Eressa Schism

Occuring during the Macharian Crusade, the Eressa Schism split the Ministorum in the sector in two opposing factions. After the death of Arch Cardinal Martin Thiet, Pontifex Urba Duilius Masson and the Cardinal's former Arch Deacon Dimar Wem contested over the succession of his rank. While Duilius had the support of the late Cardinal's supporters, Dimar headed those seeking to make significant changes in the sector. Underlying tensions would erupt into violent clashes that fueled the rise of the Preacher Temon Galene to popularity, who would eventually put his competitors out of office in a coup and assume the position of the cardinal himself.

Prelude
As the Macharian Crusade advanced towards the edge of the galaxy, the Missionarus Galaxia conveyed the Imperial Creed for the newly conquered worlds. Declared capitol world of the Eressa sector, Tirithond was conquered in 396.M41 and while its rather poor location was not realised at the time, many Imperial organisations settled on the planet. This applied to the Adeptus Ministorum as well, who established the sector synod of Eressa in 397.M41 on Tirithond by the dictate of Ecclesiarch Paulos XXII. Amongst the clergy that worked closely with the Lord Solar Macharius was the prominent Confessor Martin Thiet - known as the Agitator of Ascaln II and the Hero of Joodus VI - who would be appointed to take the first watch over Eressa and become its Arch Cardinal. As the world of Beyonne was conquered in the late years of 396.M41, Arch Cardinal Martin Thiet relocated his seat to Beyonne, claiming its central location served the Ministorum's efforts to convert the sector better. Arch Cardinal Thiet's right hand, Arch Deacon Dimar Wem stayed on Tirithond and took great interest into the Missionarus Galaxia's "Missionaria Erudia Eressa", a loosely formatted program to fold the whole sector in the Imperial Creed. The Diocese of Martin Thiet, the Tirithond Arch Diocese, encompassed the worlds of Tirithond, Prima Cajalax Maxia, Palavo and Beyonne.

Alienation
Over the course of the next years it became clear that the visions of Arch Cardinal Thiet and Arch Deacon Wem differed greatly. While Thiet was interested to enforce the tenets of Imperial Creed on worlds already embracing them, Wem instead sought and stressed to bring new worlds into the Imperial Temple. Arch Cardinal Thiet acknowledged problems caused by this division and Arch Deacon Wem was offered a position of a cardinal on Yaelea system after it was captured in 397.M41. Wem refused the offer, though, being more of a man of "heads than hearts" as he described himself. Consul Confessor Julianos Priestley, a man Wem trusted, was appointed to the position of Cardinal in the Yaelean Diocese instead. As the crusade headed towards what would become Ultima Macharia, the remaining worlds in Eressa were divided between the Cardinals astra in the Eressan Episcopal High Conclave of the Sector Synod. In total five cardinals were appointed, each assigned their own diocese. The Sector Synod's most powerful members, Thiet and Wem, divided it with their politics, throwing it into disarray and a consensus within the Eressan Episcopal High Conclave was never quite reached. Over the course of two years the figures of Adeptus Ministorum within the sector were divided into two camps and tension between them began to rise. The stalemate between the parties ended when the Arch Cardinal Martin Thietmar suddenly died in 400.M41, allegedly to stress and a bad heart. Tensions Erupt Martin Thiet and Dimar Wem were long-time associates and even if their politics varied greatly they held each others in high value. It was Arch Cardinal Thiet's wish that Arch Deacon Wem would become the next arch cardinal of the Tirithond Arch Diocese and thus the head of the Sector Synod. Supporters of the late arch cardinal however did not want to see the old arch deacon, whom they regarded as too worldly in his goals, ruling the Arch Diocese and instead wanted to elect Pontifex Urba Duilius Masson from Port Elys on Beyonne.

Soon, the struggle of the leaders would permeate to their basic followers and erupt into violent clashes. Churches and temples of opposing priests would be damaged, church-goers harassed or in extreme cases, killed. All the while, the fronts hardened, with neither side willing to budge as additional planets were drawn into the conflict.

Eventually, those tired of the extremists would gather under the leadership of Temon Galene, a simple preacher from the remote world Stahlrose. A skilled orator, Temon suggested that their prolonged struggle was not befitting of the Emperor's servants and damaged both the Sector and the image of the Ministorum. Instead, he demanded that a whole other man would be granted the position in order to bury past differences.

Resolution
Cardinal Vania Junker of Yaelea Diocese, formerly undecided and torn between whom to grant his loyalty, was the first to patronise the Stahlrosian Preacher Temon Galene. With the aid of Cardinal Junker Galene and a Sister of the Argent Shroud, Cordelia Sindy, Temon managed to easily travel to Beyonne, gathering a huge congegration of common folk believers along the way, where the schism was most open, and began to preach against the Eressa Episcopal High Conclave, right in front of the Ecclesiarchal Palace. Pontifex Urba Masson of Port Elys decided to stop the preacher to show his tenacity to both his opponents and supporters in the High Conclave. Masson's plan was however put to a halt by the massive mob that followed Preacher Galene on the streets of Port Elys. The mob captured Pontifex Urba Masson and his retinue and brought them to Galene who publicly shamed and humiliated the whole retinue and accused Masson of dealing with the criminals in Port Elys and leading a lavish life in his palace.

Defeated like this, Pontifex Masson lost the majority of his supporters and fled the city, while Temon and his followers occupied the Ecclesiarchal Palace. Attempts of the local authorities to forcefully remove them proved unsuccessful and instead, the Conclave turned to Arch Deacon Wem. Seeing how and why his competitor had failed, the arch deacon instead sought to use Galene's popularity for his own gain and travelled personally to Beyonne. Appearing before the preacher and his men, Wem confessed to his sin of craving power and swore repentance. He offered Galene the position as his new arch deacon should the preacher support Wem as the new arch cardinal.

The preacher refused, instead calling Wem out on his own sins, namely the inflammation of his followers to attack those of Pontifex Masson. The arch deacon was apprehended and imprisoned in the palace. Galene declared both candidates unfit and announced that he would take it upon himself to lead the sector's Ministorum back to the Emperor's light. Gathering his ever-growing congregation, he pilgrimaged to Tirithond, where he laid siege to the Cathedral of the Guiding Hand, the residence of the Eressan Episcopal High Conclave. For a whole month, Galene held masses and speeches in front of the gates of the Cathedral, drawing in even more listeners. Eventually persuaded by Cardinal Vania Junker, his peers opened the gates and granted Galene and the masses following him entry. The preacher wasted no time and declared himself the new Arch Cardinal of the Eressan Episcopal High Conclave, an act no one at the time dared to oppose. The Eressa Schism had come to an end, a new Cardinal had been appointed and the two factions pacified.

Aftermath
Arch Cardinal Telmon Galene I would reign for little more than two years before being found dead in his chambers. Officially, he had succumbed to a heart attack but in truth, Galene had been killed by his protector, Sister Cordelia Sindy, who had been replaced at by a Callidus Assassin at some point. The Synod on Terra had pursued the unfolding events in Eressa and decided to let Galene take care of the two opposing factions, only to rid themselves of him as well. Post mortem, he was enshrined in the Cathedral of the Guiding Hand to be forever venerated by his followers while his position would go to Arch Deacon Biron Zupan.