*Ø* Blogmanac April 19 | Cerealia ends with flaming fox tails
Cerealia, for goddess Ceres, ancient Rome (Apr 12 - 19), final day
Ceres, in Roman Mythology, equivalent to the Greek Demeter, daughter of Saturn and Rhea, wife-sister of Jupiter, mother of Proserpina, and patron of Sicily. Ceres is the goddess of growing plants (particularly grain) and of motherly love. Personified and celebrated by women in secret rituals at the festival of Ambarvalia, held during May. There was a temple to Ceres on the Aventine Hill. She was depicted in art with a sceptre, a basket of flowers and fruit, and a garland made of wheat ears. The Romans they had a common expression, 'fit for Ceres', which meant splendid. The asteroid 1 Ceres is named after this goddess.
It was a festival celebrated at Rome in honour of the goddess whose wanderings in search of her lost daughter Proserpine (Persephone) were represented by women clothed in white, running about with lighted torches. Games were celebrated in the Circus Maximus, the spectators of which appeared in white; but on any occasion of public mourning the games and festivals were not celebrated at all, as the matrons could not appear at them except in white.
On this, the last day of the week-long festival, people visited friends, and foxes with firebrands tied to their tails were let loose.
This is just a snippet of today's stories. Read all about today in folklore, historical oddities, inspiration and alternatives, with more links, at the Wilson's Almanac Book of Days, every day. Click today's date when you're there.
Cerealia, for goddess Ceres, ancient Rome (Apr 12 - 19), final day
Ceres, in Roman Mythology, equivalent to the Greek Demeter, daughter of Saturn and Rhea, wife-sister of Jupiter, mother of Proserpina, and patron of Sicily. Ceres is the goddess of growing plants (particularly grain) and of motherly love. Personified and celebrated by women in secret rituals at the festival of Ambarvalia, held during May. There was a temple to Ceres on the Aventine Hill. She was depicted in art with a sceptre, a basket of flowers and fruit, and a garland made of wheat ears. The Romans they had a common expression, 'fit for Ceres', which meant splendid. The asteroid 1 Ceres is named after this goddess.
It was a festival celebrated at Rome in honour of the goddess whose wanderings in search of her lost daughter Proserpine (Persephone) were represented by women clothed in white, running about with lighted torches. Games were celebrated in the Circus Maximus, the spectators of which appeared in white; but on any occasion of public mourning the games and festivals were not celebrated at all, as the matrons could not appear at them except in white.
On this, the last day of the week-long festival, people visited friends, and foxes with firebrands tied to their tails were let loose.
This is just a snippet of today's stories. Read all about today in folklore, historical oddities, inspiration and alternatives, with more links, at the Wilson's Almanac Book of Days, every day. Click today's date when you're there.
Pip Wilson posted item above at 2:20 PM | Permalink
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