Hieronymous

Not to be confused with Hieronymus Delta.

Cardinal Hieronymous was a senior member and spokesperson of the Church of the Eternal Void, a fringe religion that formed in 3304 and worshipped the Guardians. Hieronymous and other church leaders were arrested by local authorities in July 3304 after inciting a holy war against the pacifist Far God cult, and the Church of the Eternal Void was banned.

Timeline

26 JUL 3304

• The Church of Eternal Void, a fringe group that venerates the Guardians, has been declared illegal in every system where it operates. Cardinal Hieronymous and other senior members of the Church have been arrested for inciting acts of violence against the so-called 'Far God' sect, which worships the Thargoids. The death toll among the Far God sect is now in the hundreds, with many more injured. Councillor Quinn Damico praised the declaration: "All citizens have the freedom to practise any religion they choose, provided that religion does not sanction homicide. Authorities have made the right move to prevent further bloodshed." The decision was condemned by Juanita Bishop, who runs a campaign against the Far God sect: "So the sick Thargoid-lovers can walk free, while those with the courage to oppose them are put behind bars. It's the traitors who worship the enemy that should be illegal! This perversion of justice will backfire on us, mark my words." Dr Jameelah Griffin of the Galactic Interfaith Commune made this statement: "The ability to distinguish between laws and beliefs is the mark of a civilised society. In this case we consider the Far God sect to be the victim rather than the aggressor, despite the controversial nature of their faith."

19 JUL 3304

• There has been a spate of violence against the Thargoid-worshipping Far God cult, resulting in dozens of deaths and hundreds of injuries. Since the Church of Eternal Void declared war against the sect, its members have compelled citizens to attack Far God believers in many systems. Several of the sect's places of worship have been firebombed. The Far God cultists have offered no resistance to the aggression, and have even refused to leave burning hive-chapels. Cardinal Hieronymous, representing the Church of Eternal Void, addressed a large crowd: "Our loyal followers are performing the Guardians' righteous work! Those who serve the Thargoid demons are demons themselves, and we must cast them out with fire and fury." A vocal campaigner against the Far God sect, Juanita Bishop, told the media: "It might not be pretty, but what's happening now is no different to what our brave pilots are doing out there in space – defending their own kind. We will do whatever it takes to protect our children from these monsters." Local security forces have been slow to respond to the incidents, and few arrests have been made. Councillor Quinn Damico commented: "The lack of an immediate clampdown is inexcusable. The Church is inciting criminal acts and persecuting a legally registered religion. I call upon the authorities to bring the full force of the law against any vigilante behaviour."

11 JUL 3304

• The Church of Eternal Void has denounced the so-called Far God cult, which worships the Thargoids. A spokesperson identified as Cardinal Hieronymous made this statement: "As disciples of the Guardians, we hereby declare war on those who have sold their souls to the Thargoid demons. We vow to expunge their poisonous creed and purge them from the galaxy." Since this statement was made, the Church has seen a dramatic upswing in support from local communities. Juanita Bishop, who has been campaigning against the Far God sect, commented: "It's about time somebody did something! The public need to get behind the Church and help them get these alien-lovers off our streets." Security forces in many systems have issued reminders that the Far God sect is legally recognised as a religion, and that any hostility against its members will be considered a criminal act. Dr Alfred Ulyanov, a leading exotheologian, discussed the situation on the Rewired news feed: "A number of doomsayer cults have emerged recently, including Homo Terminus, Nova Imperium and the Order of Extinction. But of all those I've studied, the Church of Eternal Void differs in one key respect – it offers hope. They claim that veneration of the Guardians will prevent Thargoid Armageddon, which is probably why they're the most popular, being based on a classic binary theology of good versus evil. It's apparent that the Church is taking advantage of animosity towards the Far God sect to promote itself. The idea of Thargoid spies in human form, although baseless, has caused much anxiety. By declaring the Cult a holy adversary, the Church validates its own existence."