#feriae

Praise to you, Ceres Tellus, Mother of all life from the Earth, I call on you this Sementivae, And ask for your blessing in the year to come.

I pray for a fruitful year Filled with the beauty of nature Where the Earth gives us what we need And we give to it in return.

Watch over us as we continue to live In a changing and precarious world And I pray for a year of good harvest, And few natural disasters.

By Jean Marie Carey

The Roman god Saturn's feast began being celebrated in Rome on 17 December 497 BCE. The seven-day celebration in December called the Saturnalia has come to be associated with any revel-based celebration marked by licentiousness and the temporarily allowed breaking of taboos.

Roman festivals (feriae) were both holy days and holidays. At public feasts the specified magistrates and priests performed religious rites in honor of the gods. These might include sacrifices, prayers, banquets, and games. Individual citizens were free to attend the rituals at temples, the processions through the streets, and the spectacles in the theater and the circus, and on occasion citizens may have been able to receive a part of the sacrificial meat, but they were under no obligation to participate in the public festivities.

The Romans spoke of three classifications of public feast days. Most common were fixed festivals (stativae), those celebrated on the same day each year — the Terminalia (for Terminus, god of boundaries) on 23 February, Liberalia (for Liber) on 17 March, Vinalia (festival of wine) on 23 April and 19 August, Fontinalia (in honor of Fons, deity of springs) on 13 October, and so forth. Those of greatest antiquity were marked in capital letters on the calendars set up in public places, but as a matter of practice each month on the nones (the fifth or seventh day, according to the month) a state priest called the rex sacrorum formally established by proclamation that month's sacral agenda. Such feasts usually occurred on odd-numbered days and had names ending in -ia in the neuter plural form.

The Romans saw the history of their city embedded in their festivals, even if a historical explanation does not always reflect actual origins. The habit of thought can be seen in the differing ancient interpretations of the Poplifugia (flight of the people) on 5 July — supposedly recalling either the frightful popular reaction to Romulus’ mysterious apotheosis or the citizens’ attempt to escape centuries later when neighboring Latins threatened Rome after the disastrous defeat by the Gauls. The priestly brotherhood called Luperci who celebrated the Lupercalia was traced back to young Romulus and Remus. The Regifugium (flight of the king) on 24 February was taken to memorialize the expulsion of King Tarquin the Proud (Tarquinus Superbus) and the consequent inauguration of the Roman Republic.

Saturnalia was one of the most popular Roman festivals, initially taking place only on 17 December but then extending for seven days in the late Republic, trimmed to five or three under the Empire. Here coincide the annual worship of an ancient deity and the general merrymaking found in many cultures at the time of the winter solstice — compare the similar celebratory confluence at the same time of year in Christmas. Public events consisted of sacrifice to Saturn at his temple in the Forum and a senatorial banquet. Throughout the city people exchanged gifts and exuberantly reveled in a carnivalesque manner that pointedly inverted societal norms—public gambling was allowed, masters waited upon their slaves at meals, parties continued day and night. The spirit of release thus merrily expressed among the population found its counterpart in the rituals at the divinity's national shrine: the woolen bonds normally wrapped around the feet of Saturn's cult statue were removed during the Saturnalia.

Reference: David Leeming. "Saturnalia." In The Oxford Companion to World Mythology. Oxford University Press, 2005. http://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780195156690.001.0001/acref-9780195156690-e-1398.

Scene VII from the Frescoes of the Villa of the Mysteries, Pompeii, First Century. Women flogged each other during the Dionysiac festival, and at the Roman Lupercalia women were lashed by the celebrants so as to expel from them the demon of sterility.

Statue of a Woman Dressed for Saturnalia, c. 50. The woman wears a thin elegant dress, thong sandals, and a crown of Dionysiac ivy leaves. The birds and basket of fruit she carries are festival offerings. Her garment has slipped off her shoulder, a detail often seen in representations of old women that hints at the liberation of the elderly from the restrictions imposed on women of childbearing years. The figure seems to have been deliberately damaged, probably in the late antiquity, when such a pagan image would have provoked hostility. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Nr. 09.39.

