Wangzaah Night
Wangzaah Night is a traditional ceremony held on December 23, which is considered the official Wangzaah holiday in Orthodox Wangism.
Not much is known about the Wangzaah Night festivities. The actual ceremony isn't so much shrouded in secrecy as Wangites are not particularly interested in discussing administrative details. Wangites usually state that they have an enjoyable time and get to catch up with others.
The communion ceremony traditionally uses waffle fries and kompot. However, in 1853, the Holy Ingemodh Mother of Wang Cathedral removed the waffle fries and kompot requirement after Bishop Snedlditetikasi wrote a very lovely letter to the editor recommending alteration.
The text of the letter, published in The Wangite Quarterly reads:
- Dear Editor,
- I quite enjoy our annual Wangzaah Night traditions. However, I think it may be prudent to rethink waffle fries and kompot as a required element. Many of our church members are not particularly fond of waffle fries and do not look forward to the ceremony. A few of our church members are on restricted diets and are unable to partake in the kompot for their own health. Even aside from those issues, it seems to be a bit rude to restrict the ceremony to just those two items. What if a participant prefers seltzer water or steamed buns? As Wangites, we want to accommodate all of our church members's needs. I believe allowing more freedom of cuisine will better help us reach our community. Perhaps the Wangzaah Night ceremony could have an assortment of food and drink to accommodate everyone's individual preferences and dietary requirements.
- Bishop Snedlditetikasi
- Denmark
Snedlditetikasi's letter was widely praised as being sensible and compassionate. The Holy Ingemodh Mother of Wang Cathedral immediately realized their mistake, issued a formal apology, and removed the waffle fries and kompot communion requirements in 1853.
The Holy Ingemodh Mother of Wang Cathedral's formal apology, as published in the Wangite Quarterly in 1853:
- Dear Wangite Community
- We at the Holy Ingemodh Mother of Wang Cathedral sincerely apologize and ask your forgiveness for our grave error. In our misguided attempt to adhere to tradition over the needs of the people whom we serve, we put vulnerable members of our community at risk. No individual should be forced to consume foods that they dislike, especially at such a significant event as communion. No individual should be forced to choose between being shut out of the community or inducing potential illness for the sake of tradition. Instead of Wangzaah Night being a time of joy for all, we have turned it into a time of dread. Excluding people from our community celebrations for simply having a different biology is unethical and indefensible.
- As such, we have immediately removed the waffle fries and kompot requirement for Wangzaah Night communion. We strongly declare that from now on, followers may use whatever food and beverages they wish when taking part of communion. No person nor entity, not even Wang Sorenson himself, shall deny anyone this right and neither document nor decree from henceforth until the end of time shall alter this fact. Of course, as per Wang himself, followers should use their best judgement and not consume fellow sentient beings unless permission was previously granted in writing, notarized, and filed with their local chapel.
- Bishop Rosales
- Wangite Archivist
The Holy Ingemodh Mother of Wang Cathedral also distributed an updated Wangzaah Night booklet, recommending that future Wangzaah Night ceremonies have an assortment of hors d'oeuvres so all attending members can enjoy themselves. The booklet also contained recipes and dietary substitution information to assist organizers in meeting the dietary needs of their congregations.
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