Ritual timing and effects
What each temple ritual actually does, and when the numbers make it worth a day.
Read the ritual as a cost, not a bonus
Rituals trade days, followers or faith for a specific effect. The game states the trade plainly in each ritual description: Ritual Fast removes the need to eat for 3 days, Glory Through Toil makes followers work through 3 days and nights without getting tired, and Brainwashing Ritual locks Faith at full for 2 days. Any of those three buys you a window, and the window is the point.
Rituals that pay faith back immediately
Holy Day Ritual stops work for a day and grants +80 Faith. Feasting Ritual fills cult hunger completely and grants +30 Faith. A Wedding grants +30 Faith, and a Funeral grants +20 Faith. All four are direct Faith gains with a known duration, which makes them the safest rituals to fire when Faith is sliding.
Rituals that cost faith on purpose
Gluttony of Cannibals fills Sin completely but costs -40 Faith, and the game notes it is unaffected by the Cannibal trait. Fight Pit Ritual has two followers fight to the death unless you show mercy. Consume Follower trades a follower for a Divine Inspiration. These are deliberate trades: you spend the flock to buy progression.
Resource rituals have short windows
Ritual of Gorging butchers ranch animals for 2x meat for 1 day. Ritual of Shearing harvests 2x resources from ranch animals for 1 day. Ritual of the Ocean’s Bounty doubles fish for two days and makes special fish more common. Ritual of the Harvest makes every sown Farm Plot ready immediately. All four are 1–2 day multipliers, so have the plots sown and the animals ready before you spend the ritual.
Growth rituals change the cult permanently
Ritual of Discipleship elevates your most loyal followers to Disciples, who can manage Dissenters. Ritual of Resurrection brings a dead follower back. Reindoctrinate Follower lets a follower recommit so they can be customised again. Sacrifice of the Flesh unlocks new abilities and weapons, and the game states higher level followers are worth more when sacrificed — so level first, sacrifice second.