Coronation of the Laurasian monarch

The Coronation of the Laurasian monarch is a highly-developed religious and governmental ceremony of the Laurasian Empire, in which the Emperor and Autocrat of All the Laurasians is crowned and invested with regalia, being anointed by the Imperial Almitian Church and formally blessed to commence his reign. The coronation, one of the most lavish ceremonies conducted by the Imperial Laurasian Government, normally takes place within a few months (and in some cases, a few years), of the monarch's accession to the throne: the Imperial coronation of Aurelia I the Great, for example, took place on 15 January 1759, nearly two months after her accession to the throne. The coronation of her successor, Lysimachus II, the current Laurasian Emperor, took place on 5 November 1803, nearly eight months after her death and his accession to the throne. The Laurasian Government thus leaves a appropriate duration for a period of mourning. Although a certain amount of time passes from the accession to the throne until the ceremony itself, the monarch reigns with autocratic authority from the moment of his or her accession. Nevertheless, Imperial custom declares that a monarch's reign will only be successful if a coronation ceremony is performed.

Although the monarchs of the Stellar Kingdom of Laurasia held coronations throughout the First Laurasian Period, Lacian Overlordship, Second Laurasian Period, and Third Laurasian Period, the ceremony for the coronation of the Imperial Laurasian sovereign did not obtain modern specifications until the time of Antiochus the Great, when he crowned himself as Emperor and Autocrat of All the Laurasians in 1354. It is from that year too, that the Great Imperial Crown of the Laurasian Empire derives, being first employed in Antiochus's coronation. Because the monarch is considered to be the divine representative of Almitis in the Universe, he or she crowns himself. The ceremony is considered as being the representation of the monarch's sacred bond with his or her subjects. Every Laurasian sovereign from Antiochus the Great onwards who has had a coronation, has worn the Great Imperial Crown and has been considered to have thus invested with such authority through such a ceremony. The ceremony has always been held at the Westphalian Cathederal, the great Laurasian religious edifice and cathedral which was constructed in 874, during the Dasian Yoke, and was first employed by Honorius the Liberator. The ceremony is attended by all leading government officials, nobles, clergymen, Governor-Generals, military commanders, and others, including representatives of the Empire's varying species and denominations, representatives from all of the corporations, guilds, and firms, and diplomats from extra-galactic powers Laurasia conducts relations with. The Great Officers of State, the nobles, clergymen, and all other officials are required to wear ceremonial robes: all of the Great Officers have duties to perform at the ceremony.

Purpose
According to a Ecclesiastical Proclamation, issued by the Imperial Almitian Holy Synod of the Laurasian Empire on 22 January 1759, the purpose of the coronation of a Laurasian sovereign is to "endear their Person to their Subjects, so that they may know that he or she has been fully invested by the Regents of Almitis, and the Lord Almitis himself, with absolute authority over this Empire, and now, this Galaxy". The Chief Procurator of the Holy Synod, Menelaus Paradius (in office 1759-75), stated that "the Lord Almitis hath enter the coronation ceremony and impose himself in the presence of all, so that he may confer upon Her Majesty (this is during Aurelia the Great's reign) the full privileges, honors, and rights of being sovereign". Thus, according to the Synod, the monarch was "wedded" to his subjects. He or she was considered part-priest, part-layman, but never fully either. In fact, they were the mixture of the two, knowing all and acting as Almitis's representative. The monarch is the only layperson who receives the Communion of the Almitian Church in two separate forms at all times, and is, along with his or her consort and the members of the Imperial Family, the one who is completely immune from any sentence or any condemnation passed by the Church. All Church dignitaries are officially united in upholding the sanctity of the coronation service and its sacred nature.

Participants
The coronation ceremony of the Laurasian monarch has a vast array of participants. All the major clergymen of the Empire (the Synoptic Metropolitans, the Regional Cardinals, the Provincial Deans, the Archbishops, and the Bishops), as well as the Chief Procurator of the Holy Synod, attend the ceremony. The eleven Synoptic Metropolitans each represent a region of the Caladarian Galaxy (the last two each represent one of the satellite galaxies). The Metropolitans are ranked in order of the importance of the region they represent, with the Metropolitan of the Core Worlds being ranked first and the Metropolitan of the Great Tesmanian Cloud being ranked last. The Regional Cardinals each represent one of the 55 Governorates of the Laurasian Empire, and are ranked in order from the capital Governorate (the Imperial Laurasian Governorate), to the last (the Northern Tesmanian Governorate, the most recently acquired of the Empire's territories). The Provincial Deans each represent one of the 1165 provinces of the Laurasian Empire. Then there is the Archbishops, with the Archbishop of Laurasia Prime, the Archbishop of Caladaria, the Archbishop of Darcia, the Archbishop of Ralina Vixius, the Archbishop of Augis V, the Archbishop of Charasia, the Archbishop of Americana, and the Archbishop of Constantine being the highest-ranking ones, in that order. In total, there are 2150 Archbishops. Finally, there are the 97,850 Bishops, each representing one of the 97,850 non-Archbishoprical systems with a population above 10 billion. The Procurator of the Synod has the highest precedence amongst the religious officials, while the Bishop of Osame, which has a population of exactly 10 billion, has the lowest precedence.

