Rogatio Cornelia de constitutione corrigenda (Nova Roma)

Constitutional Change

A. The Religio Romana, the worship of the Gods and Goddesses of Rome, shall be the official religion of Nova Roma. All magistrates and Senators, as officers of the State, shall be required to publicly show respect for the Religio Romana and the Gods and Goddesses that made Rome great. Magistrates, Senators, and citizens need not be practitioner of the Religio Romana, but may not engage in any activity that intentionally blasphemes or defames the Gods, Goddesses, the Religio Romana, or its practitioners. Nova Roma shall approach all other religions with a syncretistic outlook, offering friendship to all paths which acknowledge the right of those who practice and honor the Religio Romana to do so and respect the beliefs thereof. While the Colleges of the Religio Romana shall manage the religious activities of the state in the manner they see fit, they are subject to oversight by the corporate Board of Directors of Nova Roma, which is the ultimate authority.

B. The priesthoods of the Gods and Goddesses of Rome shall be organized as closely as practical on the ancient Roman model. The institutions of the Religio Romana shall have authority over public religious matters, maintain the religious rites of the State and shall provide resources so that the citizenry may be informed as well as be prepared to assume positions within the priesthood. Only Citizens of Nova Roma may be members of the public institutions of the Religio Romana, which shall be organized, and have their responsibilities divided, as follows:

The Collegium Pontificum (College of Pontiffs) shall be the highest ranked of the priestly Collegia. It shall consist of the Pontifex Maximus, up to fourteen Pontifices, a maximum of twelve Flamines, a maximum of six Sacerdotes Vestales, and the Rex and Regina Sacrorum. The members of the Collegium Pontificum shall hold their offices for a specified period of time as established by the law, The individuals who make up the fourteen (14) Pontifices and the twelve (12) Flamines shall be elected by the People of Nova Roma in the Comitia Populi Tributa. The Pontiffs and Flamines shall be elected and regular re-elections shall be established by law. The Collegeium Pontificum shall have the following powers and responsibilities:

a. To control the calendar, and determine when the festivals, dies fasti, and dies nefasti shall occur, and what their effects shall be, within the boundaries of the example of ancient Rome;

b. To have ritual responsibilities within the Religio Romana; and general authority over the institutions, rites, rituals, and priesthoods of the public Religio Romana;

c. To issue decreta (decrees) on matters relevant to the Religio Romana and its own internal procedures, consistent with paragraph A, above. Such decreta may not be overruled by a Comitia or the Senate unless it is determined they are unconstitutional or in violation of the laws of the State of Maine.

d. To serve the needs of the community, be involved in the community and promote the growth of the Religio Romana, both within the organization and outside of Nova Roma.

e. To conduct research and contribute to the greater knowledgebase of the Religio Romana and how it can be practiced, conducted and to educate the citizens of its role and importance.