I was wondering if anyone new how an Imperial temple should be set up - that is what are the holy things, places, and ceremonies called? Specifically what replaces the cross in this setup (for those that haven't been in a catholic church the cross occupies the central focus above or behind the altar) - I would think its the Imperial "I" with the skull in sun symbol occupying that space.

If the above "holy I standard" is true would it be out of line to have this and other symbol jewel and gem encrusted?

I ask as I have an adventure scene set in an abandoned church/cathedral/monastery and I am woefully unfamiliar with the 40k canon.
Thanks in advance.

Whilst I don't claim to be a 40k historian, I believe that the general symbol for the Imperium is the double headed Imperial Eagle symbol. This is what you’re after as a replacement to the catholic cross. In the RT handbook you can see examples of it on the inside covers around the maps of the Koronus Expanse. Or just type it in google.

The large 'I' that you mention is more of a department symbol, such as the illustrations on page 303 of the RT handbook. Or it could be the 'I' that is displayed for the Inquisitation.

the I is a symbol of the Inquisition rather then the Imperium as a whole.

An Aquilla is generally the cross equivelent (with people even making the aquilla symbol over their breast as a sign of piety (if you want to do it just take your hands spread your thumb away from your fingers, then push your hands together so that the medial aspect of your 1st metacarples are touching and your thumbs cross over at roughly the interphalangeal joint)).

With regards to what a temple looks like basically take any real world place of worship and replace the holy symbols with the aquilla and your good to go. Religious conformity is virtually impossible to enforce especially out on the fringes so modes of worship are variable from planet to planet (or even accross the same planet).

Yeah, thats the double eagle thing. An Aquilla.

Erretnorb said:

Right save one thing. The I isn't the symbol of the Inquisition. Rather, the I is used in different divisions of the Imperium. Inquisition has the I with bars, Arbites have the I with the fist and scale, Administratum has the I with the "a", and so on. Rest is right, use the Aquilla.

For the different uses of the "I"-symbol by the Imperium just have a look at the section describing the Imperium in the RT Core Rulebook. here are all the different symbols used for all the different imperial organizations.

I understand the set up of a Temple is similar to any kind of Gothic/ Catholic Abbey - only a lot larger. If you look at Wiki under Abbey you will find some good examples.

For a more 40K version - I have summarised the description of the Occidens Temple from 'Chaos Child' by Ian Watson here - I have paraphrased the book so as to not write the whole thing out :-)

- On entering the temple you encounter a portico crowded with hundreds of carved and crumbling tombs of previous High Priests. Beyond this is a huge colonnaded atrium in which burns a forest of incense sticks. Sweet smoke ascends through vents in the domed roof. The chamber represents a colossal thurible. Further beyond is the basilica patrolled by armed deacons. Off this reside fifty side chapels dedicated to fifty attributes of the Emperor (Him-On-Earth).

Inumerable candles burn through each room which deposit a thick layer of smoke and wax on the walls. While the place is one of light, the black smoke and wax give it a feeling of darkness. In the Basilica there is a great wall mosaic depicting the blessed Emperor's defeat of Horus. It is the only area cleaned of wax and soot - its been cleaned so much the mosaic is faded.

Beyond this is an oratory for private prayers. At the rear of this room hangs an ancient titanium threaded curtain through which there is an arabesque tungsten grille gate, which denotes the entrance to the sacristy. In the sacristy (place for housing sacred vestments and vessels) is a holy Aumbry (cupboard) decorated in silver and gold and guarded by armed sacristans who chant a canticle. Within the Aumbry is the most sacred of all the holy relics in the Temple - that of a depiction of the Emperor. (Apparently he had wiped his face on the cloth and it had psychically imprinted the cloth with his visage) Nobody is allowed to view the "True Cloth" but once a year it is paraded in the Reliquary in an annual event that sounds something similar to the Easter speech given by the Pope at the Vatican.

Beyond this would be a labyrinth of halls, dungeons, armouries, barracks, firing ranges, scriptories and archives, priest cells, warehouses, kitchens, gymnasia and garages etc - all the support structure for the thousands of staff.

Outside the Temple, sit several thousand pilgrims and penitents, and all the associated hangers on - beggars, entertainment, food sellers, touts, iconography sellers and the like.

I don't have much on ceremonies, but I would imagine that there would be many small daily rituals and ceremonies such as - morning and evening prayers, rituals and blessings to uncover, display, clean the various important relics, hundreds of candles to be lit, guard changes, penitents to bless - and then the major annual ceremonies that would be particular to that planet and Order.

In addition to the symbols already discussed, most Temples I have read about in the novels jealously guard their Relics. The more important the Relic the more lavish its display, so the central Basilica or the main part of the church is likely to have a reliquary housing a relic rather than a massive Aquilla or other symbol.

Hope that is of some help to you.