Westphalian Cathedral

Westphalian Cathedral, also known as the Cathedral of Westphalia, the New Westphalian Cathedral, or the Imperial Cathedral, is the official state cathedral of the Laurasian Empire and the headquarters of the Imperial Almitian Church. It is one of the most notable religious structures in the Caladarian Galaxy and the traditional place for the coronations and burials of Laurasian sovereigns, royal and imperial. The Cathedral serves as the diocesial seat of the Archbishop of Christiania, the Archbishop of Laurasia Prime, and the Chief Procurator of the Holy Synod. It is also the annual meeting place for the Conference of Almitian Prelates, the official gathering of all the clergy and ecclesiastical officials of the Almitian Church, from within and without the Empire. The Cathedral is located in Christiania, Laurasia Prime, capital of the Empire.

The original cathedral on the site was constructed between 800 and 808, during the reign of King Polares (799-809), and would become known, after the present edifice's construction, as the Old Westphalian Cathedral. Laurasia Prime and the Laurasian Purse Region fell under the rule of the Dasian Golden Horde in AH 840, but the Dasians, holding a great respect for religion, did not damage or otherwise disturb the structure, and in 867, the Royal Almitian Church obtained a charter of privileges from the Great Khan of the Dasian Empire, Kublai. The Cathedral became the central headquarters for the Holy See of the Almitian Church following the confirmation of that organization's existence by Khan Uzbeg in AH 919, and it remained the chief religious edifice on Laurasia Prime throughout the Yoke and beyond. It was formally adopted as the state cathedral of the Stellar Kingdom of Laurasia by Honorius the Liberator in 1080, after he had ended the Dasian Yoke, and he also designated it as the burial and coronation place of all future sovereigns, beginning with his son Arasces III, whom he crowned in 1102. In 1147, his grandson, Honorius the Terrible, became the first sovereign to independently crown himself at the Cathedral, and in 1153, he ordered for the remains of all royal predecessors to be reinterred there.

The Cathedral underwent a series of expansions and renovations from the twelfth to the fifteenth centuries, the most notable being those conducted, from 1312 to 1333, under Seleucus the Victor and his son and successor, Seleucus II the Strong. After 1321, the Cathedral ceased to be the home of the Papacy, as that institution was abolished, and became instead the headquarters for the Chief Procurator and the Holy Synod. It remained as such for another two centuries, until it was devastated by a combustive explosion in March 1543. Following this explosion, Emperor Antoninus Pius (1538-61), embarked upon a massive reconstruction of the edifice, creating the present cathedral. It was completed in its current form on March 22, 1560, and dedicated on April 8 of that year. Since that time, the Westphalian Cathedral has continued to be the central religious structure in the Empire. It also enjoys the status of an Imperial Pecuilar, being directly subject to the jurisdiction and oversight of the sovereign.

The Cathedral is led by the Dean of Westphalia, personally appointed and dismissed by the Emperor, and has its own chapter of monks and canons, known as the Monks of Westphalia. They are responsible for the cathedral's upkeep and for its services. It conducts weekly services, as also processions and festivals of the Church, and special occasions (such as Te Deum masses, imperial christenings, and assemblies), in addition to the normal coronation and burial ceremonies of the Imperial Dynasty.

Burials
The Westphalian Cathedral, as was intended by its principal builder, Emperor Antoninus Pius, houses the remains of virtually all Laurasian sovereigns, of both the Stellar Kingdom of Laurasia and the Laurasian Empire, dating back to the first monarch of the Laurasian Space Age, Arasces the Patient (r. AH 412-32). There are exceptions, however. Of the sovereigns of the Stellar Kingdom of Laurasia, Arasces II (r. 628-30), Gordian III (r. 832-40), and False Demetrius I (r. 1205-06), were not buried at the Cathedral. The body of Arasces was lost after his execution at the hands of the Lacian Despot Devlet-Giray in February 630. That of Gordian III was also lost, being incinerated on the orders of the Dasian Khan Batya following that King's execution in January 840. False Demetrius I's remains were, after his assassination, fired by the Laurasians through a turbocannon, pointed from the Laurasia Prime star system, and towards the Central Core; they were scattered into open space. Of the sovereigns of the Empire, Antiochus III (r. 1454-68), Tiberius III (r. 1468-69), Vitellius (r. 1469), Pertinax (r. 1593), Antiochus V (r. 1593), Geta (r. 1611), Macrinus I (r. 1617-18), Elagabalus (r. 1618-22), and several of those of the Crisis of the Seventeenth Century are not buried at Westphalia. Their bodies were either destroyed (as in the cases of Geta and Elagabalus), lost (as in the cases of Antiochus III or Pertinax), or buried elsewhere (as with the remaining sovereigns). Caligula (1437-41), Antiochus IV (1481-96), and Commodus (1580-92) were placed under damnatio memoriae, but were eventually interred at the Cathedral on the orders of their successors.

