Archbishop
Archbishops are leaders of the Church of the Holy Light. The Scarlet Onslaught also had an Archbishop; though this is likely due to them not adhering to the leadership of those outside of the Crusade.
History
The Archbishop is the leader of the Church of the Holy Light, thus acting as the representative of the religious organization, as an important member of the Alliance's leadership, and as the spiritual leader for the devotees of the Light.[1] They are seconded by the bishops of the Church. There are only three archbishops of the Church that are presently mentioned: Archbishop Benedictus, his predecessor, the well-renowned Archbishop Alonsus Faol, who led the Church through the hardships of the First and Second Wars, and Eadweard Dalyngrigge, a professor that works as part of the Azerothian Archives.
Faol was noted as being a leading member in the Alliance's efforts against the Old Horde during the Second War. He is directly credited as being the creator of the Knights of the Silver Hand, and as a result, paladins as a concept among the Alliance of Lordaeron. He perished some time before the Third War and was succeeded by his student, Archbishop Benedictus.
Benedictus spent many years learning from his pious master and helped the Church of the Holy Light construct its most striking monument, the Cathedral of Light in Stormwind City.[2] Benedictus lived through the First and Second Wars. Though the suffering he saw troubled him, his faith remained unshaken and, in some ways, he saw the conflicts as a test of his beliefs.[3] Following Faol's death, Benedictus took charge of the Church and swore to continue the good work his mentor had begun so many years ago.[2] In the Kingdom of Stormwind, they represent the pride of the kingdom's culture and have great popularity with the people, which manifests during festivals like the Remembrance Day, when the crowd was eager to hear a speech from Archbishop Benedictus.[1]
Benedictus was ultimately corrupted by the Twilight's Hammer in secret due to his faith finally having been shaken by the tragic events of the Third War and being preyed upon by the Hammer during the invasion of Outland. By the time of his death, Benedictus had wholly become a leader of the Hammer, having supplanted Cho'gall after his demise.
Eadweard Dalyngrigge has the title of "Archbishop Emeritus",[4] but it is unknown when he held the position.
Scarlet Onslaught
The Scarlet Onslaught had an archbishop named Landgren who resided within the Crimson Cathedral at the Onslaught Harbor, in Icecrown.
In the RPG
The Church has an archbishop who is in charge, and he has a council of bishops to advise him. The Archbishop serves as an icon for anyone who is considered to be a follower of the Faith of the Holy Light. Usually, the archbishop was a bishop himself before he was selected, and once he's been chosen he's in charge until he dies or chooses to step down. Upon the death of the archbishop, all bishops are required to attend a conclave where they will elect the new archbishop.[5]
Shadow Priest Sarvis, as a dark priest, is like an archbishop, ruling over a wide territory.[6]
See also
References
- ^ a b Blood of Our Fathers
- ^ a b World of Warcraft: Game Manual, pg. 170
- ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 3, pg. 162 - 163
- ^ The Story of Traitor's Rest
- ^ Alliance Player's Guide, pg. 152
- ^ Horde Player's Guide, pg. 161
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