+++Adeptus Ministronum+++

The Emperor is a being of god-like powers. Indeed, it is common for citizens of the Imperium to honour their Emperor as a god, especially upon primitive or degenerate planets. This deification of the Emperor is not officially recognised but is accepted and even encouraged within the Adeptus Terra. The Emperor, for his part, suffers from no illusion about his humanity and sees himself only as the first servant of mankind. However, even those who work close to the Emperor, members of the Adeptus Custodes and the Adeptus Mechanicus, are riddled by superstition and fervour. This has led to a general acceptance of the Emperor's deification, and the establishment of the Imperial Cult. the cult was envisaged as a means of reinforcing loyaly amongst primitives, feral worlds and the uneducated levels of society. However, over the centuries the cult has become more generally accepted and even its administrators have become 'believers'.

The cult organisation, sometimes known as the Adeptus Ministorum, is a division of the Administratum. The 'Ministry' is run by the Holy Synod of Terra whose members all hold the rank of Cardinal. The chief, known as the Ecclesiarch, is elected from amongst their number by the Synod. The organisation is also known as the Ecclesiarchy for this reason. Although technically subordinate to the Master of the Administratum, the Ecclesiarch is extremely influential and is almost invariably included amongst the High Lords of Terra as an Administratum representative. The working priests of the Ecclesiarchy are fully initiated members of the Imperial Cult known as Preachers. Senior Preachers may be placed in charge of a Mission of up to several hundred Preachers and despatched to spread the word amongst unenlightened worlds. The principal tenets of the Imperial Cult are the persection of mutants, the abhorrance of aliens and the worship of both the Emperor and Imperial ideals. By increasing the awareness of these dangers, albeit in a relatively unsophisticated way, the Adeptus Ministorum makes the job of the Inquisition that much easier. However, missionaries do sometimes come into conflict with Inquisitors as their fields of responsibility overlap.

Trained Preachers administer the rites of the Imperial Cult to devotees all over the Imperium. The army, navy, and all branches of the Adeptus Terra have Preachers within their ranks. As well as common Preachers there are special officers empowered to cunduct the most important Cult rites. The most common of these are the Confessors. Confessors are highly experienced individuals whose success as Preachers has led to their elevation to Confessors. They travel from planet-to-planet, spreading the faith and holding evangelical rallies. New cult recruits are encouraged to 'confess' personal mutations as well as mutations or strange behaviour amongst their friends and relatives. Confession is not necessarily good for the soul... but it does help the process of mutant control which is vital to the future of humanity.