Responsum Pontificum de Collegio Pontificum (Nova Roma)

In issuing this responsum, the Collegium Pontificum urges the Senate and the People to adopt the following per legem.

PARS PRIMA: DE COLLEGIO PONTIFICO

I. De Membris Collegii

The Collegium Pontificum shall be formed by eight (8) Pontifices and one (1) Pontifex Maximus; these shall be the members of the Collegium Pontificum as far as the issuing of responsa and the cooption of new Pontifices is concerned. However, the following sacerdotes shall also be associated to the Collegium Pontificum, shall be privy to its discussions and be allowed to express their opinion during them, and shall take part in those rituals in which the Collegium Pontificum as a whole is involved:

1. The Rex Sacrorum
2. The Flamen Dialis
3. The Flamen Martialis
4. The Flamen Quirinalis

II. De Fastis

A. Upon request from the consules, the Collegium Pontificum shall issue a decretum defining the official fasti (calendar) of Nova Roma. Said fasti shall be based on available historical evidence. If, as a result of further research, at least three pontifices consider that different fasti must be issued, the Collegium shall reconsider the responsum that defines the fasti using the same procedure stated in paragraph III of the RESPONSVM DE QVATTVOR SVMMIS COLLEGIIS.

B. The fasti shall specify the feriae to be observed by Nova Roma, except for the movable feriae, which shall be announced by the Pontifex Maximus on the kalends of January (kalendas Januarias).

III. De Libris Pontificiis

A. The Collegium Pontificum shall issue and maintain the books containing the ritual ordinances. These shall receive the name of Libri Pontificii or Libri Pontificales. The regulations which serve as a guide to the Pontifices in their deliberations (Jus Pontificium) shall form part of the Libri Pontificii.

B. The Collegium Pontificum shall issue and maintain the books that contain the names of the Gods as well as the manner in which these names are to be used in public worship. These shall receive the name of Indigitamenta.

C. The Collegium Pontificum shall maintain a record of the official actions taken by the Collegium and the Pontifex Maximus. These shall receive the name of Acta Pontificum.

D. The Collegium Pontificum shall maintain a collection of previously delivered responsa to consultations on religious issues. These shall receive the name of Commentarii Pontificum.

E. All the information cited in A, B, C & D shall be readily available to the public through the Nova Roma web site.

IV. De Feriis

A. The members of the Collegium Pontificum shall take care of all the public religious ceremonies (sacra publica) indicated in the fasti or declared as a moveable feria that have not explicitly been assigned to a specific priesthood or magistracy, or whenever such priesthood or magistracy is vacant.

B. The members of the Collegium Pontificum shall decide among themselves how their workload shall be divided, and shall issue a decretum detailing which person shall be considered responsible for each set of sacra.

PARS SECVNDA: DE REGE REGINAQVE SACRORVM

V. De captione Regis Reginaeque Sacrorum

The Pontifex Maximus may, through a public announcement, appoint any citizen to the position of Rex Sacrorum as long as said citizen meets the following conditions:

1. The Rex Sacrorum shall be a patrician citizen.

2. The Rex Sacrorum shall not be a magistrate or senator of Nova Roma. If he is a magistrate or a senator in the moment of his appointment as Rex Sacrorum, he shall resign his magistracy or his membership of the Senate before he is eligible to be inaugurated as Rex Sacrorum.

3. The Rex Sacrorum shall be married through confarreatio. His wife shall automatically receive the title of Regina Sacrorum, and the rights and duties associated with that title.

After being appointed by the Pontifex Maximus, the Rex and Regina Sacrorum shall be properly inaugurated following the prescriptions of the Libri Pontificii.

VI. De officiis Regis Reginaeque Sacrorum

A. The Rex Sacrorum shall have the following duties:

1. To perform the rituals for Janus and Jupiter prescribed by the Libri Pontificii, described in III.A., on the kalendae and nonae of each month, and to announce on the kalendae of each month the day on which the nonae of that month shall take place.

2. To preside the Comitia Calata in the nonae of each month and to announce the festivals to be held in that month.

3. To try to propitiate, upon the request of the Senatus and following the prescriptions of the Libri Pontificii, the anger of the Gods when extraordinary portenta may seem to announce some general calamity.

4. To take part in the traditional festivities associated with the office:

a) The Agonium b) The Consualia c) The Regifugium d) The dies Q.R.C.F. in Martius e) The dies Q.R.C.F. in Majus. f) as well as in any additional sacra publica explicitly prescribed for the Rex Sacrorum by the Libri Pontificii.

B. The Regina Sacrorum shall have the following duties:

1. To perform the rituals for Juno prescribed by the Libri Pontificii in the kalendae and the nonae of each month, as well as in the festival of Juno Covella.
2. To perform those other rituals specifically prescribed for the Regina Sacrorum by the Libri Pontificii.

PARS TERTIA: DE PONTIFICE MAXIMO

VII. De electione Pontificis Maximi

A. Whenever the position of the Pontifex Maximus is vacant, the most recently co-opted pontifex shall temporarily be given by consular edictum the jus agendi cum populo to convene the Comitia Populi Tributa. The pontifex that presides over the election shall not be eligible as Pontifex Maximus.

B. One half (rounding fractions down) of the tribes of the Comitia Populi Tributa shall be selected by lot and shall be thereby convened to elect a new Pontifex Maximus among the current pontifices, following the same procedures followed to elect magistrates through the Comitia Populi Tributa.

