Vestalia was a Roman religious festival in honor of Vesta, the goddess of the hearth and the burning continuation of the sacred fire of Rome. It was held from 7-15 June. Domestic and family life in general were represented by the festival of the goddess of the house and of the spirits of the storechamber — Vesta and the

Penates In ancient Roman religion, the Di Penates () or Penates ( ) were among the ''dii familiares'', or household deities, invoked most often in domestic rituals. When the family had a meal, they threw a bit into the fire on the hearth for the Penates. ...

— on ''Vestalia''. On the first day of festivities the ''penus Vestae'' (''

sanctum sanctorum The Latin phrase ''sanctum sanctorum'' is a translation of the Hebrew term ''קֹדֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִׁים'' (Qṓḏeš HaQŏḏāšîm), literally meaning Holy of Holies, which generally refers in Latin texts to the holiest place of th ...

'' of the

temple of Vesta The Temple of Vesta, or the aedes (Latin ''Aedes Vestae''; Italian: ''Tempio di Vesta''), is an ancient edifice in Rome, Italy. The temple is located in the Roman Forum near the Regia and the House of the Vestal Virgins. The Temple of Vesta hous ...

which was usually curtained off) was opened, for the only time during the year, at which women offered sacrifices. As long as the curtain remained open, mothers could come, barefoot and disheveled, to leave offerings to the goddess in exchange for a blessing to them and their family. The animal consecrated to Vesta, the donkey, was crowned with garlands of flowers and bits of bread on 9 June.

Ovid Pūblius Ovidius Nāsō (; 20 March 43 BC – 17/18 AD), known in English as Ovid ( ), was a Roman poet who lived during the reign of Augustus. He was a contemporary of the older Virgil and Horace, with whom he is often ranked as one of the th ...

says that donkeys were adorned with necklaces of bread-bits in memory of the myth where Vesta is nearly violated by

Priapus In Greek mythology, Priapus (; grc, Πρίαπος, ) is a minor rustic fertility god, protector of livestock, fruit plants, gardens and male genitalia. Priapus is marked by his oversized, permanent erection, which gave rise to the medical term ...

. In that myth, it is the untimely bray of a donkey that startles Priapus and causes him to flee. Before that, he says donkeys were honored on 9 June in thanks for the services they provided in the bakeries. The final day, 15 June, was ''Quando Stercum Delatum Fas'' when dung may be removed lawfully" The ''penus Vestae'' was solemnly closed, the ''Flaminica Dialis'' observed mourning, and the temple was subjected to a purification called ''stercoratio'': the filth was swept from the temple and carried next by the route called ''clivus Capitolinus'' and then into the Tiber. The military ''

Feriale Duranum The ''Feriale Duranum'' is a calendar of religious observances for a Roman military garrison at Dura-Europos on the Euphrates, Roman Syria, under the reign of Severus Alexander (224–235 AD). History and description The small papyrus roll w ...

'' of AD 224 records the first day of ''Vestalia'' as ''Vesta '' and the last day as ''Vesta cluditur''.

References

Modern sources

* * * * * * {{Roman religion (festival) Ancient Roman festivals June observances Summer festivals Vesta (mythology)

See also

References

Modern sources