The Elevatio
Latin for "raising up."
A dedication for the father, or mentor, and the company of men. They formally commit to affirming this boy on his way to manhood, with vows, ritual and the lifting up of the boy onto the shoulders of the men.
Rites of passage
Mark the day he becomes a man.
Ritual and ceremony to affirm your son and mark his passage into manhood, led by you and a company of men who have walked the road before him.
How it started
It started with a group of men going to the mountains with their sons, once a year, for twenty years. Competitions, fellowship, fun. But it lacked intention. There was more that could be done than eating, competing and meeting, so we added a ceremony to mark a boy's journey into manhood.
“I watched father after father and son after son weep together as stories were shared, character traits affirmed, and blessings were spoken over boys who ‘became’ men that night.”
The younger boys sat in the cold and dark, watching every year, enamored by what they saw and heard. It inspired them in a way they didn't understand, because it's a longing in every boy. That is the power of a rite of passage.
Every culture marked it
Ours stopped. The boys didn't stop needing it.
From ancient tribes to medieval knighthood to the bar mitzvah, cultures have walked boys into manhood the same way, guided by men who had made the journey themselves.
1. Separation
He is set apart from his old life. Part of the old self is put away as he prepares for a new identity.
2. Transition
Between two worlds. Men who have gone before him teach him what it means to be a man, and he is tested to show he is ready.
3. Re-incorporation
Having passed the tests, he is welcomed back, and his community recognizes and honors him as a man.
Three ceremonies
From boyhood to the company of men.
Treign Up marks the journey with three ceremonies. Our retreats and gatherings all work toward them.
Ceremony of the Scroll
He starts to own the journey.
The boy takes an active role in his own quest for manhood. He takes vows that are sealed in a scroll, and he keeps it until his Manhood Ceremony, when the seal is broken, the vows reviewed, and the scroll burned. It is where he begins to put away childish things.
The Manhood Ceremony
The journey, completed.
The pinnacle. Everything he has walked through is recognized, and he is formally accepted into the company of men, with testimonies, gifts and ritual.
Why the words matter
“The tongue has the power of life and death.”Proverbs 18:21
A father's blessing, spoken out loud in front of men who matter to his son, is one of the most powerful words a boy will ever hear. Every ceremony is built around it: affirming who he is, and who God is calling him to be.
Where you can start
The Tournament · Saturday nightThe Affirmation and Blessing CeremonyFathers speak over their sons in front of a company of men.
Tabernacle · Sunday morningThe Blessing CeremonyEvery father lays hands on his son and speaks truth over him.
Coaching with BenBuild a rite-of-passage planMap out the milestones and ceremonies for your own son.
Want this for your son?
Whether you want to plan a ceremony for your son, bring one to your church, or gather a few dads to do it together, reach out. Ben will get back to you personally.
Keep reading: Rites of Passage · Blessings · Affirmation