The Great Officers of State, who are the highest-ranking persons in the Laurasian Empire below the monarch and the Imperial Family, all attend and play a major part in the coronation ceremonies. They are ordered in terms of rank and precedence: the Imperial High Steward (the leading official of the Imperial Household and the monarch's highest-ranking personal administrative officer), the Imperial Treasurer (the officer responsible for the monarch's personal and household finances), the Imperial Privy Seal (responsible for the Great Seal of the Laurasian Empire and for official state documents, seals, insignia, and flags), the Imperial Great Chamberlain (the officer responsible for daily Household administration), the Imperial Constable (the officer responsible for supervising the monarch's servants, staff, and services), and the Imperial Marshal (the officer responsible for Household discipline and the monarch's personal security). Each of these officials have a particular task or function within the ceremony. The Chamberlain, for example, helps the monarch with their robes, while the Marshal controls the crowds and the audiences, the Treasurer bears the Staff of the Treasury, the High Steward conducts the nobles into the Cathederal, and the Constable conducts the Imperial servants into the Cathederal.

All the leading nobles and magnates of the Laurasian Empire attend the ceremony. The monarch's train is borne by eight individuals, usually the highest and most prestigious nobles in the Empire. When the monarch is male, those who bear his train are the Earl of Caladaria, the Duke of Ipsus V, the Earl of Darcia, the Count of Clackimaris, and the Count of Ralina Vixius. The Imperial Chamberlain and the Household Master of the Robes take the other two places. When the monarch is female, those who bear her train are the Duchess of Caladaria, the Duchess of Ipsus V, the Duchess of Darcia, the Countess of Clackimaris, and the Countess of Ralina Vixius, as well as the Chief Gentlewoman of the Imperial Privy Chamber and the Mistress of the Imperial Robes. Modifications are made when a certain noble position is filled solely by one of the opposite gender or not at all. All other nobles are ordered in terms of precedence, with Dukes first, then Marquesses, then Earls, then Counts, then Viscounts, then Barons, and finally Lords. The wives of these nobles are seated on the other side from them, again arranged in order of precedence. Women who are noblewomen in their own right are seated in a separate section of their own. Both noblemen and noblewomen are permitted to have their personal or Family Coat of Arms engraved upon their robes.

The Great Officers of State and the Ecclesiastical Dignitaries have higher precedence then the nobles, but they and the nobles in turn have higher rights of precedence then others in attendance at the ceremony. The Ministers of State, the Privy Councilors (those who are not nobles), the Knights and Dames of the Empire, the leading non-noble businessmen, magnates, and entrepreneurs, the Governor-Generals and Provincial Governors of the Laurasian Empire, the members of the Governing Senate, and the laymen members of the Holy Synod, as well as the members of all government bureaus and committees, are organized in that order and seated in their own section. They too, are required to wear formal robes, although they are forbidden to sit at any point during the ceremony, are not allowed to have Coats of Arms, and are forced to perform the full customs of obedience, while nobles and the Great Officers perform only the act of partial obedience. Diplomats from extra-galactic powers are placed in a different section. Finally, outside the Cathederal, there are the regular audiences, sectioned off and supervised, traditionally, by the Director of the Imperial Intelligence Agency and the Imperial Marshal. No civilian or non-permitted person is permitted to enter the Cathederal itself during the ceremony. Largesse however, is distributed to them before and after the ceremony. The ceremony is also broadcast on the Imperial Holonet Network, throughout the dominions of the Empire, and it is estimated that nearly 1 quadrillion beings throughout the Caladarian Galaxy, in seventy million star systems, watched the coronation of Lysimachus II in 1803.

Coronation entry through Laurasia Prime
At the beginning of the coronation festivities and ceremonies, the monarch makes a official procession to Laurasia Prime. Tradition decrees that the monarch reside at the Palace of Placenta on Darcia or the Palace of Harmony on Clancia, in the two weeks before the coronation, so that the progress can be made. Within the Laurasia Prime Star System, the monarch, onboard his or her flagship, heads the processional entrance of the massive Imperial Household Fleet, the largest single fleet in the Laurasian Empire. Upon reaching Jadia, the monarch would disembark in a smaller Imperial courier, by which he or she would then pass by Jadia, Hepudermia, the two Calaxies, the Second Station of Callista, and the Orbital Platforms, being hailed and formally greeted by their subjects the whole time. The monarch would then descend on a personal repulsorlift into the atmosphere of Laurasia Prime, being joined by a honorary escort of Laurasian starfighters and corvettes, and from there, would pass into Christiania. The repulsorlift would then land in the platforms and begin its procession through the city, escorted by the squadron, a body of Gentleman at Arms and Yeoman of the Imperial Household, and a escort of Laurasia Prime Guards, Christiania Police, and the 1st Regiment of the 1st Legion of the Imperial Laurasian Army. The Autocrat would greet the crowds, while masques, festivals, readings, and parades would be held in their honor. He or she would make their way to the Church of the Sacred Ancestors, which bore some of the most ancient and venerated icons on Laurasia Prime, dated to the 23rd and 22nd centuries BH. These relics have long been associated with the Prophet Eusebius, the Angel of Constantine, and the Messengers of Peter and Simeon, revered as among the major enforcers and Agents of Almitis. As the monarch progressed further along the procession route, clergy of all faiths, denominations, and churches would come out, greet the Sovereign humbly, and bless them. During all this time, the monarch's train and robes would be borne by the eight selected nobles and Household Officials.

