Liber ab Solemnitas (The Book of Holidays)^193
Maius 13 Third annual feast of the Lemures honoring Larvae.
Maius 15 The birthday of Mercury—This is the festival day on which we celebrate
the birth of Mercurius, one of the names of Mercury. Most often cel-
ebrated as a merchants’ festival in Mercury’s capacity as patron of mer-
chants. Celebrated as a feast day.
Maius 15 Sacred to Maia and Vesta.
Maius 21 The Agonalia of Maius—In honor of Vediovis. A festival day in honor
of Vediovis. On this day, the community celebrated the ascension of
young boys into manhood. In ancient Rome, this was the day boys were
given adult togas. The name of this holiday finds its root in the word
agonium, meaning ‘sacrificial rites’. This is one of four festivals by the
same name: December 11th honors Sol, January 9th honors Janus, and
March 17th honors Mars.
Maius 23 The Tubilustrium—A day of purification. On this holiday, readiness was
made for war. Weapons were cleaned as were the trumpets used in pub-
lic ritual. A modern interpretation of this day might be that one should
clean their ritual tools. After all, it is our ritual tools with which we com-
bat negative influences in our life by ritual. Also celebrated on the 23rd
of Martius.
Maius 23 The Rosalia—Honoring Flora. A celebration of Flora as goddess and as
the personification of greenery.
Maius 29 The Ambarvalia—Honoring Bacchus, Ceres, Janus and Mars. A ritual
purification of the fields in honor of Bacchus, Ceres, and Mars.Junius—June—Sacred to the god Mercury and goddess Juno
Junius 1 Sacred to Juno. A day of divination and honor of the warning aspect of
Juno. It was her sacred geese who warned Rome of the pending inva-
sion by the Gauls in 389 B.C.E. Offerings made to geese followed by
hydromancy.
Junius 1 Sacred to Carna. On this day, offerings of pork fat and beans were made
to Carna believing she would in turn grant health. This is interesting, as
modern medicine has told us that doing without large amounts of cho-
lesterol greatly improve the health.
Junius 1 Sacred to Mars and Tempestes.
Junius 2 Sacred to Vesta.
Junius 3 Sacred to Bellona.
Junius 4 Sacred to Hercules.
Junius 5 Sacred to Sancus.
Junius 7 Sacred to Tiberinus. A day of fishing and games played by those who
fish in celebration of Tiberinus, the patron of fishermen.r WB Chap 10.p65 193 7/11/2003, 5:54 PM