ancient festivals

  • Ludi Romani

    In Rome the Ludi Romani were celebrated from September 5th to the 19th. This two-week festival was the oldest games and were established to celebrated Jupiter Optimus Maximus. In the midst of the festival, on the 13th, a feast is held in honor of the triad of Jupiter, Juno, and Minerva. On that day in

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  • Lemures and Lemuria

    Originally posted on Neptune's Dolphins: ? the Mundus (Opening to the Underworld) ? During the Lemuria (the feast of the Lemures), the Lemures try to find a home among the living. Some want to have a proper burial or justice be administered for their wrongful death. Others want a family to adopt Them, and…

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  • Cerialia

    So, we are in the midst of the the ancient Roman festival for Ceres. This festival in Rome usually lasted about a week, but I’ll probably be doing my ritual on the 19th, since Ovid mentions that as being the day that people who lived in the Roman country would worship Her. (Us farmers can’t

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  • Io Saturnalia! A ritual

    Originally posted on Temple of Athena the Savior: Yesterday was the first day of the Roman festival of Saturnalia, the holiday from which most Christmas traditions are taken. It was the most popular Roman holiday, and all business was suspended for the week. It was a time of celebration and joy, and also an upturning…

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  • The following is selections about Saturnalia from the December chapter of Classical Living: Reconnecting with the Rituals of Ancient Rome: Myths, Gods, Goddesses, Celebrations, and Rites for Every Month of the Year by Frances Bernstein, Ph.D. Saturnalia, of course, is the origins of many of the traditions that are continued today in the Christmas season.

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  • GMC: Neptunalia

    This festival is one celebrating Neptune, from Classical Living: Reconnecting with the Rituals of Ancient Rome: Myths, Gods, Goddesses, Celebrations, and Rites for Every Month of the Year by Frances Bernstein, Ph.D. It takes place in July, but I thought I’d share it. Of course, it’s Poseidon we are studying, and the question of whether

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  • A Hymn for the Vertumnalia

    I told you I tend to write these a little bit late. Anyway. ——— Lady of the Apple, Protector of Orchards and Gardens Fair ruddy-cheeked Pomona, I pray to You now She Who carries the pruning shears And Whose skirts are filled with gathered fruit May You always be welcome in my home and on

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  • So today is the Vertumnalia, the Roman festival of Vertumnus and Pomona. I have not done as much preparation as I would like. Too often I end up writing rituals the day of a festival, and then I have them ready for next year. Procrastination is a problem I need to deal with. Or I

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  • I got a book this month that I had ordered a while back. It was actually one that I used to own, but after a couple bouts of homelessness and several moves, I have pared down my belongings quite a bit and somewhere along the way I lost or gave away some books that I

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  • Kala Noumenia!

    It’s the Noumenia today, and tonight the first silver of Selene’s light reappears in the sky. If you are able, and you did not do it yesterday on Hekate’s Deiphon, today would be a good day to clean your house and focus on renewing your relationships with your household Gods and your family. This particular lunar

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