Countdown to the Pagan New Year - Part 1

Roman Festival Of Veneralia For The Goddess Venus On April 1, 2010

MichaelTheResearcher

Thursday, April 1, 2010 - the day of the Roman Festival of Veneralia dedicated to The Goddess Venus. I endeavored some ancient reenacting today, and did as the Romans did. I tried to be as historically-accurate as possible. I erected a nice Shrine and Altar. Therein you will see a soaking-wet and dripping Venus Statue. On this day in antiquity, the Romans washed all of the Venus Statues and adorned Them with flowers. In that spirit, I made sure She has been ritually cleaned and prepared with the proper offerings.

She was originally associated with vegetation so I added plenty of vegetables in addition to fruit and some peanut snacks (German import purchased at Aldi). The Venus De Milo to the right is a clay statue I made earlier this year. The image to the left is an albumen print photo dating to the late 1800s. It features the specific Capitoline Venus (based on the Aphrodite Of Cnidus or Aphrodite Of Menophantos). Happy Veneralia!!

Photos of the Shrine/Altar can be seen at these links:
http://michaeltheresearcher.blogspot.com/2010/04/roman-festival-of-veneralia-dedicated.html

Veneralia

Observed by: Ancient Romans

Type: Classical Roman religion

Observances: Adornment of statues of Venus with flowers

Date: April 1

The Veneralia was an ancient Roman festival celebrated April 1 (the Kalends of Aprilis) in honor of Venus Verticordia ("Venus the changer of hearts") and Fortuna Virilis ("Manly" or "Virile Fortune").

The cult of Venus Verticordia was established in 220 BC, just before the beginning of the Second Punic War, in response to advice from a Sibylline oracle, when a series of prodigies was taken to signify divine displeasure at sexual offenses among Romans of every category and class, including several men and three Vestal Virgins. Her statue was dedicated by a young woman, chosen as the most pudica (sexually pure) in Rome by a committee of Roman matrons. At first, the statue was probably housed within the temple to Fortuna Virilis. This cult, much older than any cult to Venus but possibly perceived as weak or gone to seed, may have benefited from the moral and religious support of Venus as a relatively new but senior deity; for Ovid, Venus's acceptance of the epithet and its responsibilities represented the goddess' own change of heart.

In 114 BC Venus Verticordia was given her own temple. She was meant to persuade Romans of both sexes and every class, whether married or unmarried, to cherish the traditional sexual proprieties and morality known to please the gods and benefit the State. During the Veneralia, her cult image was taken from her temple to the men's baths, where it was undressed and washed in warm water by her female attendants, then garlanded with myrtle. At the Veneralia, women and men asked Venus Verticordia for her help in affairs of the heart, sex, betrothal and marriage. Fortuna Virilis was given cult on the same day.

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To our pagan ancestors, April 1st was "New Years Day," therefore the Roman festival of Veneralia was something of a carryover from earlier traditions. I'm not really a believer that Stregheria is from the Etruscan or Roman religions; but that the Old Religion melded with new nation states as they came into existence. Of course, there is much crossover there, and throughout pagan Europe. Apparently, and maybe someone can verify this, the Vernal Equinox ("Ostara"; March 19-22) was separate from the "Pagan New Years Day." I've read items to this effect, but I'm not certain. I think this concept should be given another serious look.

A challenging quote

"I'm tired of being told who to admire in this country. Aren't you sick of being told of who your heroes ought to be? You know? Being told who you ought to be looking up to. I'll choose my own heroes, thank you very much." -- George Carlin

Leap year

My mother has always recited a variation of this old leap year poem.

Thirty days hath September

Thirty days hath September,
April, June, and November.
Thirty-one hath all the rest,
Except for February clear which has 28 and 29 in a leap year.

Thirty days hath September,
April, June, and November
All the rest have 31,
Except for February.

Thirty days hath September,
April, June and November
All the rest have thirty-one
But February's but how much

~ Mother Goose ~






How Dangerous Is The Deep Web?

Alltime Conspiracies

The deep web makes up about 99% of the internet. To most of us it remains an unfamiliar entity. The media often portrays it as a dark and secretive place. Is this true? Alltime Conspiracies investigates.


Deep web (search)

The deep web, deep net, invisible web, or hidden web are parts of the World Wide Web whose contents are not indexed by standard search engines for any reason. The deep web is opposite to the surface web.

Computer scientist Mike Bergman is credited with coining the term in 2000. The term "deep web" is often conflated with its subset dark web, which refers to the content that is purposefully obscured from the public internet by requiring specific software, configurations or authorization to be accessed.

DEEP WEB





Bobbie Gentry - Son Of A Preacher Man
 
jackhogan1

Country version of Dusty Springfield song

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I personally like this version best. 

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