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March 23rd, 2004 - Caerimonia Feria Tubilustrii Gaius Minucius Hadrianus Felix Quiritibus S.P.D.Salvete, Quirites. Today is ante diem X Kalendae Aprilis, the the Feria Tubilustrii and is sacred to Dea Minerva and Mars Pater.As Minerva Templi Sacerdotes, to observe this feria I performed the following caerimonia: I bathed in preparation, then, garbed in toga praetexta, cinctu Gabino, capite velato, I began the praefatio. Praefatio “Iane pater, te hoc ture ommovendo bonas preces precor, uti sies volens propitius mihi et Senatui Populoque Novorum Romanorum Quiritum [Father Ianus, by offering this incense to you I pray good prayers, so that you may be willingly propitious to me and the Senate and People of the Nova Romans, the Quirites"]. I placed incense in the focus of the altar. “Iuppiter Optime Maxime, te hoc ture ommovendo bonas preces precor, uti sies volens propitius mihi et Senatui Populoque Novorum Romanorum [Iuppiter Best and Greatest, by offering this incense to you I pray good prayers, so that you may be willingly propitious to me and the Senate and People of the Nova Romans, the Quirites"]. I placed incense in the focus of the altar. “Iuno Dea, te hoc ture ommovendo bonas preces precor, uti sies volens propitia mihi et Senatui Populoque Novorum Romanorum Quiritum [Goddess Iuno, by offering this incense to you I pray good prayers, so that you may be willingly propitious to me and the Senate and People of the Nova Romans, the Quirites"]. I placed incense in the focus of the altar. "Mars pater, te hoc ture ommovendo bonas preces precor, uti sies volens propitius mihi et Senatui Populoque Novorum Romanorum Quiritum [Father Mars, by offering this incense to you I pray good prayers, so that you may be willingly propitious to me and the Senate and People of the Nova Romans, the Quirites.]" I placed incense in the focus of the altar. "Quirine pater, te hoc ture ommovendo bonas preces precor, uti sies volens propitius mihi et Senatui Populoque Novorum Romanorum Quirites [Father Quirinus, by offering this incense to you I pray good prayers, so that you may be willingly propitious to me and the Senate and People of the Nova Romans, the Quirites.]" I placed incense in the focus of the altar. "Iane pater, uti te ture ommovendo bonas preces bene precatus sum, eiusdem rei ergo macte vino inferio esto [Father Ianus, as by offering to you the incense virtuous prayers were well prayed, for the sake of this be honoured by this humble wine.]" I poured a libation on the focus of the altar. "Iuppiter Optime Maxime, uti te ture ommovendo bonas preces bene precatus sum, eiusdem rei ergo macte vino inferio esto [Iuppiter Best and Greatest, as by offering to you the incense virtuous prayers were well prayed, for the sake of this be honoured by this humble wine.]" I poured a libation on the focus of the altar. "Iuno Dea, uti te ture ommovendo bonas preces bene precatus sum, eiusdem rei ergo macte vino inferio esto [Goddess Iuno, as by offering to you the incense virtuous prayers were well prayed, for the sake of this be honoured by this humble wine.]" I poured a libation on the focus of the altar. "Mars pater, uti te ture ommovendo bonas preces bene precatus sum, eiusdem rei ergo macte vino inferio esto [Father Mars, as by offering to you the incense virtuous prayers were well prayed, for the sake of this be honoured by this humble wine.]" I poured a libation on the focus of the altar. "Quirine pater, uti te ture ommovendo bonas preces bene precatus sum, eiusdem rei ergo macte vino inferio esto [Father Quirinus, as by offering to you the incense virtuous prayers were well prayed, for the sake of this be honoured by this humble wine.]" I poured a libation on the focus of the altar. I washed my hands in preparation for the praecatio. Precatio "Minerva Capta, tubas bucinasque belli caerimoniaeque lustres et providias ut nos, Senatus Populusque Novorum Romanorum Quiritum, victoriam et litationem habeamus, tibi fieri oportet culignam vini dapi, eius rei ergo hac illace dape pullucenda esto [Minerva Capta, may you cleanse the trumpets and horns of war and ritual and may you ensure that we, the Senate and People ofthe Nova Romans, the Quirites, have victory and auspicious sacrifice; to you it is proper for a cup of wine