Following these ceremonies, the Sovereign would then retire to the Royal Quarters of the Fortress of Baureux, as residence in the Quencilvanian Palace was, by custom, to be awaited for after the coronation. There, he or she, along with the Imperial Household and their escorts, would rest for the night, in order to prepare for the ceremonies and proceedings of the coronation day. During that time, a official Imperial Proclamation would be issued in the name of the Sovereign by the Privy Council, Governing Senate, and Holy Synod from the Quencilvanian Palace. The Proclamation would be announced by heralds at various points across the capital world and in the Solar System, besides being broadcast on the Holonet. In every star system throughout the Empire, a local herald would deliver the Holonet news of the proclamation to the local population. For the Empire's numerous alien species, the proclamation would be delivered in their tongue. For example, on Way'tosk, where the population is 65% Millian and 30% Kuevian, with only 5% being Laurasian, the proclamation is announced in Millian, Kuevian, and Laurasian. On Kimania, with a population that is 95% Kimanian and 3% Leonite, the proclamation is announced in Leonard and Kimanian Classic. Throughout the Empire, a two-week holiday is proclaimed for all subjects. Schools and businesses are closed, holiday privileges granted to all workers and employees of all professions, and formal blessings given by the Church. All fines are remitted while lesser offenses are pardoned. The only ones exempt from holiday benefits are those in prison for serious offenses or those in prison by sentence of the Imperial Courts, the Senate, the Synod, or the Sovereign. On Laurasia Prime, the regalia is brought out from the Imperial Armory for the ceremony, while the Banner of State is consecrated and various banquets are held for diplomats, central and local government officials, the Great Officers of State, and the nobles.

Coronation procession
On the morning of the coronation, the Sovereign is met at the Public Square of the Fortress of Baureux. There, he or she takes their place under the Imperial Canopy, which is mounted on top of the repulsorlift which will transport the Sovereign. Thirty-two military commanders, sixteen generals and sixteen admirals, take ceremonial positions of guard around the Canopy. If the Sovereign is married, he or she is accompanied by their spouse, who sits under a separate canopy. The servants of the Imperial Household take their places in separate repulsorlifts behind that of the Sovereign's. Once everything is in readiness, and with the regalia in the presence, the Sovereign then proceeded slowly to the Westphalia Cathederal, site of the coronation ceremony. The items of the regalia in the procession are the Chain of the Order of St. Andrew (mounted for the consort, if there is one), the Sword of State, the Banner of State, the State Seal, the Sovereign's Purple Robe, the Wreath of State, the Shield of State, the Orb, the Sceptre, the Smaller Imperial Crown, and the Great Imperial Crown, all arranged in a strict order within the procession and each attended by a cadre of gentlemen, ladies-in-waiting, and servants. The Sovereign's aides, the generals of the suite of the Imperial Household, and the Horsed Guards line up along the route, maintaining order among the audience. At the same time, Christiania Police craft and modified helicopter craft of the Imperial Navy fly above, maintaining order over all the soaring structures. At the Fortress of Baureux, and at each of the sites along the way, are a group of selected Gentleman at Arms, Imperial menservants, and bearers of the Arms. The Chief of the Gentleman Guards, the Supreme Marshal of the Yeoman Guards, and the Master of Quencilvanian Palace Security, each carrying a ceremonial mace and wearing Laurasian chain-mail, join the procession silently at the Statute of Seleucus the Saint. On each side of the procession are escort pods, bearing the Minister of Defense, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, His (Her) Majesty's Personal Secretary of the Chancellory, the Commander of the Quencilvanian Palace Residence Command, the Adjutant General of the coronation proceedings, the orderly Major General of the Imperial Suite, and the Commander of the honorary Horsed Guards, among others.

