The Canonida is the foundational sacred text of Tethuricism, structured around the divine framework of Teu, the all-one god. Teu is understood through the Trine:
- Tesh – masculine, forceful, life-taking
- Ethura – feminine, nurturing, life-giving
- Uricus – ethereal, omnipresent, binding
These aspects are not separate gods, but coexistent forces braided into Teu’s unity. The Canonida exists to instruct, discipline, and align society with this divine balance.
Structure
The Canonida is divided into three "threads"—each representing one aspect of the Trine. No thread is complete without the others. The book is often printed in triple-column format, with verses from each thread appearing side by side.
The Thread of Iron (Tesh)
Force, justice, punishment, and order. The language is sharp and sparse, invoking obedience, sacrifice, and decisive action.
“A blade is not cruel for killing. It is cruel for waiting.” —Iron 3:12
The Thread of Silk (Ethura)
Healing, birth, nurturing, and unity. Its verses are lyrical and soft, offering guidance for care, forgiveness, and sacred cycles.
“Even the dead are warmed by touch. Even the broken remember the braid.” —Silk 9:3
The Thread of Mist (Uricus)
Spirit, vision, dream, and mystery. This thread is often cryptic—used in prophecy, meditation, and the deeper metaphysics of the Church.
“What binds is not thread, but the space between threads.” —Mist 1:1
Interpretation & Doctrine
The Jury of Bishops teaches that the Canonida describes the balance of the world itself—every storm, death, harvest, and birth is the Trine in motion. Worship is thus not simply adoration, but alignment.
Use in Society
Taught to children in Church-controlled schools. Quoted in legal trials, duels, executions, and marriages. Recited in triplicate at Braided Rites (birth, oath, death).
Priests are trained in braid-logic, the interpretive method of reading verses from all three Threads in context—never one in isolation. This method reinforces the Church’s core dogma: wholeness comes only from harmony.
Controversies
- The Unbraided Canon: A forbidden edition that elevates the Thread of Iron above the others—used by purist militias.
- The Saltflower Accords: A political attempt to merge Q’evrist beliefs into Tethuricism by canonizing Ethura-only teachings. Later revoked.