{"id":1158,"date":"2022-03-18T11:19:00","date_gmt":"2022-03-18T09:19:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/support.centreforelites.com\/priesthood-in-african-society\/"},"modified":"2024-03-15T01:00:35","modified_gmt":"2024-03-14T23:00:35","slug":"priesthood-in-african-society","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/support.centreforelites.com\/en\/priesthood-in-african-society\/","title":{"rendered":"How Was Priesthood in African Society?"},"content":{"rendered":"

 The priest is the mediator between man and the gods (God). These are ministers in the temples, shrines<\/a>, sacred groves and other religious centres. He may be set apart from birth or called to the service of the god. Both men and women are eligible. There are two types of priests among the people; the lay priest and professional priest. The lay priest is the family head. He officiates at the domestic ancestral shrine. They consult the ancestors on behalf of the family or clan. Hence they link the living and the dead together. Priesthood in this category passes on to the most senior person in the family.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Priesthood<\/a><\/div>\n

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The professional priest is concerned with the cult of divinities. He succeeds the older priest at death or if the divinity chooses him as the next priest. This period of tutelage may last for several years. While in training, he undertakes series of training in cult knowledge and performance of public rituals. He is also subjected to strict taboos. He needs to be caste, ascetic and abstain from certain foods and clothes. He is usually clothed in white. Where priesthood is non-hereditary, the priest-elect is singled out with signs which indicate that the divinity has elected him as a potential priest. This may involve his disappearance for seven days without being able to give a coherent explanation for it.<\/o:p><\/span><\/p>\n

After this, a diviner would be consulted for confirmation after which he would be installed. There is also the concept of the divine ruler. The king is considered a divine ruler; hence, he is considered the deputy of the gods on earth. As a result, the king is usually given his staff of office as of that status. It is with the staff that he performs his priestly duty. He leads in rituals and ceremonies that involve the whole community. He is the priest of the community.<\/o:p><\/span><\/p>\n

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