience of the Alexandrian spirit.

Now they face persecution once more. Churches are desecrated. Clergy are beaten. Families are driven from their homes. The pattern of violence against the faithful mirrors the attacks upon other religious communities in western Lac Glacei, revealing a systematic campaign against all who do not conform to a narrow and hateful vision.

As Titular Duke of Anglien and as one who bears responsibility for the welfare of the Alexandrian people wherever they may dwell, We call upon all nations of good will to extend protection to these communities. The faithful of Anglien have preserved the Alexandrian heritage through centuries of hardship. They must not be abandoned now.

We commend Cardinal Lavoie for his tireless efforts on behalf of his flock. We express Our gratitude to the governments of Vegno and Nouvelle Alexandrie for the assistance they have rendered to refugees. We pray that the nations of the Concord Alliance and the Raspur Pact will find the means to bring this persecution to an end.

May St. Aldric, who chose martyrdom over betrayal, intercede for those who suffer in his land. May Our Lady of the Storms and Sorrows comfort the afflicted. And may God grant wisdom to those who hold the power to act.

Given at Lindström, this twelfth day of the fourth month, in the year 1753 of the Norton Era.

Edgard III
By the Grace of God, Titular Emperor of the Alexandrians, Duke of Anglien, &c.

—Edgard III, 12.IV.1753 AN

The statement was circulated through diplomatic channels and published in Alexandrian-language newspapers throughout Natopia and Nouvelle Alexandrie. It marked the first public intervention by the Titular Emperor on behalf of the Anglien community and was interpreted by observers as signaling House of Carrillo support for international action.

Church of the Imperial Restoration

The Church of the Imperial Restoration, a messianic movement founded in the 1730s AN among Afro-Alexandrian communities in Dos Gardenias, venerates Edgard III as a divine figure destined to restore the Alexandrian Empire. While this movement is not recognized by the Autocephalous Nazarene Church and has no formal presence in Anglien, some Restorationist communities have interpreted the persecution in Anglien as a sign of approaching tribulation preceding the restoration. Restorationist congregations in Natopia organized prayer vigils and fundraising efforts following Edgard III's statement. Some adherents have reportedly volunteered for refugee assistance work in Vegno, though the scale of such involvement remains unclear.

See also

• Autocephalous Nazarene Church of Alexandria
• Diocese of Anglien
• NKR insurrection
• Mala Self-Determination Crisis, 1753
• House of Carrillo
• Edgard III
• Order of Our Lady of Storms and Sorrows