The Eternal Sacred Order of Cherubim and Seraphim, also known as the esocs, is a church denomination in Nigeria that was founded by Moses Orimolade Tunolase in 1925.
Orimolade received considerable media attention when he allegedly healed a girl, Christina Abiodun Akinsowon, from a long-term trance in which she could neither speak nor hear.
The Cherubim and Seraphim group claim to have dreams and visions that facilitate the connection of God and humanity.
They believe that in 1925, Jesus Christ directed them to name their group "Seraphim", after the order of angels (Isaiah 6).
[1] Several years after the creation of the Cherubim and Seraphim, different denominations following in its traditions broke off and formed new churches.
Members of the Cherubim and Seraphim believe that the force of the midwife, in addition to some incantations made by his herbalist father to calm him down on the day he was born, led to Orimolade's "prolonged paralysis".
Because his father could no longer bear the embarrassment surrounding his son's birth, he asked Orimolade and his mother to leave his house for good, after which he planned to commit suicide, but was discouraged by family members.
He requested that his wife be close to him on his sickbed, and he blessed her the way an elderly Yoruba man about to die would.
[3] After Orimolade left the church, he continued to spread the word around Nigeria, preaching in Benin, Delta, Kwara, Niger and finally Lagos, where he died in 1933.
[neutrality is disputed][4] Orimolade claimed his calling was to go about preaching the gospel of the Lord and heal the sick.
say that in reply to his prayer, an angel appeared to him in his dreams, presenting him with a rod, which they claimed signified a "rod of victory", an insignia which represented a "power of prayer and power of speaking", and a crown which stood for "all honour and Multi-respect of every individual to bow before him to receive blessing.
[3] He began his campaign when he petitioned the police to release a group of Christians who had had a clash with some traditional worshippers.
There were proclamations about the earthquake so that people from abroad came to witness the incident and [Orimolade's] name was as fearful as that of an invisible spirit."
; rods, as a sign of authority, from Revelation 2:26-27; incense, which they believe drives away evil spirits and creates a holy and serene atmosphere for the Holy Spirit to take preeminence, from Malachi 1:11 and Revelations 5:8,8:4; and they ring bells not only as a sign of victory but also for musical purposes.
[5] The Cherubim and Seraphim have special prayers for sick people, which are used as a form of faith healing.
They believe that water has a type of healing power, because of the strength of baptism and the spirit of God that dwells within it.
Taboos include sexual immorality, drunkenness, and all works of the flesh as stated in Galatians 5:19-21, using charms, and making use of things of a magical nature.
[4] The Cherubim and Seraphim also have special ceremonies/anniversaries, such as Holy Michael's Anniversary, which takes place on September 29 of every year.
They also celebrate the Anniversary of Seraphim Band, which takes place on September 9 every year to commemorate the day the society was named in Lagos, Nigeria, in 1925.This event is also held throughout all the branches of the Church, throughout the world.
Lastly, they celebrate Love Feast, during which the church provides a meal of water and bread for the congregation, and read a few bible passages while they eat the food.