THE NINE, THE OFFICERS OF THE COVEN & THEIR DUTIES.
1. PRIEST
2. PRIESTESS.
3. ELDER.
4. FIRST GUARDIAN. [FEMALE]
5. SECOND GUARDIAN. [MALE]
6. SPOKESPERSON FOR AIR.
7. SPOKESPERSON FOR FIRE.
8. SPOKESPERSON FOR WATER.
9. SPOKESPERSON FOR EARTH
THE GUARDIANS ARE USUALLY FEMALE [WARRIOR MAID] & MALE [WARRIOR] & GUARD
INNER & OUTER AREAS OF RITUAL. THEY OPEN THE DOOR TO NEW ARRIVALS & CHECK TO SEE IF THOSE WHO WISH TO ENTER ARE PART OF COVEN OR GUESTS & SEE TO IT THAT COVEN REGISTER IS SIGNED , THEY ALSO MAKE SURE THAT COVEN MEMBERS & THEIR
GUESTS HAVE BROUGHT THE CORRECT SUPPLIES FOR THE RITE.
THEY SHOULD CHECK THAT ALL THAT IS NEEDED FOR THE RITUAL IS PRESENT ON THE ALTAR & THAT THE TEMPLE CANDLE IS LIT BEFORE PRIEST & PRIESTESS ENTER CIRCLE.
AT INITIATION RITES THEY MAKE SURE THE COVEN BOOK IS SIGNED BY PRIEST /ESS,
SPONSOR, & INITIATE.
THE TOAST FOR EACH FESTIVAL & RITE IS HANDED TO THE PRIEST WHEN ALL ARE
SEATED AT THE TABLE BY GUARDIANS WHO THEN SEAT THEMSELVES.
THE GUARDIANS MUST SEE TO IT THAT THE TEMPLE CANDLE IS NEVER LEFT ALONE ONCE
IT IS LIT.
THE GUARDIANS ARE THE PROTECTORS OF THE COVEN BOOK OF SHADOWS & THE
INITIATION SWORD / OR DAGGER.
AT OUTSIDE RITUALS THE OUTER GUARDIAN ACTS AS LOOK OUT FOR DISTURBANCE OF THE
MUNDANE KIND.
THE ELDER CAN BE MALE OR FEMALE & THEIR DUTIES ARE TO OPEN & CLOSE COVEN
MEETINGS, GIVE LESSONS & NOTES, & SORT OUT ANY PERSONAL PROBLEMS OF COVEN
MEMBERS HE / SHE CHECKS THAT WORK IS UP TO DATE & APPLICATIONS FOR INITIATION
ARE GIVEN TO THEM. THEY ALSO CHECK THAT THE COVEN BOOK, BOOK OF SHADOWS,
PENTACLE & CAULDRON ARE WITHIN CIRCLE & THAT THE REGISTER IS SIGNED BY ALL.
THE ELDER REPRESENTS SPIRIT THE 5th ELEMENT.
THE PRIEST & PRIESTESS ARE THERE TO REPRESENT GOD /DESS, INVOKE, SPEAK FOR
THE GODS & CHANNEL & DIRECT ENERGY WITHIN CIRCLE.
THE DUTIES OF AIR.
THEY CHECK THAT MATCHES, INCENSE, CHARCOAL, BURNER, OIL & WAND ARE PRESENT
BEFORE RITE.
DURING SILENT CALL, THEY FACE EAST DO CORRECT CALL & DO BANISHING OR INVOKING
PENTACLES IF NEEDED IN RITE.
CANDLES ARE OILED BEFORE RITUAL BY THIS SPOKESPERSON IF NEEDED IN THE RITE.
THEY LIGHT INCENSE & KEEP WATCH TO SEE IF IT NEEDS ANY REPLACING DURING THE
RITUAL.
THEY HAND THE WAND TO PRIEST /ESS IF NEEDED DURING RITE.
THEY CARRY INCENSE DURING RITUAL CLEANSING OF HOUSE & RITUAL AREA.
THEY SENSE BATHROOM BEFORE RITUAL BATH.[ NEOPHYTE.]
& PLACE OIL IN THE BATH.
THEY BLESS INCENSE SMOKE AFTER LIGHTING & EACH TIME IT IS RENEWED.
THEY WALK INCENSE AROUND THE CIRCLE IN CERTAIN RITES & TAKE OUT THE ASHES
WHEN OFFERING IS DONE AFTER RITE BY CASTING IT TO THE WINDS WITH THANKS. THEY
SENSE THE ROBE, CORD ETC. OF ASPIRANT BEFORE INITIATION.
THE DUTIES OF FIRE.
DURING THE SILENT CALL THEY FACE SOUTH & DO CORRECT CALL.
