Cult of Herodias
 | It has been suggested that this article be merged with Canon Episcopi. (Discuss) Proposed since November 2008. |
A Cult of Herodias is mentioned in some medieval sources. The 10th century a fragment of text called the Canon Episcopi (attributed to an otherwise-unknown Council of Anquira) made mention of it as a perversion of the mind originated by Satan, and consider the fable of the flying women accompanied by Diana to be a fantasy experienced while dreaming.[citation needed]
John of Salisbury, Bishop of Chartres (12th century) mentions such a cult in Policraticus, naming the goddess Herodias and Noctiluca, queen of the night. He mentioned the supposed participation of women and men in these meetings. He too considered the existence of this cult to be a fable at best.
Carlo Ginzburg supposes that the nocturnal goddess was originally Hera-Diana or Herodiana, and was later conflated with the biblical character of Herodias[1]
Among some modern Wiccans, a similar figure is worshipped, called Aradia, adopted from C.G. Leland's book Aradia, or the Gospel of the Witches (1899), which claims to be the traditional lore of a 19th century Italian society of witches.[2]. A similar figure from Romania is Doamna Zînelor, also called Irodiada or Arada.[3]
The "Mystical Cult of Herodias" is a term coined in 2010 for a popular sermon by Tom Gordon, an Anglican priest. The "Mystical Cult of Herodias" membership is said to include those people who have an inexplicable anger or murderous rage toward those persons or groups who "bear God's name or testimony."
References
- ^ Ginzburg, Carlo (1990). Ecstasies: Deciphering the witches' sabbath. London: Hutchinson Radius. p. 104. ISBN 0-09-174024-X.
- ^ Magliocco, Sabina (2002). "Who Was Aradia? The History and Development of a Legend" Pomegranate: the Journal of Pagan Studies, Vol. 18
- ^ Ginzburg, Carlo (1990). Ecstasies: Deciphering the witches' sabbath. London: Hutchinson Radius. p. 103. ISBN 0-09-174024-X.