Church and State

Cylea is, by a tremendous margin, the most devout nation in the region. Roughly a fifth of the national budget ultimately finds its way to theological causes (social safety nets are substantially government-funded but largely administered by faith-based ministries), and sincere daily prayer is woven into the fabric of public life. Agnosticism, while by no means unheard of, tends to be legitimately open-minded; explicit atheism is culturally scorned and marks one as unworthy of public trust. Over 90 percent of the population reports an affirmative belief in God.

There is, officially, no state religion. But the Catholic Church enjoys a historical advantage due to its role in the nation's founding (and famously defying the Ewingites during the Civil War), so though it is legally a mere primus inter pares alongside the other Abrahamic denominations and religions, any neutral observer will acknowledge its cultural primacy today. The Archbishop of Oremus traditionally serves as the Chancellor's spiritual advisor, various other bishoprics are members of the Senate by virtue of their holy office, and of course, over two-thirds of the population is Catholic, with a weekly Mass attendance rate exceeding 80 percent. It is small wonder that only one of the last dozen Chancellors has professed any other religion, and he entered the Church two years into office!