Ceremonial Opening of the Ludi Novi Romani

The Ludi Novi Romani are held for 15 days for the celebration of the Concordialia, the festival of the anniversary of the founding of Nova Roma. This year is very special, Nova Roma celebrates its a quarter of a century, its 25th birthday. The current Ludi Novi Romani are part of an all-year long series of 25th Anniversary Games of Nova Roma, the Ludi Quinvicennales. The Concordialia were opened by festive speeches by the consuls C. Cornelius and Q. Arrius, the aediles Cn. Lentulus and C. Flavius, and by one of our founders, Fl. Vedius, followed by a Roman ritual and sacrifice to Concordia and to the chief deities by both consules C. Cornelius Barosus and Q. Arrius Nauta and C. Cornelius Barosus, by both aediles curules, pontifex, priest of Concordia and praefectus rei publicae Cn. Cornelius Lentulus and flamen M. Cotta Iovius and quaestor T. Popillia Laenas. You can watch the photos of the ceremony here:

• PHOTO REPORT OF THE CONCORDIALIA CEREMONY ON FACEBOOK

The main live celebration took place afternoon in Aquincum (Budapest, Hungary), Pannonia Provincia. Both consuls of Nova Roma, C. Cornelius Barosus and Q. Arrius Nauta, together with both aediles curules, pontifex Cn. Cornelius Lentulus, who is also praefectus rei publicae and the governor of the area, and M. Aurelius Cotta Iovius, and quaestrix T. Popillia Laenas, conducted the ceremony and the march past with a small legionary parade in honor of the 25th Anniversary of Nova Roma, and the aediliss Cn. Lentulus opened the Ludi Novi Romani. After the ritual, the celebrants raised glasses with 25 year old Italian wine, commemorating each year that Nova Roma has gloriously passed in Roman revival, and they feasted with food according to Roman recipe after the ceremonies.

Meanwhile in Rome, Italy (Praefectura Italia), aedilis plebis C. Flavius Stilicho offered a sacrifice to Concordia for Nova Roma's 25th Anniversary in the middle of Forum Romanum, among the ruins of the most sacred temples and buildings of the ancient Roman people, near the ancient Roman temple of Concordia.

The other aedilis plebis, K. Quirinius Dasius, honored the anniversary with an offering in Romania, where our Provincia Dacia operates.

Both praetors of Nova Roma, P. Porcius Licinus and C. Petronius Stephanus Turpilianus, and quaestor D. Claudius Aquilinus (Provincia Germania) held an online "talk show" on the Twitch TV Channel of Nova Roma at 18:00 Rome Time: they talked about the significance of this quarter of a century life time that Nova Roma successfully endure, despite the many ups and downs: present, past, future. What is Nova Roma? What our goals and perspectives? Praetor P. Licinus joined from Provincia America Transmississippiana (Texas), while praetor C. Petronius is from Provincia Britannia. Unfortunately, due to technical difficulty with the connection, praetor Petronius was visible in the program, but was trying to join the show for about an hour.

Praetor C. Petronius Stephanus Turpilianus who was visiting the USA on the day of the 25th Birthday of Nova Roma, the Concordialia, offered a small ritual in Washington DC (Provincia America Noveboracensis et Mediatlantica).

The flamen and tribuna plebis of Nova Roma, M. Hortensia Maior Faustina, with our Sarmatian citizens, offered a magnificent ritual at the temple of TEMPLVM Project, our allied partner (Provincia Sarmatia). As propraetrix she also sacrificed in the name of both Sarmatia and Provincia Scythia which are her provinces.

Quaestor C. Cornelius Rufus has conducted a Concordialia ceremony for Nova Roma in Provincia Britannia.

The curio maximus of Nova Roma, tribunus plebis and legatus pro praetore of Provincia America Cismississippiana P. Aurelius Barbatus offered a ritual for all the 30 curiae of Nova Roma, for the plebs and for his province.

Proconsul of Provincia California, Q. Fabius Maximus has reported that he offered the ceremony in the name of his province.

Propraetor of Provincia Australia, D. Aurelius Ingeniarius performed a small ceremony to Concordia for his province.

