Order of Salvation

"Most of the people who live here worship the almighty Bhunivelze. The city is governed in his name by a powerful religious sect known as the Order of Salvation."

- Hope Estheim about the Order of Salvation. "Lift your voices in prayer, children of the light! Come gather ye to the final place! Pray to the savior, she heralds the end! Pray to God in all his great glory, for he builds a paradise anew!"

- The High Priestess of the Order of Salvation, announces the beginning of the end on the final day.

The Order of Salvation (救世院, Kyūsei'in?, lit. "Salvation Council") is a powerful religious organization based in the cathedral within the divine city of Luxerion and an antagonistic faction in Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII. The Order is a spiritual sect consisting of disciples led by a high priestess, charged with not only keeping the peace in Luxerion, but preaching the worship of its patron god Bhunivelze and teachings of salvation in the coming of a new world. They are at war within the Children of Etro, an opposing religious cult whom they sees as a heretical band of terrorists.

History
The Order was established in the aftermath of Nova Chrysalia's creation to keep the people from breaking down when Hope was abducted by Bhunivelze, restoring some sense of society in Luxerion. As followers of the God of Light, the Order preaches that carrying out Bhunivelze's will is the way for everyone to achieve salvation in the new world. They are brought under the impression that the dead are too impure to join them and act on Bhunivelze's beckoning to destroy the dead so they will not be burdened by their memories of them when they begin anew. This accumulates in the Soulsong, a ceremony that can only be performed on the world's final day by a sacrificial offering who can hear the dead.

13 years ago, taking her and Fang when they awoke from crystal stasis, the Order of Salvation learns that Vanille is the sacred one they need and keep her under their constant protection, hiding the full truth of the Soulsong from her. When Fang learned the part of the Soulsong that involves Vanille's death, she leaves for the Dead Dunes to find the clavis needed for the ritual.

As the world is set to end in thirteen days, Bhunivelze's chosen "Savior", Lightning, travels to Luxerion. She finds the city terrorized by the Children of Etro, who are killing pink-haired women who resemble her. Asked to investigate the murders by an Order inquisitor, Lightning falls under threat from the Children of Etro and is stalked by the "Shadow Hunter", who turns out to be Noel Kreiss. Lightning puts an end to the Children of Etro's murders and Vanille hears of her exploits in the city. Lightning gains access to the cathedral and reunites with Vanille, who is joined by Lumina. Vanille leads Lightning to a chamber underneath the cathedral called God's Sanctum, where millions of souls trapped within the Chaos have gathered over the centuries. Lumina explains the Order of Salvation plans to free the souls of the dead from their suffering and needs Vanille to call out to them. When Lightning and Fang find the clavis in the Dead Dunes, the Order's Secutors steal the relic, having been led to it by Lumina, and take it to Luxerion.

On the final day, the High Priestess of the Order announces the beginning of the end and calls for the people to gather on the cathedral steps and pray to Bhunivelze for salvation in the new world. Once preparations are complete, Vanille begins the Soulsong in God's Sanctum before Lightning and Fang interfere and reveal the Order's true goals the former learned from Lumina. The High Priestess defends their resolve by explaining that those who failed to endure the centuries are unworthy to Bhunivelze as he demands pure and untainted souls for his new world, even using manifested Sets to convince Vanille to continue. After Vanille listens to the dead and discovers they still carry hope despite their suffering, she stops the ritual and decides to guide the dead to the Ark so they can be reborn in the new world. The High Priestess strikes down Vanille and has the clavis drain Vanille's life to complete the ceremony. With the timely arrival of Snow Villiers, the clavis is destroyed with the High Priestess obliterated by the resulting explosion and the Order ceases to be once the final day passes.