THEY MAKE BOTH BANISHING OR INVOKING PENTACLES IF NEEDED IN RITE. THEY CHECK
THAT THERE ARE THE FOLLOWING PRESENT BEFORE RITE ATHAME, INITIATION SWORD /
DAGGER IF NEEDED, TAPER, MATCHES, SNUFFER & THAT THE CORRECT AMOUNT OF
CANDLES ARE PRESENT FOR RITE. THEY LIGHT ANY CANDLES ACCORDING TO RITE &
BLESS THE FLAMES. THEY RE-LIGHT ANY CANDLES THAT GO OUT OR NEED REPLACING.
THEY SNUFF OUT THE CANDLES AFTER RITE. THEY PASS, ATHAME, INITIATION SWORD /
DAGGER, TAPER TO PRIEST /ESS DURING RITE.
THEY CARRY CANDLE DURING RITUAL CLEANSING OF HOUSE OR CIRCLE AREA. THEY PLACE
CANDLE IN BATHROOM, LIGHT IT & BLESS FLAME FOR INITIATION BATH.
THEY TAKE OUT ALE / WINE / JUICE FOR OFFERING AFTER RITE,
THEY PASS ROBES ETC. HIGH OVER FLAMES OR THROUGH IT IF FIRE PROOF TO PURIFY
BEFORE INITIATION.
THE DUTIES OF WATER.
DURING THE SILENT CALL THEY FACE WEST & DO CORRECT CALL.
THEY DO BANISHING OR INVOKING PENTACLES IF NEEDED FOR RITE.
THEY CHECK THAT THE FOLLOWING ARE PRESENT ON THE ALTAR: WATER, BELL & ANY
DIVINATION TOOL NEEDED FOR RITE.
THEY BLESS BELL & WATER BEFORE RITE. THEY SPRINKLE WATER AROUND CIRCLE IF IN
RITE. THEY SPRINKLE WATER DURING RITUAL CLEANSING OF HOUSE OR RITUAL AREA.
THEY RUN THE BATH FOR THE NEOPHYTE RITUAL BATH & BLESS IT. THEY RING THE BELL
DURING RITUAL. THEY TAKE OUT THE WATER AS AN OFFERING AFTER RITE. THEY HAND
OUT TAROT CARDS IF IN RITE. THEY SPRINKLE BLESSED WATER ON THE ROBE & CORD
ETC. FOR INITIATION.
THE DUTIES OF EARTH.
DURING SILENT CALL THEY FACE NORTH & DO CORRECT CALL.
THEY DO BANISHING OR INVOKING PENTACLE IF NEEDED IN RITE.
THEY CHECK TO SEE THAT THE FOLLOWING IS ON THE ALTAR: SALT, CAKES & ALE,
FLOWERS, CRYSTALS GOD / DESS STATUES, BUTTERFLY, SNAKE, DRAGON SYMBOLS,
SCARABS, PETALS, GRAIN, ACORNS, PUMPKINS, BEANS LEAVES, PAPER, PENS, TOKENS
ETC. ACCORDING TO RITE. IF SOIL IS NEEDED IN THE CAULDRON , THEY BLESS IT
BEFORE RITE. IF FRUIT IS NEEDED THEY BLESS IT & PASS IT AROUND. THE CRYSTALS
USED IN THE RITE ARE CLEANSED BEFORE THE NEXT RITUAL. IF HERBS OR FLOWERS
ARE NEEDED FOR RITE THEY ARE PASSED AROUND BY EARTH. THEY PLACE THE SALT &
HERBS IN THE RITUAL BATH. THEY SPRINKLE THE SALT AROUND THE CIRCLE & IN THE
RITUAL CLEANSING OF HOUSE & RITUAL AREA.. THEY TAKE OUT CAKES, FRUIT ETC. FOR
OFFERING AFTER RITE. THEY HAND OUT ANY MATERIAL OBJECTS DURING RITE SUCH AS
PENS, PAPER, THREAD ETC. DURING CLEANSING OF THE ROBE, CORD ETC. THEY BLESS
THE SALT & SPRINKLE OVER THE OBJECTS TO BE CLEANSED.
AT THE ESBAT AFTER SAMHAINE THESE OFFICERS ARE USUALLY SWORN IN, WITH THE
EXCEPTION OF PRIEST & PRIESTESS WHO CHOOSE STAND INS FOR THEMSELVES IN CASE
OF ILLNESS, THESE PEOPLE ARE CHOSEN FROM THOSE WHO ARE IN OR PASSED THE 3rd
DEGREE.. THE PRIEST & PRIESTESS MAY STAND DOWN AT ANY POINT OF THE YEAR &
THEIR STAND- INS WILL TAKE OVER, THE OTHER OFFICES ARE FOR A YEAR & A DAY. A
SPONSOR AT INITIATION, HAND FASTING ETC. CAN BE ANY COVEN MEMBER WHO
VOLUNTEERS TO BE SO.
BLESSED BE