- "May the Warrior grant him courage and protect him in these dark times. May the Smith grant him strength, that he might bear this heavy burden. And may the Crone, she that knows the fate of all men, show him the path he must walk and guide him through the dark places that lie ahead."
- ―High Septon[src]
TheSeven,[1] also known as theGod of Seven,[2] theSeven Above,[3] theseven new gods,[4] or simply thenew gods,[5] is the deity of theFaith of the Seven, the dominant religion of theSeven Kingdoms.
The Seven-in-One God[]
Though the Faith teaches that there is a single deity, it has seven "aspects" or "faces". For this reason, the deity is often referred to as the "Seven-faced God". In practice, many devotees will refer to the aspects as "Gods" plural, though priests of the Faith will attempt to stress the theological nuance to their followers that there is indeed only one God, the "Seven-in-One" deity. This has not stopped the commonly heard exclamation "Gods be good!" from being used pervasively throughout the Seven Kingdoms. The Seven are referred to as "the New Gods" or "New God" to distinguish them from theOld Gods worshiped by theFirst Men.[2]
According to tradition, the Seven manifested themselves to theAndals, the inhabitants of theHills of Andalos in the continent ofEssos, six thousand years before theWar of the Five Kings. Soon after, thecoming of the Andals occurred.[2]
Aspects[]
Each of the Seven aspects symbolizes a different part of life and are prayed to for different purposes. They are known as the Father, the Mother, the Maiden, the Crone, the Warrior, the Smith, and the Stranger.
Statues of the Seven in theGreat Sept of Baelor. From left to right: theCrone (holding a lantern), theWarrior (holding swords), theMother (with open arms of mercy), theFather (holding scales of justice), theMaiden (a nude young woman), theSmith (at lower right facing away from the camera, but visibly holding a blacksmith's hammer), and theStranger (at lower left, not clearly visible; the Stranger represents death and the unknown, so his statue faces away from the room, towards the wall).
The Father[]
TheFather represents divine justice, and judges the souls of the dead.
The Mother[]
TheMother represents mercy, peace, fertility, and childbirth. She is sometimes referred to as "the strength of women". Apart from human fertility, she also blesses crops with bountiful harvests.
TheMother's hymn is dedicated to Her praise.
The Maiden[]
TheMaiden represents purity, innocence, love, and beauty. She protects the chastity of virgins, as well as protecting the innocent in general.
The Crone[]
TheCrone represents wisdom and foresight. She is represented carrying a lantern. Sometimes She is depicted as blindfolded.
The Warrior[]
TheWarrior represents strength and courage in battle.
The Smith[]
TheSmith represents creation and craftsmanship. Grants workers the strength to continue their labors.
The Stranger[]
TheStranger represents death and the unknown. It is rarely prayed to.
The Stranger is served by an all-female monastic order, theSilent Sisters, who are tasked with preparing the bodies of the dead for funerals.
The Stranger is depicted as neither male nor female, thus the number of male and female aspects within the godhead is equal: three males (Father, Warrior, Smith), three females (Maiden, Mother, Crone), and one who is neither.
Unlike the other aspects which are represented as human figures in artwork, because the Stranger represents the unknown it is often portrayed in a wide variety of forms, often frightening. Sometimes it is represented as a skeletal figure, or a non-human creature possessing various animalistic features.
Because the Stranger represents both death and the unknown, it is also often depicted (in paintings or statues) as facingaway from the viewer, so its face cannot be seen. The statue of the Stranger in the Great Sept of Baelor is faced towards the wall behind it, away from the room. This statue depicts the Stranger as a gaunt figure, holding a scythe. The Stranger can also be depicted with its hair hanging down over the front of its head instead of the back, obscuring its face.
Quotes[]
- "The Seven is a single deity with seven aspects, each representing a different area of life. But most people refer to the Seven as separate gods."
- ―Bran Stark[src]
- Farmer: "We ask the Father to judge us with mercy, accepting our human frailty. We ask the Mother to bless our crops, so that we may feed ourselves and all who come to our door. We ask the Warrior to give us courage, in these days of strife and turmoil. We ask the Maiden to protect Sally's virtue, to keep her from the clutches of depravity. We ask the Smith to strengthen our hands and our backs so we may finish the work required of us. We ask the Crone to guide us on our journey from darkness to darkness."
- Sandor Clegane: "-and we ask the Stranger not to kill us in our beds tonight for no damn reason at all!"
- — ARiverlands farmer prays before eating dinner (and Sandor Clegane interrupts at the end).[src]
- "May the Warrior grant him courage, and protect him in these perilous times. May the Smith grant him strength, that he might bear this heavy burden. And may the Crone, She that knows the fate of all men, show him the path he must walk, and guide him through the dark places that lie ahead. In the light of the Seven, I now proclaim Tommen of the House Baratheon, First of His Name, King of the Andals and the First Men, and Lord of the Seven Kingdoms. Long may he reign!"
- ―TheHigh Septon blessesTommen Baratheon at his coronation.[src]
Gallery[]
References[]
- ↑Game of Thrones:Season 1, Episode 2: "The Kingsroad" (2011).
- ↑2.02.12.2Histories & Lore:Season 1, Short 3: "The Old Gods and the New" (2012).
- ↑House of the Dragon:Season 1, Episode 9: "The Green Council" (2022).
- ↑Game of Thrones:Season 2, Episode 8: "The Prince of Winterfell" (2012).
- ↑Game of Thrones:Season 2, Episode 10: "Valar Morghulis" (2012).
External links[]
| The | |
| Clergy and orders | Faith Militant ·High Septon ·Most Devout ·Septa ·Septon ·Silent Sisters |
| Sects and offshoots | |
| and other places of note | Andalos ·Grand Sept ·Great Sept of Baelor ·Sept of Remembrance ·Starry Sept |
| Holy texts and documents | |
| Afterlives | |