At the door of Westphalian Cathederal, with the crowds on each side greeting the Sovereign, the escort dismount from the repulsorlifts in a "solemn fashion". The Sovereign and (if they have one) their consort, step down from the chief repulsorlift. They are greeted by the Chief Procurator of the Holy Synod, the Archbishop of Laurasia Prime, the Synoptic Metropolitan of the Core Worlds, and several other Metropolitans, Synoptic Councilors, Regional Cardinals, Archbishops, and Bishops. There, the eight selected nobles and Household Officials take hold of the monarch's trains and their robes, ready to help them into the Cathederal. The Earl Marshal then quiets the audiences, and issues the order to "proceed with the Holy Ceremonies". The Chief Procurator then offers the Scepter of Almitis and the Cross of his Will to the Sovereign, who all the while prays to Almitis "for the safety and security of my Throne and the good tidings for this ceremony". The Archbishop of Laurasia Prime and the Metropolitan of the Core Worlds then sprinkle the "liquid of Almitis" over the monarch's robes and (if they have one), those of their consort. Immediately after this, the Chief Procurator announces that "the will of Almitis now blesses the monarch to enter the Holy Edifice". Immediately afterwards, the monarch proceeds into the Cathederal, with the eight individuals bearing their train. The Adjutant General of the coronation Proceedings, the Commander of the Quencilvanian Palace Command, the orderly Major General of the Imperial Suite, the Commander of the honorary Horsed Guards, the Imperial High Steward, the Imperial Marshal, and the Imperial Constable then go out to seven different places around the vast Cathederal grounds, announcing the blessing to the crowds and stating "I present to you, your undoubted Emperor (Empress), the Autocrat of All the Laurasians! He (she) is now forth to receive the formal blessings of the rule!" After this, the Sovereign enters the Cathederal, venerating the surrounding icons and acknowledging the audiences.

From there, the Sovereign proceeds slowly down the pathway, the eight individuals bearing his or her train the whole time. The audiences respectfully prostrate, curtsy, or bow as the monarch (and the consort in those cases) passes, chanting in most humble terms that "Almitis and the Universe blesses Their Majesty(ies)!" The monarch then steps onto the Cathederal Dais, where the Dean of the Westphalian Cathederal states to the crowds that "This is the bench, oh my Almitis, oh my Paul, where the Emperor (Empress) is praised. Oh my Almitis, oh my monarch, and oh the Universe, this is the blessing Place of the God!"

The ceremony commences
The ceremony thereafter commenced with the reading of the 105th Psalm as handed down by the Lords of Jatheria. This reading is conducted by the Dean of the Westphalian Cathederal, who declares to all that the Psalm "indicates and reveals the full truth of the authority vested in a monarch". At the end of the reading, all in the audience cry "Almitis wills it!" and the Dean asks for the assistance of "Holy Almitis" for the ceremony. Thereafter, he hands the Sovereign a book containing "the Prayer of Autocracy", the formal prayer compiled by the Holy Synod for the praise and salutation of the Sovereign. The Sovereign, while reading the prayer, holds their hands out to the audience with emotion. The Archbishop of Laurasia Prime then announces a blessing for the Sovereign, shouting that "They are the servant of Almitis! All men are completely subject to him (she) who is representative of his will." Upon this, the Chief Procurator of the Holy Synod and the fellow Metropolitans and Councilors of the Synod praise the Sovereign, singing the hymns of the First Letter of Eusebius and the Prayer of the Kings of Jatheria. Following this, three scripture lessons are read and proclaimed by the Chief Procurator to the audience: Lessons of Paul 49:13-21, the Incantations of the World 31:22-34, and the Julian Benediction 1:1-9. Following this, the Sovereign, who had donned the chain of the Order of St. Paul, now removes it from their neck, and is then robed in purple by the Imperial Chamberlain, the Metropolitan of the Core Worlds, and the Master (Mistress) of the Imperial Robes. He or she would then bow their head to the audience, and would thereafter have hands laid upon them by the oldest and most senior nobleman in the Laurasian Empire. The nobleman would read out two prayers, both of whom derived from the Jatherian Scriptures. The first one read:


 * "O the Lord Almitis, oh our Lord, the Lord of the Laurasian people, Lord of all the States, Lord of all Nations, you alone choose the Prophet of your will, the Prophet Demetrius, the one who started the line of those who exalt your name. You elevated the Kings of Jatheria in your glory, invested them with such a power and such a splendor, so that no man could bring himself outside of their grasp. You have been pleased to establish Him, In his Name, in His Glory, so that that Thine may hath govern your People, preside over your Civilization, and maintain your Holy Name. Thou Hast has been glad to see that all Thine Subjects, all Thine Males and Females, Men and Women, Boys and Girls, of all types, of all Races, adhere to the Divine Truth of your Will. Thou hast seen that Thy Lord of the Prophets, Thine Lord of Jatheria, Thine Lord of all Laurasians, will ensure that your Servant, the Absolute Master of all, the direct leader from the Jatherian Breed, will maintain your rule within this creation, and within this realm. Let no man say otherwise, for he that deny the truth of this is the very Devil and the very Heathen."

