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Click here for Wookieepedia's article on the Canon version of this subject.  This article covers the Legends version of this subject. 

"For every sin there is an equal and positive retribution."
―Saying from the Holy-Book of the Sacred Way[1]

The Sacred Way was a religion that was active in the galaxy during the era of the Galactic Civil War. Among the Sacred Way's core beliefs, outlined in its Holy-Book, were the value of the soul of organic beings and the idea that every sin was met with retribution. Followers of the Way settled the planet Aduba-3 and set up an agrarian society there—when offworlders began to flock to the world, the Way was represented in the spaceport of Tun Aduban by the Verpine priest known only as "Pera." Notable Followers of the Way included Imperial Grand Admiral Peccati Syn, who was raised in the religion before it was outlawed on his homeworld.

Practices and beliefs[]

"Half human… half mechanical droid. Yet the man half of him had a soul… or so my faith believes."
―"Pera"[1]
Sacredwayburial

"Pera" performs a Sacred Way burial ritual, with Han Solo and Chewbacca as spectators.

The Sacred Way drew its teachings from its Holy-Book, a text that contained teachings on sin, the nature of the soul and other musings. The Sacred Way had priests, who oversaw church operations from missions on planets with a Sacred Way presence.[1] These missionaries were tasked with finding converts in their communities, but were noted by locals as not being overzealous in pushing their faith.[2] Those priests wore lavender robes and oversaw the burial of the dead. This extended to deceased cyborgs, which often proved highly controversial on worlds with a large anti-cyborg sentiment. Sacred Way burial rites involved an eerie, chirp-like chanting to the gods of space, along with the burning of incense.[1]

Although cyborgs were only partially organic, Sacred Way priests believed that the organic part had a soul and thus deserved a proper burial. According to Sacred Way belief, the belongings that a person had upon them at the time of their death belonged to the one that buried them. Although Sacred Way priests were capable of defending themselves, they generally detested violence, believing that it only led to more violence. This tied in with the religion's concept of sin, as it was written in its Holy-Book that every sin was met with equal retribution.[1] The Sacred Way also had the concept of an afterlife, which promised glories to the religion's believers.[3] Adherents to the Sacred Way were referred to as Followers of the Way.[2]

History[]

"Begone, defilers of the Sacred Way!"
―"Pera"[1]

Centuries after the New Sith Wars, a group of Followers of the Way, searching for a quiet retreat, settled the Outer Rim world of Aduba-3. The Followers set up small agrarian communities governed in accordance with their religious tenets, surviving almost entirely on maze-stalk. When a chromium rush resulted in Aduba-3 being flooded with offworlders, the Sacred Way responded by setting up a mission in the newer Spaceport of Tun Aduban. By 0 ABY, the outpost was headed by a[1] Verpine[2] priest referred to as "Pera."[1] Although religion was more or less abolished on some worlds after the rise of the Galactic Empire—leading one young former Sacred Way follower, Peccati Syn, to join the Imperial Navy and eventually become a Grand Admiral—Pera continued to practice in Tun Aduban throughout the Galactic Civil War.[3]

Among other duties, Pera oversaw the burial of former pilots on Spacer's Hill outside of town, according to local tradition.[1] Although he was generally well respected by the locals,[2] Pera's sometimes ran Pera into trouble with spacers, who detested cyborgs and refused to allow them to be laid to rest with their fellow pilots.[1] Although one dispute in 0 ABY turned violent, passing smugglers Han Solo and Chewbacca backed Pera up and helped him perform the burial rite.[1] In the years to come, legend spread that the religion's founder had established a monument on Hoogon Two, which became a destination for a group of Sacred Way pilgrims. The travelers managed to book passage to Hoogon Two with spacers Khedryn Faal and Marr Idi-Shael, only to discover to their crushing disappointment that the monument did not exist.[4]

Behind the scenes[]

The Sacred Way was introduced in Star Wars (1977) 7, written by Roy Thomas and Howard Chaykin and released in 1977.[1] Over twenty years later, additional information on the religion was given in The Starhoppers of Aduba-3, which appeared in the magazine Star Wars Gamer 4.[2]

Appearances[]

Sources[]

Notes and references[]

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