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{{Short description|Ancient Roman festival}} |
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'''Dies Sanguinis''' (''Day of Blood'') was a festival held in Ancient Rome on the 24th March, called Bellona's Day, when the Roman votaries of the war-goddess cut themselves and drank the sacrificial blood to propitiate the deity. |
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{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2015}} |
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The celebrants flogged themselves until they bled and sprinkled their blood upon the image and the altars in the sanctuart, while others are said to have imitated Attis by castrating themselves. Such painful and dramatic acts allowed the worshipers to identify with the passion and death of . For Attis were dedicated a cycle of festivities,which were celebrated from 15th to 28th March. |
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'''''Dies Sanguinis''''' ("Day of Blood"), also called '''''Sanguinaria''''', was a festival held in [[Ancient Rome]] on the [[March equinox|spring equinox]]. Due to discrepancies in different calendar systems, this may be reflected as anytime between March 21 and 25. Festivities for the god [[Attis]] were celebrated from 15 to 28 March.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Roman Goddess Bellona ***|url=http://www.talesbeyondbelief.com/roman-gods/bellona.htm|access-date=2016-05-01|website=www.talesbeyondbelief.com}}</ref> |
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This festivities celebrated the death and the rebirth of the god. Among these, there were the '''"Sanguem"''' and the '''"[[Hilaria]]"'''. The Hilaria on March 25th brought renewed joy and hope. There was feasting in honor of the Great Mother and good cheer. |
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At least in some late fourth-century celebrations of the Hilaria, there also may have been affirmations of the resurrection of Attis. The spring festival came to a close with a much-needed day of rest (March 26) and a final day (March 27) on which the holy image of the Great Mother was bathed in the Almo River.<ref>{{cite book |title= The ancient mysteries: a sourcebook : sacred texts of the mystery religions of the ancient Mediterranean world|last= Meyer|first= Marvin W. |authorlink= |coauthors= |year= 1999|publisher= University of Pennsylvania Press|location= |isbn= 081221692X, 9780812216929|page= |pages= |url= http://books.google.com/books?id=N2URCb14ShQC&pg=PA114&dq=dies+sanguinis&hl=en&ei=lAtRTaD-HsGZ8QOLj6jIDA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=8&ved=0CEoQ6AEwBw#v=onepage&q=dies%20sanguinis&f=false|accessdate=}}</ref> |
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== The Galli: a special "priesthood" == |
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Fundamental to understanding the meaning and the function of the myth and ritual related to [[Attis]] in Rome is his relationship with the Galli. The role of prototype of the mythical castration of Attis for the institution of the "priesthood" of the [[Galli]] has almots always been emphasised, even if to different degrees. Scholars have attempted to draw a connection between the episode of the castration of Attis and the ritual mutilation of the Galli as a reflection in myth of a secondary ritual action or conversely, as the mythical foundation of a ritual action. |
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This kind of interpretation appears to be too simplistic as, to some extent, it fails to consider that this connection has served different purposes in different periods. |
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The emasculation of Attis in the "Phygian" version of the myth is the basis for ans institution that is both political and religious, the institution of hig priests in Pessinous, the "non-kings", who don't coincide <small>''tout court''</small> with the Galli. |
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The earliest references to the Galli come from the Anthologia Palatina although they don't explicitly mention emasculation. More interesting is the fragment attributed to Callimachus, in which the term ''Gallai'' denotes castration that has taken place.<ref>{{cite book |title= Attis, between myth and history: king, priest, and God; Volume 149 of Religions in the Graeco-Roman world|last= Lancellotti|first= Maria Grazia|authorlink= |coauthors= |year= 2002|publisher= BRILL|location= |isbn= 9004128514, 9789004128514|page= |pages= 96 - 97|url= http://books.google.com/books?id=oE8vW4BX9kwC&printsec=frontcover&dq=Attis&hl=en&ei=3wBRTdSYEsyp8AO1goijCw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCYQ6AEwAA#v=twopage&q&f=false |accessdate=}}</ref> |
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== Order of festivities == |
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Following two days of mourning for the annual death of the god Attis, the Day of Blood arrived. On this day the ''[[galli]]'', priests of the goddess [[Cybele]], carried out a ritual of [[self-flagellation]], whipping themselves until they bled. Some are also said to have castrated themselves. The Day of Blood was followed by a Day of Joy and Relaxation (''[[Hilaria]]'' and ''Requietio'') to celebrate Attis' resurrection. This was followed by a rest day, and then a day of revelry during which an image of Cybele was bathed in the Little [[Almone|Almo River]] (''Lavatio'').<ref>{{cite book|last=Meyer|first=Marvin W.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=N2URCb14ShQC&dq=dies+sanguinis&pg=PA114|title=The ancient mysteries: a sourcebook : sacred texts of the mystery religions of the ancient Mediterranean world|publisher=University of Pennsylvania Press|year=1999|isbn=978-0-8122-1692-9|page=114}}</ref> |
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[[Category:March observances]] |
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Latest revision as of 10:35, 8 April 2024
Dies Sanguinis ("Day of Blood"), also called Sanguinaria, was a festival held in Ancient Rome on the spring equinox. Due to discrepancies in different calendar systems, this may be reflected as anytime between March 21 and 25. Festivities for the god Attis were celebrated from 15 to 28 March.[1]
Order of festivities
[edit]Following two days of mourning for the annual death of the god Attis, the Day of Blood arrived. On this day the galli, priests of the goddess Cybele, carried out a ritual of self-flagellation, whipping themselves until they bled. Some are also said to have castrated themselves. The Day of Blood was followed by a Day of Joy and Relaxation (Hilaria and Requietio) to celebrate Attis' resurrection. This was followed by a rest day, and then a day of revelry during which an image of Cybele was bathed in the Little Almo River (Lavatio).[2]
References
[edit]- ^ "Roman Goddess Bellona ***". www.talesbeyondbelief.com. Retrieved 1 May 2016.
- ^ Meyer, Marvin W. (1999). The ancient mysteries: a sourcebook : sacred texts of the mystery religions of the ancient Mediterranean world. University of Pennsylvania Press. p. 114. ISBN 978-0-8122-1692-9.
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