Among the officers of the curiae of the Nova Roman people, L. Dellius Liberalis, tribunus tribus Lucerensis and curio curiae Querquetulanae made offering for the Luceres and for his curiae, C. Ovidius Lanatus, candidate for the flamen curialis position of curia Quinctia of the Tities, made offering for his curia.

Besides these magistrates of Nova Roma, all governors were called to hold some kind of ceremony, or commemoration, and we hope that we are going to hear about those as soon as possible, or the upcoming days. Likewise, all other magistrates and priests of Nova Roma are doing something today in gratitude for the first quarter of 100 years of Nova Roma.

The praefectus of Italia, dux of Dioecesis Europae Celticae et Germanicae (Britannia, Gallia, Germania, Hispania, Thule), legatus pro praetore of Pannonia, Dacia and Lacus Magni, proquaestor pro praetore of America Transmississippiana, Brasilia, Nova Hispania, Cn. Cornelius Lentulus, has offered the Concordialia ceremony for all of these provinces.

Consular Address on the Concordialia, the 25th Birthday of Nova Roma

C. Cornelius, consul
Album Civium

As the first action of the official celebrations of the 25th Birthday of Nova Roma on the Concordialia, the consul C. Cornelius Barosus addressed the Nova Roman people and the senate:

C. Cornelius Barosus consul Senatui Populoque Novo Romano Quiritibus salutem dicit

It is my great honor that I have the privilege to stand at the helm of Nova Roma as one of the two consuls of the republic on this great day of Nova Roman history, on the day when we complete our first 25 years, the first quarter of the first century in the history of Nova Roma. I would like to give thanks to all those people who helped Nova Roma survive, endure and grow, and who made Nova Roma great. Despite all the hardships we had, Nova Roma is growing and becoming more important year by year. Today Nova Roma, after 25 years of its first day, is the world's largest network of Roman enthusiasts, cultores deorum, Roman history fans and students, the greatest network of Roman reenactors in the world with several legions, cohorts and gladiatorial schools. Nova Roma includes many of the greatest experts and public figures of the Roman reconstructionist movement. If this is not success, then what it is?

Nova Roma was worth starting.

Nova Roma was worth fighting for.

Nova Roma was worth to be reorganized and rebuilt after the crises that we endured!

I am not one to hold long speeches, and as tears are coming into my eyes after seeing all the years full of struggle, fears and then victories, realizing how happy we can be now, I feel I should allow the facts themselves to speak for themselves. Just think over our 25 years, what we have been through, what we have achieved! This year many of the members of the senate and the magistrates will march in the streets of Rome to celebrate the 2775th birthday of Rome, and the 25th anniversary year of Nova Roma, and according to the plans, maybe more than half hundred citizens of Nova Roma will be together on that huge parade! We are indeed a small nation of the world now, not a club, not just a project, but a realized and flourishing Spiritual Republic of New Romans!

Just as I am delivering this address to You, my beloved New Roman People, fellow citizens, fellow Nova Romans, I am preparing to go to the main central ceremony of the 25th anniversary: I am soon sitting on the train and will be stepping into the hollowed Roman grounds of the Roman Forum of Aquincum, where I will prepare the altar together with pontifex and aedilis Cn. Cornelius Lentulus. On that altar will burn the flames of the 25th anniversary ceremony, the flames of Nova Roma, the fire of our hopes and dreams about a New Rome.

When I will stand soon in front of that altar, I will represent all of you together with my colleague consul Q. Arrius Nauta. You will be with us, through our presence, at this significant celebration. We will be standing there for all Nova Romans, and we will offer our ritual for the benefit of you all, my Roman friends. I know all praetors, all aediles, our tribunes of the plebs, our quaestors, all governors and priests of Nova Roma are right now doing their own ceremonies today all over the world, which is incredibly moving, impressive and amazing. Dozens of officers and citizens all over the world united in one spirit, in one identity of Romanitas, doing the same thing on the same day, for Roman revival! Nothing compares! There is nothing like this in today's world among Roman identity people! Yes, if you ask me, yes, this, exactly things like this: this is Nova Roma, this is the New Rome, we continue to work for exactly this!

I wish you all a very nice celebration today, and I wish Nova Roma all the glory in the world, and the complete fulfillment of the goals of the Declaration!

Happy 25th Birthday to Nova Roma! Long live Nova Roma! Long live the Unity among Romans!

Glory to Concordia! Glory to Nova Roma!