In addition to the monarchs, most Laurasian consorts, along with many members of the various royal and imperial dynasties, certain prominent officials, and most of the Almitian Popes from 919 to 1300 are buried at the Cathedral. The complete list of burials is provided below.

Monarchs and their consorts
The following Laurasian sovereigns and consorts are buried at the Westphalian Cathedral. They are buried in the First Laurasian, Second Laurasian, Third Laurasian, Early Imperial, Middle Imperial, and Late Imperial Vaults, as indicated. Some consorts are buried in tombs separate from those of their husbands, as to be noted below.

First Laurasian Vault

 * 1) Arasces I (r. 412-32) and his wife Murcia of Christiania.
 * 2) Alexander Septimus (432-49) and his wife Alcestis Kamaeranos.
 * 3) Gordian I (449-62) and his wife Aphrodite Ceseria.
 * 4) Antipater I (462-78) and his wife Aemilla Camania.
 * 5) Devraldus (478-502) and his wife Atia Caesonia.
 * 6) Severus (502-29) and his wife Plautia Sabarnes.
 * 7) Tiberius I (529-49) and his wife Vispania of Darcia.
 * 8) Augustus (549-82) and his wife Callidoria of Janesia.
 * 9) Claudius I (582-603) and his wife Servilla Cretasia.
 * 10) Horax (603-23) and his wives Alexandra of Kronos and Octavia Seslais.
 * 11) Mithridates (627-28) and his wife Ulpia Eremnoia.

Second Laurasian Vault

 * 1) Pompey (637-53) and his wife Aelia Paulina.
 * 2) Perseus (653-59) and his wife Domitia Decidiania.
 * 3) Constantine (659-87) and his wife Claudia Metrodora.
 * 4) Marcus Aurelius (687-712) and his wife Clodia Caudraia.
 * 5) Flavius Aetius (712-46) and his wives Lydia Tydarania and Carmina Ammia.
 * 6) Hercules I (746-62) and his wife Megullia Dotita.
 * 7) Gordian II (762-76) and his wife Antisita Bemderania.
 * 8) Hercules II (776-99) and his wife Melania Passadatia.
 * 9) Polares (799-809) and his wife Andrea Septimia.

Third Laurasian Vault

 * 1) Honorius I (1080-1105) and his wife Sophia of Darcia.
 * 2) Arasces III (1105-1133) and his second wife Elena Galinaria.
 * 3) Honorius II (1133-84) and his first wife Anastasia Cassanova.
 * 4) Honorius II's wives Maria Temaraina, Demetria Sobasrina, Licinania Kalagastagania, and Demetria Nagayania are buried in separate vaults from him, at the Cathedral.
 * 5) Theodosius I (1184-98) and his wife Irina Gadavaranius.
 * 6) Eurymaschus I (1198-1205) and his wife Maria of Beliania.
 * 7) Theodosius II (1205).
 * 8) Arasces IV (1206-10) and his wife Maria Shuilvavos.
 * 9) Leonidas I (1213-45) and his wives Pomponia Graecia and Valeria Flacca.
 * 10) Artabanus I (1245-76) and his wives Claudia Marcella and Julia Narishina.
 * 11) Theodosius III (1276-82) and his wives Agathina Greyshayana and Livia Aparaina.
 * 12) Menelaus I (1282-96) and his wife Praskovia Saltarina.

Early Imperial Vault (1321-1454)

 * 1) Seleucus I (1282-1325) and his wife Eudoxia Lopasaria.
 * 2) Seleucus II (1325-35) and his wife Honoria Diadones.
 * 3) Didius Julianus (1335-54) and his wife Constantia of Taurasia.
 * 4) Antiochus I (1354-89) and his wife Anna of Commagenos.
 * 5) Antiochus II (1389-99) and his wife Eleanora of Briannia.
 * 6) Demetrius I (1399-1416) and his wife Maria Sompakalos.
 * 7) Tiberius II (1416-37).
 * 8) Caligula (1437-41) and his third wife Milonia Caesonia.
 * 9) Claudius II (1441-54) and his second wife Agrippina Nerius.

