The Ofisiae celebrated by the Synodus
In accordance with the established liturgical calendar of the Ophidian Confession, the Synodus has formally celebrated the Ofisiae on the 20th Dec. MMXXV, reaffirming the central role of ordered ritual practice within the life of the Institution.
The celebration took place as a public and communal liturgical act, conducted according to the canonical protocols and ritual forms codified by the Synodus.
As with all Ophidian liturgies, the Ofisiae were observed in full respect of the principles of sobriety, measure, and ritual discipline that define the Ophidian tradition. The celebration was hosted by the Archegete of the Synodus, with the help of the Private Secretary the Liturgist M. Wawrzyniak and the Architheoros of the Synodus, the Exegete B. Wawrzyniak.
The Liturgical Significance of the Ofisiae
Within the Ophidian calendar, the Ofisiae mark a moment of structured manifestation: a time in which divine self-givenness is ritually acknowledged through silence, form, and communal presence. The celebration does not aim to produce an emotional or individual experience, but rather to establish a shared temporal and symbolic framework in which the community gathers to celebrate the Serpent. The Ofisiae are therefore not conceived as exceptional events, but as integral components of a continuous liturgical rhythm. Their function is not to interrupt ordinary time, but to reorder it, reaffirming the relationship between contemplation, ritual form, and institutional continuity.
Ofisiae also are the first festivity celebrated within the Ophidian liturgical calendar, being dedicated to the Serpent and not to an archetype acknowledged by the Ophidian doctrine. For this reason, these feasts are the most important celebrations of year.
Structure and Conduct of the Celebration
The celebration followed the established sequence prescribed for Ophidian liturgical acts:
The preparation of the Ofisie branch, shared among each Ophidian community worldwide as symbol of renewal and eternal coiling.
A preparatory phase marked by silence and spatial ordering;
The celebration of the Canonica Ierà by the Archegete;
Ignition of the Ofisie flame, as symbol of the Serpent who wins over the unshaped Chaos.
A concluding phase oriented toward communal gathering and shared presence.
Each phase was conducted with strict adherence to the liturgical norms, ensuring uniformity of practice and coherence with the broader ritual corpus of the Synodus.
Institutional and Communal Dimension
The Ofisiae are celebrated as open liturgies. Attendance does not imply initiation, affiliation, or adherence, but rather participation as witness to a public religious act. This openness reflects one of the defining principles of the Synodus: the rejection of coercion and the affirmation of freedom of conscience. The role of the assembled community is not active in a performative sense, but structural. Presence itself constitutes participation. Through shared silence, regulated gestures, and collective attention, the community sustains the ritual space without appropriating or interpreting the divine manifestation.
Continuity and Order
By celebrating the Ofisiae according to the established calendar, the Synodus reaffirms its commitment to liturgical continuity, institutional stability, and public accountability. The act is not isolated, but inscribed within a broader framework of recurring celebrations that articulate the Ophidian understanding of time as cyclical, ordered, and symbolically dense.
Such celebrations serve not only a devotional function, but also an institutional one: they demonstrate the effective operation of the Synodus as a religious body capable of maintaining coherent doctrine, stable ritual practice, and a living calendar.
Concluding Note
The celebration of the Ofisiae stands as a visible expression of the Synodus’ approach to religious life: measured, non-dogmatic, and grounded in form rather than proclamation. Through ordered liturgy, the Synodus continues to articulate a public, rational, and contemplative spirituality, rooted in tradition and oriented toward continuity rather than expansion.
The Calendar of Public Liturgies celebrated by the Archegete is made available through the website of the Synodus in the appropriate section on a monthly basis.