Parish Priest

Biodata

Position and Hierarchy

• An office, not a fixed clerical rank: Cordou’s Parish Priest is a fifth-rank Subdeacon, rather than a sixth-rank Pastor or Priest. Subdeacons can preside over rural churches on behalf of true Pastors 44.
• Not proof of Beyonder status: The sixth rank and above constitute the major orders, whose members are very likely to possess supernatural abilities. Aurora states that Guillaume Béné has never received the Church’s blessing despite his desire for supernatural power 35 44.
• Local staffing: Cordou’s church has a Parish Priest, a deputy drawn from the fourth clerical rank, and several servants who handle miscellaneous tasks 44.

Relevant Clerical Ranks

Duties and Responsibilities

• Folk celebrations are distinct from Church ceremonies: Guillaume initially does not participate in the Lent Festival celebration because it is a traditional folk event without an official “Praise the Sun” ceremony. Administrator Beaost presides instead 31.
• Responsibility to the patron saint: Saint Sies is the Eternal Blazing Sun Church’s patron saint in the Dalege Region. Guillaume’s affair inside the church is described as a grave insult to that saint 18.

Local Authority

Guillaume Béné’s position gives him substantial influence in Cordou. Villagers hesitate to discuss him openly, and Ava considers him the village’s most respected person. His authority is reinforced by his local birth, relatives, followers, and relationship with the administrator 2 8 31.

Guillaume argues that the Church appoints locals because their existing connections make villages easier to govern. He combines intimidation with protection for supporters and expects his superiors to retain confidence in him unless investigators obtain sufficient evidence of wrongdoing 12.

• Abuse of office: Accusations against Guillaume include taking money from the faithful’s offerings, maintaining several mistresses, and bullying villagers 8.
• Protection from local law: Guillaume believes administrator and territorial judge Beaost will prevent a beating from becoming a serious legal matter, unless their interests come into conflict 8.
• Church oversight: Lumian expects harm to the Parish Priest to draw an investigation from the regional Church and its Inquisition. He instead considers exposing a scandal that could lead to Guillaume’s transfer to a monastery 12.

Documented Officeholders and Staff

• Guillaume Béné — Cordou’s Parish Priest and a fifth-rank Subdeacon, one promotion below a true Pastor 2 44.
• Michel Garigu — Deputy Parish Priest, also described as assistant Parish Priest. A graduate of Bigos Theological Seminary from Dalege, he was assigned by the Bishop the previous year. Guillaume sidelines him, leaving him principally responsible for parish records 44 50.
• Unnamed historical parish priest — The priest in Naroka’s Warlock account confiscated the Warlock’s valuables, burned his house, and performed the purification associated with the disposal of his remains 7.

Story Role