C. Once a Pontifex Maximus has been elected, he shall be properly inaugurated following the prescriptions of the Libri Pontificii.

D. The Pontifex Maximus shall hold his office for life. However, he shall be deprived of his office if he, for whatever reason, looses his citizenship.

VIII. De officiis Pontificis Maximi

The Pontifex Maximus shall have the following duties:

1. To act as a spokesman of the Collegium Pontificum.

2. To be responsible for the public hearth in the Aedes Vestae. To instruct and supervise the Virgines Vestales.

3. To select and to preside over the induction rituals of the Virgines Vestales, the Rex Sacrorum, the Flamines Majores and the Flamines Minores.

4. To oversee the celebration of the sacra publica, and to have disciplinary authority over the priests responsible for their celebration, according to the Libri Pontificii. Disciplinary measures may include fines and/or expulsion from priesthood.

5. To record the significant events of each year in the Annales Maximi, and to present the Annales Maximi of the previous year to the public before the kalendae Martias.

6. To be present in every marriage by confarreatio, and to take part in the ritus prescribed for such occasions by the Libri Pontificii.

7. To watch over sacra familiares and the rituals of the dead practiced by the citizens of the Res Publica, including the specific duty of approving or rejecting applications for adrogatio.

PARS QVARTA: DE FLAMINIBVS

IX. De numero captioneque Flaminum

A. The Pontifex Maximus shall appoint three (3) Flamines Majores, that shall be named, in order of precedence:

1. Flamen Dialis
2. Flamen Martialis
3. Flamen Quirinalis

The Flamines Majores shall be members of the Ordo Patricius, sons of parents married by confarreatio, and be married by confarreatio. The last two conditions might be waived through a special dispense through a responsum from the Collegium Pontificum.

B. The Pontifex Maximus shall appoint, among the members of the Ordo Plebejus, twelve (12) Flamines Minores, that shall be named:

1. Flamen Carmentalis
2. Flamen Cerealis
3. Flamen Falacer
4. Flamen Floralis
5. Flamen Furrinalis
6. Flamen Lucularis
7. Flamen Palatualis
8. Flamen Pomonalis
9. Flamen Portunalis
10. Flamen Virbialis
11. Flamen Volcanalis
12. Flamen Volturnalis

C. After being appointed by the Pontifex Maximus, a new Flamen shall be properly inaugurated following the prescriptions of the Libri Pontificii.

D. The office of Flamen is understood to last for life; but a flamen may be compelled to resign (flaminio abire) for a breach of duty, or even on account of the occurrence of an ill-omened accident while discharging his functions. The final decision on whether a certain Flamen must resign shall be in the hands of the Pontifex Maximus.

X. De officiis Flaminis Dialis

A. The Flamen Dialis shall have the following duties:

1. To wear, during official acts, the insignia of his office: toga praetexta and apex. He shall also have the right to sit on a sella curulis, be escorted by one lictor and take part in the deliberations of the Senate.

2. To preside, together with the Flaminica Dialis (the wife of the Flamen Dialis, to whom he must be married by confarreatio), over the rites of confarreatio.

3. To follow the traditional prohibitions of his office, as prescribed by the Libri Pontificii.

4. To leave office if his wife dies or if he divorces.

5. To take part in the traditional festivities associated with the office:

a) the Lupercalia b) the Vinalia c) the Fidei Solemne d) the Ovis Idulis

as well as in any additional sacra publica explicitly prescribed by the Libri Pontificii.

6. On each nundina a sacrifice to Jupiter shall be performed by the Flaminica Dialis according to the prescriptions of the Libri Pontificii. The Flaminica Dialis shall also take part in the following traditional festivities:

a) the Itur ad Argeos b) the Ancilia Moventia c) the Februa Poscens

She shall be subject to some special taboos (defined in the Libri Pontificii) during June until the end of the Vestalia.

B. Should the office of the Flamen Dialis be vacant, the duties of the office shall be discharged by the Pontifex Maximus.

XI. De officiis Flaminis Martialis

The Flamen Martialis shall have the following duties:

1. To wear, during official acts, the insignia of his office: toga praetexta and apex.

2. To take part in the traditional festivities associated with the office:

a) the Octobris Equus b) the Fidei Solemne

as well as in any additional sacra publica explicitly prescribed by the Libri Pontificii.

3. The Flamen Martialis must be married by confarreatio, and his wife shall receive the title of Flaminica Martialis, and shall perform the duties explicitly prescribed for that position in the Libri Pontificii.

XII. De officiis Flaminis Quirinalis

The Flamen Quirinalis shall have the following duties:

1. To wear, during official acts, the insignia of his office: toga praetexta and apex.

2. To take part in the traditional festivities associated with the office:

a) the Robigalia b) the Consualia c) the Latentalia b) the Fidei Solemne

as well as in any additional sacra publica explicitly prescribed by the Libri Pontificii.

3. The Flamen Quirinalis must be married by confarreatio, and his wife shall receive the title of Flaminica Quirinalis, and shall perform the duties explicitly prescribed for that position in the Libri Pontificii.

XIII. De officiis Flaminum Minorum

The Flamines Minores shall have the following duties:

1. To wear, during official acts, the insignia of his office: toga praetexta and apex.

2. To take part in the traditional festivities associated with the office, as well as in any additional sacra publica explicitly prescribed by the Libri Pontificii.