Following this, the Chief Procurator would express his hope for "the peace and Quietness of You All, in fulfillment of your duties towards your Master". The Dean of the Cathederal then ordered all to "Bow your heads onto the Great Master and the Lord Almitis". As all inclined their heads, the nobleman then reads out the second prayer:


 * "To Thee, him who is the Lord of All Creation, of All Mankind, we gracefully prostrate ourselves. Bless this monarch, the Autocrat of All the Laurasians, to reign with long and happy years over us, years to be filled with strength, prosperity, unity, and conformity. For it is Faith in Thee, trust in Thee, that insures that all Good will prevail in Creation. This Empire, this Galaxy, shall thereby see the reign of the righteous One, who acts in your name, represents you in all of their deeds, and maintains the stability of society, the security of state, and the happiness of the people. For it is all of us who pray, pray that you will watch over a deserving People. We are not here to summon the anti-Almitis. We are here to banish him. To liberate. Liberate from the evils of the anti-Almitis and insure that this monarch, your representative, your Viceregent, will maintain us all in a prosperous and happy state."

Crowning of the Sovereign
Following the reading of the second prayer, the Chief Procurator of the Holy Synod bids all to raise their heads. He offers another blessing to the Sovereign and declares that all conducted within the ceremony "is for the benefit of He, who governs over us all." After this, the Sovereign directs the Chief Procurator to hand them the Great Imperial Crown. The Sovereign then takes the Crown from the Chief Procurator's Hands and in a slow and calm manner, gradually raises it down to his or her head. Then, as the Chief Procurator invokes the name of the Trinity of Paul, Eusebius, and the Vicars of Almitis, the Sovereign places the Crown on their head. The custom of the Sovereign crowning themselves was inherited from the time of the Dasian Yoke. As the Dasians believed that the Khans inherited their authority directly from their Gods and their Ancestors, the Laurasians believe that the Sovereign inherits their authority directly from Almitis and his Regents. The Chief Procurator then read another, and humble, prayer, to confirm the imperial position and the supremacy of the Sovereign over all others:


 * "The most Almitis-fearing, absolute, strong, and powerful Lord of Us, the Emperor (Empress) and Autocrat of All the Laurasians, this visible and discernible adornment of thy Head is the representation, the eloquent Symbol, that thou, as the Leader and Supreme Master of this Empire and the Caladarian Galaxy, is invested with Thine Authority directly by the Lord Almitis, who communicates his power to you through his Regents of the Faith. Paul and his Lord thus endow Thou with supreme, autocratic, and unchallenged authority over all Thine People."

After this, the Sovereign solemnly receives the Imperial Scepter and the Imperial Orb from the Chief Procurator and the Dean of the Westphalian Cathederal, who both invoked the Trinity of Paul and the Vicars a second time. The elder nobleman also said this prayer:


 * "Almitis-crowned, Almitis-given, Almitis-adorned, most pious and most reverend Autocrat and great Sovereign, Emperor of All the Laurasians, Emperor of All the Galactic Peoples. Receive the scepter and the orb, which are the visible signs of the autocratic and supreme power Thou possesses over Thine Subjects, that thou may rule them with a firm but disciplined hand and procure for them the welfare they desire."

Crowning of the Empress Consort
(This is in the case of a male monarch)

Once the Emperor had received the crown, scepter, and orb, he seats himself upon the throne holding the orb in his left hand, and the scepter in his right (A female monarch would also perform this action). Summoning an aide, the Emperor would divest himself of the scepter and the orb as his wife would knell on a crimson cushion before him. Taking off his crown, the Emperor would place it briefly upon her head before returning it to his own. The Emperor would next place the Consort Crown of the Laurasian Empire upon his wife's head, as well as the chain of the Order of St. Andrew around her neck, which would be accompanied by a purple mantle. This would signify that she would share in his dignity and responsibility for the welfare and security of the Laurasian Empire.

The "many years" and the anointing
After the crowning of the consort (for male monarchs) or directly after the crowning of the Sovereign, the Sovereign retrieves their scepter and orb, while the choir of the Westphalian Cathederal would then intone the Almitian prayer for "many years" of health and a long, prosperous, and stable reign for the Sovereign (and their consort). This would then be accompanied by the firing of a salute, the vigorous celebrations of the crowds outside the cathedral, and the official declaration of the success of the coronation over the Holonet. Kneeling, the Sovereign would then again hand their orb and scepter to a waiting assistant, and would then recite a prayer. Following, he or she would then rise to their feet, while the Chief Procurator and all of the others in attendance would knell before the Sovereign, in order to pray for he or she on behalf of all the Laurasian subjects. The choir would sing praises and a salutation to the monarch. The prayer read by the Sovereign would be thus:


 * ''"The Lord Almitis, Creator and Watcher of us, the Lord of our Fathers and our Mothers, the Lord of All Monarchs, All Rulers, and All Races, Who created All by your own Word, and by Thy Wisdom made us in the form which you conceived. You have made us so that we may walk uprightly in your name and rule righteously over Thy Earthly and Universal Domains, but subject to your Mastership. Thou hast chosen me to enforce your will, Thou has seen that I will be the Autocrat and the monarch of All the Laurasians, and that I shall judge over Thy people. I acknowledge Thy Unsearchable purpose towards me, and bow in thankfulness before Your Majesty and Thy Graceful Form. Do Thou, my Lord and Governor, fit me for the work to which Thou hath sent me; teach me and guide me in this great service I will render to my subjects. May you be there with me; send me your Wisdom, your Kind and Thoughtful Wisdom, so that I may know what is well-pleasing in Thy sight, and what is right according to Thy commandment. May my heart be in Thy Hand, to accomplish all things that is to the profit of these Peoples, these Species of this Galaxy, those who are committed to my charge. This is so that in the day of Thy judgment I may give a good account of my stewardship to Thee; a good account without blame, without wrongdoing, and certainly with a kind and benevolent manner; through the grace and mercy of Your Son, the Angels of the Universe, and Your Nephew, the Lord Paul of Almitis, Who sacrificed himself to the Brethalian mongrels for our benefit, to Whom all honor and glory shall reside with his Spirit and the Spiritual Forces of the Great Ones. May you always be the Giver of Life, to the Graciousness which I give you. Almitis wills it!"

The Sovereign would then set aside their Crown, and the Divine Liturgy of the Coronation would commence. The anointing portion of the ceremony would thus take place during the liturgy, immediately prior to Communion. The Communion of Almitis hymn would be sung, in the manner decreed by Pope Gregory the Great of the 18th century BH, after which the Sovereign, who had been handed a sword by his or her servants, would provide that sword to a attendant. The Sovereign (and their consort, if they had one), would ascend the Projection in front of the Holy Doors, which would be thrown open by the Dean and the Archbishop of Caladaria at that point. Then each would be anointed with holy water by the Chief Procurator of the Holy Synod or the Metropolitan of the Core Worlds. The Sovereign would be anointed on his or her forehead, eyes, nostrils, mouth, ears, breast, and both sides of each hand. Afterwards, he or she would step to the right and stand in front of the icon of Paul and the Lords of Almitis. If the Sovereign had a consort, the consort would be anointed only on the forehead, stepping to the left in order to stand in front of the Thelorian Icon. The Metropolitan would state the anointing was the "gift of the Holy Almitis". A second salute and further salutations would follow. The Metropolitan would then escort the Sovereign through the Holy Doors to the altar. Normally, only deacons, priests, bishops, archbishops, Metropolitans, or the Chief Procurator would pass through the Holy Doors. The Metropolitan would state that because the Sovereign was the representative of Almitis and the Autocrat of All the Laurasians, he or she was the only layperson who could thus partake of the inner mysteries. There, the Sovereign would partake of the ceremonial bread and wine separately, in the clerical fashion. The consort, on the other hand, would be directed by Church officials to the Communion Altar, outside of the Holy Doors. There, he or she would receive communion in the regular fashion and would be reminded that "you doth not share in the full autocratic authority".

Immediately after the communion and anointing services, the Sovereign would head out of the Holy Doors, and escorted, by the officials, would go back to the Dais. His or her train would be held by the eight individuals, who too had been forbidden to head with the Sovereign through the Holy Doors. There, at the Dais, the Chief Procurator of the Holy Synod and the Imperial High Steward would administer a coronation oath to the Sovereign. The oath went as follows:


 * The Chief Procurator of the Holy Synod: "Will you solemnly promise and swear to govern the Peoples and Subjects of the Empire and Autocracy of All the Laurasians, within the Caladarian Galaxy, the Angelina Spiral, and the Great Tesmanian Cloud, with fairness, charity, and understanding to all?"
 * The Sovereign: "I solemnly promise to do so."
 * The Chief Procurator of the Holy Synod: "Will you to your power cause Law, Justice, Mercy, and Impartiality, to be executed in all your judgments?"
 * The Sovereign: "I will."
 * The Chief Procurator of the Holy Synod: "Will you solemnly promise and swear, that, within the full range of your Supreme and Autocratic Authority over the Peoples of the Laurasian Empire, within the Caladarian Galaxy, the Angelina Spiral, and the Great Tesmanian Cloud, that you will retain the Governmental and Political System as it is now? Will you to your power cause that any challenges to the Autocratic Authority will be dealt with? Will you acknowledge that Almitis hath granted this authority to you, and that you are blessed with the supreme jurisdiction over us all? Will you always maintain this?"
 * The Sovereign: "All this I promise to do. The things which I have here promised, I will perform and keep. So help me, the Lord Almitis!"