Cybele, with mural crown on head, c. 200 BCE, Sardinia. Cybele is a goddess of fertility, but also cures (and sends) disease, gives oracles, and, as her mural crown indicates, protects the Anatolians in war. Cybele is also mistress of wild nature, symbolized by her attendant lions. Ecstatic states inducing prophetic rapture and insensibility to pain were characteristic of her worship. When Cybele became associated with the Roman Ceres, the excesses of her festival worship were removed. Considering that worship of Cybele in Anatolia went back to the earliest times, this was an outstanding example of Roman ability to absorb and reshape other religions. By 204 BCE Cybele was installed in Rome in a temple on the Palatine. For the remainder of the Republican Period save for the public games, the Megalesia and processions, she was limited to her temple and served only by priests. Romans were not to join the priesthood. Finally under Claudius (50-54) the cult was accepted, and Romans flocked to join. Photo: The Archive for Research on Archetypal Symbolism, Nr. 23378.

Attributed to Titian and his apprentices. Allegory of Prudence, c. 1565. The human heads represent Prudence, in the terms of scholastic moral theology, composed of three faculties - Memoria, Intelligencia and Praevidentia - with the respective functions of conserving the past, knowing the present and foreseeing the future, presented in opposition to the Saturnalian statue of Serapis. The National Gallery, London, Nr. 5Gb.080.

Head of the Diadoumenos, c. 150, Roman copy of an original attributed to Polykleitos. The original statue commemorated an athlete's victory in the games, expressed by tying a ribbon (diadem) around his head. The calm introspection of the victor at the otherwise decadent festival games implies his humble though self-confident awareness of the divine. Michael C. Carlos Museum, Emory University, Nr. 1991.003.

Further Reading: J. Rasmus Brandt and Jon W. Iddeng. Greek and Roman Festivals Content, Meaning, and Practice. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2012. 

Hello polytheists! Happy Spring Equinox!

I started writing this post yesterday on the first day of the Roman festival Quinquatria, which honours Minerva, and which, in my practice, I also use to honour Mars. Since it covers the beginning of spring and the Spring Equinox in the Northern Hemisphere, I'm using this opportunity to talk a bit about the return of spring and my spiritual approach to it. Please note that most of what I'm talking about here is my personal and revivalist approach to these celebrations, though I do base them in historically attested events.

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To me, the return of spring is always multifaceted. It's not just one thing that is spring, it's the whole of our environment, the weather, nature, plants, animals and even our societies that slowly shift and change. Which is why I appreciate the variety of traditional Roman celebrations present around this time, which allow to focus on multiple of these elements and gradually bring yourself into spring as well.

The Sementivae, celebrated at the end of January in two parts, one week apart, was traditionally a festival associated with sowing. Where I live, it's usually still cold and unpleasant, as it was this year, but thinking of all the upcoming changes always fills me with joy. I use the festival to thank Ceres for the coming spring and the first hints of it, as this is usually this time when I start to see the first snowdrops popping up here and there. Spiritually and mentally, this is the moment I shift my perspective, looking out for the brighter and warmer months ahead and starting to get myself out of my winter stagnation. The Sementivae is like the prelude, reset before spring actually comes.

By the 15th of March, the spring weather is usually in full swing where I live, and so I celebrate the Festival of Spring (traditionally the Festival of Anna Perenna) by enjoying it as best I can. At this point in the year, I see the results of Ceres's work all around me, with blooming trees, brand new bright green grass, and a slight twinge in my nose, a hint of the upcoming hay fever season. Traditionally, the Festival of Anna Perenna was celebrated by having a picnic by the river Tiber and drinking as much as one could, but I like transferring the general festive spirit without the specificities. To me, this is the opportunity to enjoy the young spring, not having to wear a winter coat and coming back to my spring wardrobe, which is much more colourful, enjoying the beauty and colours of nature, etc. Spring is here, and you can feel it on your skin!

