Childbirth (Nova Roma)

Revision as of 11:31, 27 September 2008

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The goddess Carmentis oversees childbirth. Here is the Ritus Carmenae (Nova Roma)

another Roman practice related to birthing. Rather than going out hunting with a stone for a man, a boar, and a bear I might suggest you use the old Italian charm. We use to use the white quarzites you easily find. We called them lunaria or else lucky stones. You pick one up, tossing it in the air three times, catching it each time with your left hand, by night, praying to the Moon for a blessing. "Luna, Luna, bella Luna, per favore, da per me un graziosa." That's how I think it use to go; I was just a child at bisnonna's knee back then.

I suggest a small stone, a pebble, because each year another pebble is to be added to your lararium, for each family member on his or her birthday. These stones build up after a while.

The ritual: The mother and child are to remain in bed. The father guards the door from the inside, while it is three friends and/or uncles of the infant who go about the outside of the house tapping at window sills and door frames with the axhead and pestle, and the third sweeps with a broom. Of course you can vary the ritual however you need.

In the other ritual he mentioned, after the father raises the child to family and friends, if a girl you present the infant to your Lares. If a boy he should be taken outdoors and raised up to Jupiter. The sacrifices are offered to Jupiter and to the boy's genius, thus wine can be used. For a girl the libation is milk, offered to Juno and to the girl's juno. Never is a blood sacrifice offered on a person's birthday, so even meat should not be presented but the usual offerings for Lares may be used.

Charms were also put around the house, especially in the infant's room. A necklace of peony seeds was used as a protective amulet. A sprig of hawthorn was hung over the windows to keep away the strigae. Anise was hung near the crib to bring sweet dreams. Oak twigs, tied with red wool to form a cross, was another charm of protection, calling on Jupiter and Hercules, long before its adoption by others. Many other such charms that you may know about also had their origins in earlier traditions and might decorate your house.

Rituals written by T. Iulius Nero for the birth of his child

They were written, I believe, by Titus Iulius Nero when he was preparing for the birth of his child in July/August 2007.

Birthing Rituals

In Preparation for Pregnancy and Birth… Perform a Sacrificium to Egeria

1. Approach the altar, bearing gifts in your left hand and with your right hand manu supina. Stop short of the altar by two to three steps and pray: "Come, be present, Nympha Egeria. With Your soft words and wise songs, come, Wife of Numa."

2. Approach the altar, setting your offerings before the altar. Offer floral incense into the foculus and pray: "Nympha Egeria, I make this offering of incense to You and pray with good prayers that You will look kindly and favorably upon me, upon my home and on my household."

3. Pour a libation of milk: "Nympha Egeria, may You be strengthened by this libation, may You be honored by this portion of milk."

4. Pour the libation into the focus. Manu supina and pray*: "Divine Nymph, Thou wife of royal Numa. You, Egeria, whose heavenly song confers wisdom and whose sacred spring yields healing waters that cure the ills of the body. I pray, gentle Nymph, that You bless my child and me that I might carry it to term. I pray You, bestow health upon my unborn child and upon myself, now and in the coming months. Henceforth, freely allow me to be safe and sound."

5. Offer some fresh fruits and pray: "In You, sweet Nymph, in Your hands I place my prayers. Egeria, in offering to You these fruits I pray good prayers in order that, pleased with this offering of fruit, You may be favorable towards me and my family, towards my home and my household."

6. Place the fresh fruit into the focus. Pour a libation of milk and pray: "Nympha Egeria, may You be strengthened by these fruits, may You be warmed by this portion of my milk."

7. Pour the libation into the focus. Turn away from the altar, hold hand up in prayer, and pray: "Thus it is done. May all the Gods and Goddesses above and below always love me and wish me happiness in all that is good."

Divine Powers of Pregnancy Fluonia – directs the blood flow of nutrients to the conceived child. Alemona – feeds the nutrients to the fetus. Nona – ensures a term of nine months. Decima – ensures a term of ten months.

• (This prayer is inspired by Epigram [VI 43] To Egeria of M. Valerius

Martialis) At the Birth of a Newborn…

As the initial contractions begin and the water breaks, hail the coming of the birth: "Ave Parca et Partula!"

As the child crowns and the midwife or doctor announces its position, hail the Numen presiding over its position: Head first: "Ave Prorsa!" If feet first: "Ave Porrima!"

After the child has been fully birthed, hail its first cry: "Ave Vaticanus!"

After the umbilical cord is cut, and as the midwife hands the child to the mother, hail the event: "Ave Levana!"