-

C. Cornelius Barosus

CONSUL

Aedilician Opening Speech

Cn. Lentulus, aedilis
Album Civium

Before the Concordialia ceremonies, which is main sacrifice of the Ludi Novi Romani, the aedilis curulis Cn. Lentulus has addressed the celebrating people, and after the the Concordialia rituals have been performed by the two consuls, two aediles curules, one quaestor, one pontifex and a flamen, aedilis Lentulus has ceremonial opened the 25th Anniversary Quarter of a Century Games:

Cn. Cornelius Lentulus aedilis curulis, pontifex, sacerdos Concordiae, praefectus rei publicae, princeps iuventutis senatui populoque Novo Romano festivissimo modo salutem plurimam dicit:

My dear fellow citizens, Roman brothers and sisters, fellow Nova Romans! It is a very elevating moment for me to announce as your aedilis, responsible for the celebrations, that the Big Day has come, today is the 25th Anniversary of the Founding of Nova Roma! Put out your Nova Roma flags, light the fire on your altars, don the toga or the stola, Quirites, celebrate this day like you have never celebrated before. This is a huge accomplishment, and we are still just a the beginning of the story that Nova Roma is going to be! I cannot tell you enough, dear fellow citizens, how proud I am of Nova Roma and our international commonwealth at this moment! I wish you all can feel the same today, and that you all pray, or do the thing that is most fitting for your own conscience upon such festive occasions, as an expression for our wish that Nova Roma has a most successful and glorious next 25 years, and that we accomplish the epic goals of Nova Roma by its 50th Anniversary, but hopefully sooner!

Today, the Ludi Novi Romani, celebrating our 25th birthday, and the Ludi Quinvicennales, honoring the Anniversary Year, the Sacred Year of Concordia, with an overarching all year long series of festivals, are commencing.

Today Nova Romans throughout the world are holding various celebrations: the main event in Aquincum, Budapest, Hungary, held by both consuls and aediles curules, one celebration in Rome, Italy, by our aedilis plebis Flavius Stilicho, one in Washington, USA, by praetor C. Petronius, and according to the plans Dacia, Britannia, Germania, Pannonia, the Americas will see ceremonies and gestures as a tribute to this milestone. With today, the Ludi Novir Romani begin, running until the Ides of March, and the all-year long Ludi Quinvicennales, 25th Anniversary Games, celebrating a Quarter of a Century of our spiritual nation and Res Publica.

Exactly 25 years ago today, on the Kalends of March of 1998, the epic project of Nova Roma was started as the New Roman Commonwealth, the international society of all people of Roman heart, Roman identity, and Roman fandom: reconstructionists, reenactors, cultores of the Roman tradition, Roman studies enthusiasts, and all people who admire Rome and wish to be a part of it.

We are celebrating this remarkable milestone with many great programs today all over the world, and you all are invited to take part in the celebrations. (Editorial note: the section listing the programs of the Ludi Novi Romani is cut).

The Ludi Novi Romani that commence today will be just the first event of a series of events, games and festivals this year, the overarching Ludi Quinvicennales, the 25th Anniversary Games. Some of the contests that start tomorrow will last all year long this year.

Quirites! Novi Romani, omnes! Amici, fratres, sororres, commilitones! In the name of the Aedilician Office and in the name of the Collegium Pontificum, I wish you the happiest and most propitious 25th Anniversary Concordialia celebrations in honor of our 25 year old international society, the community of the Romans of today!

I hope we will make this anniversary memorable, as much as Nova Roma deserves!

In the name of my colleague, M. Cotta, and in my name, without any further ado, I declare the 25th Anniversary Games open!

Io Concordia! Io Concordialia! Io Ludi Novi Romani!

Vivat Nova Roma annorum XXV!

-

Cn. Cornelius Lentulus

AEDILIS CURULIS

Programs of the Ludi Novi Romani

- live gladiatorial games with prizes

- a new style of virtual chariot race with prizes

- theatrical performance

- Roman history contests with prizes

- contests about the 25 years of Nova Roma with prizes

- art contest with prizes

- surprise 25% discount at Arx Mercatura, our official merchant, for our 25th anniversary

- several sacrifices and supplicationes for the well-being of all citizens and for the glory of NR

- miscellanous other programs.