The Service concludes
Following the end of the Coronation Oath, the Sovereign is borne by the eight individuals and the Imperial Chamberlain back unto the Imperial Throne. There, the "Prayers After Receipt of Communion and Anointment" are read by the Dean of the Westphalian Cathederal, while the Father Confessor of the Cathederal blesses the Sovereign (and consort) one final time and states that "Almitis has fully consecrated them in their autocratic authority". After this, the assembled Ecclesiastical Dignitaries swear homage to the Sovereign, saying "I,N., Chief Procurator (Metropolitan, Councilor, Regional Cardinal, Provincial Dean, Archbishop, Bishop), will be faithful and true, and faith and truth will bear unto you, our Sovereign Lord (Lady), Emperor (Empress) of this Realm and Autocrat of All the Laurasians, and unto your heirs and successors, as designated by Your Will. So help me Almitis!" The nobles would then rise from their seats and proceed to pay their homage, saying "I,N., Duke (Marquess, Earl, Count, Viscount, Baron or Lord) of N., do become your liege man of life and limb, and of Universal worship; and faith and truth will I bear unto you, to live and die, against all matter of fellows. So help me Almitis!" The clergy and nobles pay homage as a whole body, led by the Chief Procurator. The nobles are led by the eldest peer of their rank, such as Dukes led by the primer Duke, Marquesses by the primer Marquess, and so on. After them, the members of the Imperial Family swear homage individually, as the nobles also pay homage as a group. Thereafter, the Great Officers of State, the Imperial Ministers, the members of the Governing Senate, the Governor-Generals, the Provincial Governors, the leading military and diplomatic officials, the consort (if there is one), and notable persons present at the coronation pay homage in turn to the Sovereign, still seated on the throne.

Once all have paid homage, the dismissal is read by the Dean of the Westphalian Cathederal, intoning a special blessing for the Sovereign, the Imperial Family, and the Imperial Government. The choir would sing "many years" a further time. After this, the Sovereign, wearing the Great Imperial Crown and with the orb and scepter in their hands, proceed slowly down the aisle to outside of the Cathederal, with the eight persons holding the train. The Imperial Anthem would be read while musical instruments would be played and all in the audience would shout "God save His (Her) Imperial Majesty!". There was still more events to the coronation however, but this time outside of the cathedral.

Procession to the Quencilvanian Palace
After the conclusion of the ceremonies within the Westphalian Cathederal, the Sovereign and their entourage would get back unto the repulsorlifts, all the while being cheered and hailed by the audiences outside of the Cathederal. Once the Sovereign was back under the Canopy, and once the entourage were all in their repulsorlifts, the procession from the Cathederal would begin. The Sovereign and their entourage, with a escort along the sides, would travel along a pre-determined route through the Almitian Religious Prescient. Along the way, the crowds would give greetings, while all persons would emerge from their homes, businesses, or installations, and celebrate the "coronation of the rightful Autocrat of All the Laurasians". About three miles from the Westphalian Cathederal, the Sovereign would proceed to the Imperial Mausoleum. There, he or she would get off of the repulsorlift and head into the tomb, being greeted by the Master-Preserver of the Mausoleum and the Imperial Steward, who had also departed from the coronation site. The Master-Preserver and the Chaplain of the Dead would show the tombs of previous Emperors, Empresses, and rulers of Laurasia to the Sovereign. The Sovereign would visit each tomb and offer a prayer in each one.

Then, after the Tomb visit was concluded, the Sovereign would leave the Mausoleum and walk with their entourage to the nearby Church of the Annunciation, where further blessings would be given and a rite of "Thanks" performed, a rite designed to express the thanks of the Laurasian subjects that they had a ruler. Then, as the monarch would leave the Church, a group of elderly nuns and monks would approach, offering their blessings and praying for "His (Her) Majesty to always remain humble to Almitis". After this, the Sovereign would return to the repulsorlift, which would complete the route back to the Quencilvanian Palace. At the Quencilvanian Palace, a squad of Laurasian starfighters and Christiania Police craft would fly over, performing maneuvers to greet the Sovereign. The Sovereign would head into the Palace Grounds, and again leaving the Replusorlift, would be greeted by the Palace Security, with the Master of Quencilvanian Palace Security and the Commander of the Residence Command conducting a salute. Then, the Sovereign would proceed to the Palace Grand Opening. In front of a carefully organized crowd of subjects in the Antiochid Gardens, the Sovereign would bow three times and extend their own blessings to the crowds. Then the Sovereign and the entourage would proceed into the Grand Corridor.

In the Grand Corridor, the Sovereign would take their place on the Ceremonial Throne. It is here that the Sovereign greets the representatives of the Empire's various religions and faiths, who were forbidden by Imperial law to enter the Westphalian Cathederal or any other Almitian religious edifice. Among these representatives would be the Chief Priest of Briannian Mysticism, the Chief Priestess of the Venasian Oracles, the Sun Priest of the Clancian Harmonists, the Patriarch of the Jatherian Traditionalists, the Dasian Religious Master, the Arachosian Chief Agent of the Gods, the Homidinian Par'tha (Leader), the Supreme Master of the Cult of the Amelianians, the Chief Master of the Nagai, the Mystical Lord of the Kimanians, the Honorable One of the Huttiles, the High Priest of the Millian Cult, and the Druid Master of the Huntites, among numerous others. The Sovereign would also greet the diplomats, the local officials of the Laurasia Prime star system, the representatives of the Empire's chief economic and commercial firms, and the representatives of various important galactic universities, guilds, institutes, and organizations. After greeting all of these people, the Sovereign would then retire to their Private Chambers, along with their servants, the Ladies in Waiting, the Vice-Chamberlain, and the Lord Comptroller of the Quencilvanian Palace Staff. They would stay in the Private Chambers for several hours to rest and prepare for the evening Coronation Banquet.