After the child has spent several moments with the mother, a grandmother or maternal aunt takes up the child and anoints its forehead and lips with their saliva and prays: "Be guarded from the evil eye!"

The child is then presented at the feet of the father, saying: "Behold, your son/daughter!"

The father picks up the child and holds him/her aloft to acknowledge the child as his own, saying: "Ave Statinus et Statina! Behold my son/daughter!"

Directly following, or if need be at a later time, the newborn is presented at the Lararium.

Divine Powers of Birth Parca and Partula – preside over the birth itself. Prorsa – invoked in the case of the child presenting head first. Porrima – invoked in the case of the child presenting feet first Postvorta – invoked in the case of a breech birth Februa – delivered the placenta after the birth. Vitumnus – gives life. Sentinus – gives sensibility. Levana – presides over handing the child to the mother. Statina and Statinus – kept the child straight when given to the father to acknowledge. Vaticanus – presides over and gives the child its first cry.

Presentation of the Newborn to the Ancestors…

1. The father takes the newborn to the Lararium, adoratio and prays: "Be Thou well, Lar Familiaris, and you Di Lares of our family! I come bearing my son/daughter."

2. The father offers frankincense, placing it into the foculus, and prays: "Lar Familiaris and Di Lares, I make this offering of incense to You and pray with good prayers that You will look kindly and favorably upon my son/daughter."

3. The father pours a libation of wine and prays: "Lar Familiaris and Di Lares, may You be strengthened by this libation, may You be honored by this portion of wine."

4. The father pours the libation into the focus. The father prays: "Lar Familiaris and Di Lares, You hallowed ancestors of our family, I pray You look kindly and favorably upon my son/daughter that he/she might grow and age under Your protection and blessing. I pray, You, bless my son/daughter on this numinous day of his/her birth that his/her future may be long, healthy, fortunate, and good."

5. The father offers honeyed-cakes and prays: "Lar Familiaris, Di Lares, in offering You these cakes I pray good prayers in order that, pleased with this offering, You may be favorable towards me, my child and my family, towards my home and household."

6. The midwife or other person brings forth a piece of the umbilical cord wrapped in cloth, hands it to the father who prays: "Behold, Lar Familiaris and You Di Lares, a piece of my son/daughter's umbilicus, the root of his/her birth and life. May You guard it well."

7. The father places the wrapped umbilicus into a cratera and prays: "May this bowl serve as the reservoir of my son/daughter's years, from now till death. May every year this offering repeat upon this auspicious day, in remembrance, of my son/daughter's birth."

8. The father brings the newborn either to an open window or directly outside, holds him/her aloft and prays: "Behold, Di Superi, You Celestial Gods!"

9. The father presents the newborn to the gathered family and friends: "Behold, our child!"

Directly following or later in the day a feast is prepared and family and close friends are welcomed into the home to celebrate the birth of the child.

Setting the Bed for Juno…

After the child is born, set up a miniature bed in the main room of the home. Beside it, set up an altar to Hercules. It might be ideal to set this up as a single altar, if space is an issue.

1. Offer incense and pray: "Mother Juno, in offering this incense to You I pray good prayers, so that You may look kindly and favorably upon me and my children, upon my house and household."

2. Place the incense into the foculus. Offer incense, again, and pray: "Great Hercules, in offering this incense to You I pray good prayers, so that You may be propitious to me and my children, to my house and household."

3. Place the incense into the foculus. Adoratio to the bed. Manu supina and pray: ""other Juno, You who have suckled the Great Hercules and brought Him to health, may You also bless our home that it be a safe and healthy place for the growth of my newborn son/daughter."

"Victorious Hercules, true son of Jove, unwearied after so many labors, I pray You might bless and watch over my newborn son/daughter that he/she may grow strong and healthy."

5. Pour two individual libations into the patera, one at a time: "To kind Mother Juno." "To Great Hercules."

6. Adoratio to the entire altar and pray: "May You gracious Gods keep our faith."

When female guests enter the home to greet the new mother and child, allow them to sacrifice to the Gods.

To Protect the House and Newborn…

The mother and child sit in the main room, traditionally in a bed while the father takes up a sword at the front door to protect his home as three male family members (or friends) go about the outside of the home acting as the Numina who protect the home.

1. One male family member takes up an axe and prays: "Intercidona, be here with me. Be present with this axe."

2. The axe-bearer exits the house and processes about the outside of the home knocking on the foundation as well as at windows and doors. With each knock, pray: "Intercidona, protect this household."

3. The second male family member takes up a pestal and prays: "Picumnus, be here with me. Be present with this pestal."

4. The pestal-bearer exits the house and processes about the outside of the home knocking on the foundation as well as at windows and doors. With each knock, pray: "Picumnus, protect this household."