The Liberalia on the 17th gives an opportunity to feel the renewed energy and freedom. Traditionally a rustic festival for Liber, I like to lean into the freedom and frenzy aspect of the God. This is the time to really let go of the mindset of winter. We have seen the blooming nature, felt the sun on our skin, but maybe we're still a bit tired and need a mindset reset. This can look like just dancing to some fun music at home, or maybe going to an event or just a night out, something special that will get your blood pumping.

And then finally, we arrive at the Quinquatria. We might be attuned to the new look and feel of our environments, excited to start living a bit more, maybe, but we also must channel this energy into something productive. The Quinquatria, to me, is the peak of the celebrations that welcome the new season, and it is very important to channel and carry that renewed energy into the rest of the year. In this context, I see Mars and Minerva as the Gods of the Body and the Mind, respectively, and I like to focus on those two aspects during this festival.

For the Body, it is important to re-evaluate habits related to maintaining our physical health and space. Maybe we ate a bit more fast food during the winter as we had little energy to cook, but want to get back into eating fresh produce. Maybe the dark months discouraged us from going to the gym, but we want to start going again. Maybe we've been putting off a visit to the doctor, or our physical space needs some cleaning.

For the Mind, it's much of the same, but in the mental sphere. Maybe we love reading, but have been slipping more into doomscrolling over the winter. Maybe there are messages or emails that we've been putting off reading or writing, but now is the time to confront them. Maybe our spirituality has been put on the back burner a bit, so it's time to focus on it and get a regular practice going again.

Cerealia (or Cerialia) was a festival in Ancient Rome that happened on the 19th of April and was preceded by 7 days of games. This year I have decided to celebrate Cerealia from the 12th to the 19th of April, drawing from some historically attested customs while also heavily adapting it to my lifestyle and situation.

Since I do not have to option to participate in the games or any of the public rituals that were common in Roman times, I generally adapt celebrations like these into a sort of "challenge" for myself, aimed at finding my way closer to a certain deity and feeling more in touch with their domain.

For Cerealia then, I will be focusing on being closer to Ceres and my environment. Aside from the religious rites I plan on doing, my plan also consists of:

Trying to keep my phone usage under 4 hours (preferably under 3) to be more present

Making the effort to go outside every day for the duration of the Cerealia

Giving thanks to Ceres for every meal that I eat

As a nod to the ludi scaenici, engaging with art, particularly films and documentaries about nature or the environment

Wearing white, or a least light-coloured clothing (as Ovid suggests in Fasti, though that is particular to the day of the Cerealia itself)

Reading a little bit every day from The Roman Goddess Ceres

in true Roman polytheist fashion, i am announcing to the world the festivals that i will be celebrating this month! i will hopefully make a post for each of these, describing exactly what i did and what sources i drew from!

my February feriae

6th - Concordiae (this was tied to a specific temple but i am expanding it to be a festival in honour of Concordia)

10th - Amburbium

15th - Lupercalia

17th - Quirinalia

23rd - Terminalia

It's that time of the month again. I might make posts on what I plan to do for some of these but that will depend on how busy I am this month :)

5th - Celebration of Fortuna

12th-19th - Cerealia

13th - Celebration of Jupiter Victor

21st - Dies Romana

23rd - Vinalia

25th - Robigalia

In my original post about the feriae I intended to celebrate in March, I put Quinquatrus on the 19th. However, after doing some more research, I decided instead to celebrate Quinquatria, the later Roman Empire version of the festival extended until the 23rd. I decided to write down some things that I wanted to do for Minerva and Mars and then just in general (inspired by a friend) for the duration of the festival and I am pleased to announce that I was decently successful in following those. I think I will try this format for some future festivals as well but for now, here is the plan I made:

❂ For Minerva: I have been lagging behind in my intended reading and movie-watching goal so until the 23rd I will double my efforts to do more reading and watch some more films - for the latter I'm specifically going to be focusing on movies with themes within Minerva's domains.

❂ For Mars: It's been over a month since I stopped going to the gym so I'm making an effort to start going again. On the weekend I'm also doing volunteering for a festival about positive masculinities which I feel fits with him well.