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From Warhammer 40k - Lexicanum
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==Overview==
[[Image:Black templars chaplain by andrea uderzo.JPG|thumb|250px|right|A Chaplain from the [[Black Templars]]]]
Each Chapter has its own unique cult, which is often thousands of years old. As these cults often predate the rise of the [[Ecclesiarchy]] and the general worship of the [[Emperor]], the Chapter cults are not simply facets of the common Imperial cult of the Ecclesiarchy. The Ecclesiarchy and its parishioners (its lay followers) worship the Emperor as the most divine god. Although the reverence Space Marines have for the Emperor borders on actual worship, he is supposedly not seen as an actual god by some, but as a brilliant and inspirational man. As in all things, this view of the Emperor's divine status or lack thereof varies from Chapter to Chapter. The Space Marine cults are more ancient than the cult of the Ecclesiarchy, and their specific practices often primitive and barbaric. The chapter's own Primarch is also a major part of the Chapter's specific cult, revered as much as the Emperor.
A formal sign of entente between the differing interpretations is that of the [[rosarius]]. A rosarius is a holy symbol, taking the form of a necklace, amulet or brooch which often displays the Imperial Eagle or the Terminator cross, or other shapes to suit the particular devotional qualities of the [[Chapter]] concerned (for example, the [[Space Wolves]] and their wolf iconography). Gifted to Space Marine Chaplains by the Ecclesiarchy, this blessing represents the brotherhood of the Imperial Faith and formally marks the continuance of religious concord between the two groups. In practice, the link between the organisations remains rather tenuous.
