Shrine World

Cardinal worlds and Shrine worlds[]

Cardinal worlds are planets ruled directly by the Ecclesiarchy and are completely dedicated to the worship of the Immortal Emperor according to the tenets of the Cult Imperialis, with sanctuaries potentially covering entire continents. Aside from being a center of the Ecclesiarchy's power and a destination for countless pilgrims, they also serve as a base of operations for many orders of the Adepta Sororitas. One example is Ophelia VII, whose spiritual significance is second only to that of Holy Terra.

Shrine worlds are worlds that are heavily focused on the worship of one or more Imperial Saints. A shrine world can also be considered to fall into another category, for example Hagia is an agri world while Herodor is a hive world. They will have a strong relationship with the saint in question, such as being the world of his/her birth or death or the site of a major miracle.

Notable Shrine worlds include: Hagia (birthplace of Saint Sabbat) and Herodor (where Saint Sabbat rested while recovering from battle).