The coronation banquet
In the evening of the coronation day, the coronation banquet is held. The banquet is normally conducted in the Great Dining Chambers of the Quencilvanian Palace, which contains enough room for up to 100,000 guests. In the evening of that day, the Sovereign, wearing official robes for the banquet, and donning the much lighter Smaller Imperial Crown (the Great Imperial Crown is returned to the Armory after the Corridor greetings), proceeds out of their private chambers, along with their servants, Gentlemen of the Privy Chamber, Ladies in Waiting, Yeoman Guards, Gentleman Knights, the Lord Comptroller, the Imperial Steward, the Master of Quencilvanian Palace Security, and the selected nobles, who are required to remain in attendance on the monarch for the entire day. The monarch and their entourage would be the first to enter the Dining Chambers. According to custom, the Sovereign always sits at the head table. If there was a consort, the consort would sit next to the Sovereign. At the chief table, besides the Sovereign, sit the members of the Imperial Family, the Great Officers of State, the Imperial Chancellor, the most senior nobleman, the Chief Procurator of the Holy Synod, the Chief Procurator of the Governing Senate, the Governor-General of Laurasia Prime, the Governor of the Laurasian Province, the Governor of Laurasia Prime, the Mayor of Christiania, the Chief Gentlewoman of the Privy Chamber, the Master of the Robes, the Chief of the Bearers of Arms, Chief of the Gentleman Guards, the Supreme Marshal of the Yeoman Guards, and the Master of Quencilvanian Palace Security. At the second table sits the Imperial Ministers of State, the Governing Senators, the Metropolitans of the Holy Synod, the heads of the government bureaus and commissions, the Commander of the Quencilvanian Palace Residence Command, the leading military commanders, the highest-ranking nobles, the Director of the Imperial Intelligence Agency, and the Gentlemen of the Privy Chamber. The next table has the Ladies in Waiting, the monarch's personal servants, the Chancellory and Civil Secretaries, the laymen members of the Holy Synod, the leading Laurasian noblewomen, and the leading diplomats. All other tables bear the rest of those who attended the coronation.

Tradition decrees that at the very beginning of the banquet, the Imperial Champion (a honorary position created specifically for the coronation ceremonies) enters the Great Dining Chambers, escorted by the Imperial Marshal on the left and the Imperial Constable on the right. A herald announces the presence of the Champion to all in the Chambers. The Champion himself then issues the following honorary challenge, which is merely a ceremonial part of the proceedings:

"If any person, of any degree, race, or species whatsoever, high or low, shall deny or blasphemy our Sovereign Lord (Lady), the Emperor (Empress) and Autocrat of All the Laurasians, supreme ruler of all in this Empire, in this Galaxy, son (daughter) and next heir unto our Sovereign Lord (Lady) the last Emperor (Empress) deceased, to be the right heir of this Imperial Crown of the Empire and Autocracy of All the Laurasians, or that he ought not to enjoy the same; here is his Champion who saith that he lieth, and is a false traitor, being ready in person to combat with him; and in this quarrel will adventure his life against him, on whatever day soever he shall be appointed."

The Emperor's Champion then throws down the gauntlet, with the ceremony being repeated at the center of the Hall and at the Chief Table where the Sovereign would be seated. The Sovereign then drinks to the Companion from a gold cup, which he or she then presents to the latter. The Champion accepts the cup and announces his readiness to defend "His (Her) Sovereign Majesty from all threats, foreign or domestic". After this, the Sovereign invites the Champion to sit at the Chief Table. Once this ritual is over, the Sovereign then commences the banquet, by being the first one to eat the food. No on is permitted to eat or drink until the Sovereign has started to do so with their food.

Other celebrations
Following the banquet, which normally lasts about three hours, the Sovereign attends various other ceremonies, including a grand illumination of the Quencilvanian Palace, firework displays, operas, various balls, masques, parties, plays, Holomovie showings, among other activities. These ceremonies continue over the course of the next several days, as the Imperial Court indulges itself in much entertainment and celebration. Largesse is also distributed to all tourists who go to the Quencilvanian Palace, as well as to the crowds who assemble in the Palace Crowds and the Palace Gardens. Lotteries and games are also held for the court and the crowds as well. A special celebration is also organized in the Public Square of Christiania, for all the citizens of the Laurasia Prime star system. This celebration normally takes place within two days of the coronation ceremony. The celebration is attended by the Sovereign, who holds a feast in honor of his or her subjects. The Sovereign also distributes souvenirs, largess, and other items to those who attend the celebration.