to be given, for the sake of this thing may you be honoured by this feast offering]." I poured a libation on the focus of the altar. Again I washed my hands in preparation for the redditio. Redditio "Minerva Capta, dea bellica, quae nobis victoriam contra omnes hostes confert, macte istace dape pollucenda esto, macte vino inferio esto [Minerva Capta, war-like Goddess, who bestows on us victory over all enemies, may you be honoured by this feast offering, may you be honoured by the humble wine.]" I offered Minerva Capta cakes* and wine on the focus of the altar. "Quirine pater, uti te ture ommovendo bonas preces bene precatus sum, eiusdem rei ergo macte vino inferio esto [Father Quirinus, as by offering to you the incense virtuous prayers were well prayed, for the sake of this be honoured by this humble wine.]" I poured a libation on the focus of the altar. "Mars pater, uti te ture ommovendo bonas preces bene precatus sum, eiusdem rei ergo macte vino inferio esto [Father Mars, as by offering to you the incense virtuous prayers were well prayed, for the sake of this be honoured by this humble wine.]" I poured a libation on the focus of the altar. "Iuno Dea, uti te ture ommovendo bonas preces bene precatus sum, eiusdem rei ergo macte vino inferio esto [Goddess Iuno, as by offering to you the incense virtuous prayers were well prayed, for the sake of this be honoured by this humble wine.]" I poured a libation on the focus of the altar. "Iane pater, uti te ture ommovendo bonas preces bene precatus sum, eiusdem rei ergo macte vino inferio esto [Father Ianus, as by offering to you the incense virtuous prayers were well prayed, for the sake of this be honoured by this humble wine.]" I poured a libation on the focus of the altar. "Vesta Dea, custos ignis sacri, macte vino inferio esto [Goddess Vesta, guardian of the sacred fire, be honoured by this humble wine.]" I poured a libation on the focus of the altar. "Illicet [It is permitted to go.]" I profaned wine and cakes, and I partook of the epulum with Minerva Capta, praying as I ate and offering libations in my private devotions. Piaculum Since the historical caerimonia of the feria of the Tubilustrium has not yet been recovered, I offered a piaculum to Minerva Capta if anything in this caerimonia should offend her: "Minerva Capta, si quidquam tibi in hac caerimonia displicet, hoc ture veniam peto et vitium meum expio [Minerva Capta, if anything in this ceremony is displeasing to you, with this incense I ask forgiveness and expiate my fault.]" I offered incense on the focus of the altar. "Minerva Capta, si quidquam tibi in hac caerimonia displicet, hoc vino inferio veniam peto et vitium meum expio [Minerva Capta, if anything in this ceremony is displeasing to you, with this humble wine I ask forgiveness and expiate my fault.]" I poured a libation on the focus of the altar. *Sacrificial Cakes: For the feast offering of cakes I baked libum, a very simple traditional cake of flour and cheese commonly used as a sacrifical offering. I followed the recipe of Cato: "Libum is made like this: knead 2 pounds of cheese in the mortar. When it is well kneaded add 1 pound of [white] wheat flour, or if you want it a little lighter, half a pound of flour. Mix this well with the cheese, add an egg and mix again. This makes a bread that can be placed on leaves and slowly baked in an oven, covered with a lid" (Cat. R.R. LXXV) Patrick Faas, in his book Around the Roman Table: Food and Feasting in Ancient Rome recommends that ricotta, curd or cottage cheese be use in the recipe, and that the libum be baked for 45 minutes at 350 degrees F/180 degrees C. I choose ricotta, which came conviently enough in a 2 pound container. I used natural, unbleached white wheat flour, and an organic brown egg. Once the dough was welll mixed and kneaded, I rolled it out into a long rectangle about 6" x 12" and 1" thick, and placed it on a baking sheet greased with olive oil. I brushed the top of the libum with oil as well and set it in the oven. I ended up baking it 50 minutes, since at 45 it was still a bit undercooked in the center. It turned a lovely golden brown, and smelled quite nice, but it has very little taste. Vale, C. Minucius Hadrianus Felix Minerva Templi Sacerdotes et Pontifex
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