5. The third male family member takes up a broom and prays: "Deverra, be here with me. Be present with this broom."

6. The broom-bearer exits the house and processes about the outside of the home sweeping along the foundation. As he sweeps, pray: "Deverra, protect this household."

7. The husband takes up his sword while standing at the threshold of the home looking outside and prays: "Lar Familiaris and all You Blessed Manes of the ________ family, be here with me. Be present with this sword. Defend our home from all evils that may dare to enter within. May our house and household be a safe and guarded place where health, joy and love of the Gods may prosper. May You keep the faith!"

Feast in Honor of the Newborn…

Set out the feast upon a table and set an altar at the head of the table or create a separate altar beyond the table that remains in view of the feast.

1. Offer incense and pray: "Father Janus, in offering this incense to You I pray good prayers, so that You may be propitious and kind to me and my children, to my house and household."

2. Place the incense into the focus. Offer incense, again, and pray: "Jupiter, in offering this incense to You I pray good prayers, so that You may be propitious and kind to me and my children, to my house and household."

3. Place the incense into the foculus. Offer incense a third time, and pray: "Juno, in offering this incense to You I pray good prayers, so that You may be propitious and kind to me and my children, to my house and household."

4. Place the incense into the foculus. Offer incense a fourth time, and pray: "Venus Birth-giver, in offering this incense to You I pray good prayers, so that You may be propitious and kind to me and my children, to my house and household."

5. Place the incense into the foculus. Pour a libation of wine and pray: "Father Janus, as in offering to You the incense virtuous prayers were well prayed, for the sake of this be honored by this wine offered in libation."

6. Pour the libation into the focus. Pour another libation and pray: "Jupiter, as You were honored by the incense, now be honored by this wine offered in libation."

7. Pour the libation into the focus. Pour another libation and pray: "Juno, as You were honored by the incense, now be honored by this wine offered in libation."

8. Pour the libation into the focus. Pour another libation and pray: "Venus Birth-giver, as were honored by the incense, now be honored by this wine offered in libation."

9. Pour the libation into the focus. Manu supina and pray*: "Be with us, O Gods, You who give witness to all of mankind's comings and goings. I pray You, Heavenly Gods, take honor in our feast assembled here. We give thanks to You for our child. May You continue to smile and keep faith with mankind!"

"Venus Genetrix, Birth-giver of the Roman people, Charmer of Gods and Mankind, Thou nurturing Mother, since it is through You that all things are conceived and animated into life to behold the Light of Day, we give great thanks and praise. May You always bless the families of mankind and perpetuate our family!"

10. Scoop a small portion of each food assembled for the feast into a patera. If meat is served sprinkle mola salsa over it. Pray: "O Heavenly Gods, may You be honored by this feast offering, may You be honored by the wine offered in libation."

11. Place the feast offerings in the focus. Pour a libation and pour it into the focus. Offer honeyed-cakes and pray: "Venus Birth-giver, in offering to You these cakes I pray good prayers that, pleased with this offering of cakes, You may be honored and favorable towards me and my family, my house and household."

12. Place the honeyed-cakes into the focus. Grab a handful of sweet-smelling flowers and flower petals and pray: "Venus Birth-giver, I offer You these sweet smelling flowers that You may be honored by their scent and beauty."

13. Profane each of the foods assembled for the feast with by lightly touching them. Once all has been profaned, declare: "May we feast amongst the Gods!"

The feast may begin. People who have gathered for the feast may feel free to make additional offerings, prayers, or toasts to the Gods.

• (The first prayer is inspired by Titu's Livius History of Rome

[6.29.2] and the second by Lucretius Carus' De Rerum Natura [I 1-9]) Dies Lustricus

Divine Powers of Growth

• Rumina – presides over the child's ability to suckle.
• Edula – presides over the child's ability to eat.
• Potina – presides over the child's ability to drink.
• Ossipago and Ossipagina – preside over strengthening the bones of the child.
• Carna – presides over strengthening the muscles and defends the intestines from curses.
• Cunina – presides over protecting the child and its cradle from curses.
• Cuba – presides over the weaning of the child and transferring from cradle to bed.
• Paventia – wards off the child's fears.
• Peta – presides over the child's wants.
• Adeona and Abeona – preside over the child's ability to walk to and from.
• Farinus – presides over the tongue and its loosening.
• Fabulinus – presides over the child's first words.
• Locutius – presides over the child's first sentences.
• Mens – gives intelligence.
• Volumna and Volumnus – give the will for good.
• Numeria – gives the ability to count.
• Camena – gives the ability to sing.