Middle Imperial Vault (1454-1635)

 * 1) Poppaea Sabina, second wife of Antiochus III (1454-68).
 * 2) Stallia Sarina, third wife of Antiochus III (1454-68).
 * 3) Seleucus III (r. 1469).
 * 4) Vespasian (1469-79) and his wife Domtilla of Darcia, who died before his accession.
 * 5) Titus II (1479-81) and his wife Arrecina Tertulla, who died before his accession.
 * 6) Antiochus IV (1481-96) and his wife, Domitia Longina.
 * 7) Nerva (1496-98).
 * 8) Antigonus I (1498-1517) and his wife Pompeia Plotina.
 * 9) Lysimachus I (1517-38) and his wife Vibia Sabina.
 * 10) Antoninus Pius (1538-61) and his wife Galeria Faustina.
 * 11) Antigonus II (1561-80) and his wife Annia Faustina.
 * 12) Lucius Verus (1561-69).
 * 13) Commodus (1580-92).
 * 14) Demetrius Severus I (1593-1611) and his wife Paccia Marciana.
 * 15) Alexander Severus (1622-35).

Late Imperial Vault (1635-present)

 * 1) Maximinus I (1635-38) and his wife Caecillia Paulina.
 * 2) Gordian VI (1638-44) and his wife Furia Tranquillina.
 * 3) Hostillian (r. 1651).
 * 4) Valerian (1653-60).
 * 5) Gaillenus (1653-68) and his wife Cornelia Salonina.
 * 6) Claudius Vectorius II (1668-70).
 * 7) Aurelian (1670-75) and his wife Ulpia Severina.
 * 8) Demetrius Severus II (1675-76).
 * 9) Probus I (1676-83) and his wife Aurelia Woodaria.
 * 10) Maximinus II (r. 1683).
 * 11) Octavia Neuronia, wife of Titus II (r. 1683-85).
 * 12) Neuchrus I (1685-1709) and his wife Aurelia Zemakala.
 * 13) Antigonus III (1709-47) and his third wife Theodora Seymouris.
 * 14) Antigonus III's wives Katharina of Shenandoah, Anna Boleyenia, and Annaliese of Denver are also buried at the Cathedral, in separate tombs.
 * 15) Demetrius II (1747-53).
 * 16) Didymeia I (1753-58).
 * 17) Aurelia I (1758-1803).

Other dynastic family members
The following relatives of Laurasian sovereigns (children, parents, cousins, etc.) are buried at the Cathedral, as noted in the Timeline:


 * 1) Grand Prince Honorius, eldest son of Honorius the Terrible.
 * 2) Grand Prince Demetrius, youngest son of Honorius the Terrible.
 * 3) Prince Numerian Marcella and his wife Katharina, parents of Queen-Consort Julia Narishina.
 * 4) Grand Princess Julia Cassanova, sister of Seleucus I.
 * 5) Grand Princess Constantia and Gregorius, Duke of Melarnaria, parents of Antiochus I.
 * 6) Grand Prince Willanius, brother of Antiochus I.
 * 7) Grand Prince Decabulus, the Young Emperor, eldest son of Antiochus I, and his wife Margarina of Venasia.
 * 8) Grand Prince Leonnatus, son of Antiochus I, and his wife Constantia Caelius.
 * 9) Grand Princess Messalina, daughter of Antiochus I, and her husband Otherius of Polonia.
 * 10) Grand Princess Julia, daughter of Antiochus I.
 * 11) Grand Prince Germanicus Nerius, brother of Tiberius II.
 * 12) Grand Princess Livia Nerius, mother of Tiberius II.
 * 13) Grand Princess Julia Maesa, grandmother of Elagabalus and Alexander Severus.
 * 14) Grand Princess Julia Mamaea, mother of Alexander Severus.
 * 15) Grand Princess Didymeia Zemakala, sister of Empress-Consort Aurelia Zemakala.
 * 16) Grand Prince Athanasius, brother of Empress-Consort Aurelia Zemakala.
 * 17) Grand Prince Andronicus, brother of Empress-Consort Aurelia Zemakala.
 * 18) Sir Acillius Craterles, Duke of Mariana Prime, uncle of Neuchrus I.
 * 19) Grand Princess Margarina Beaufatia, Duchess of Tudoria, mother of Neuchrus I.
 * 20) Antigonus, Duke of Conservan and Reoyania, son of Antigonus III.