Application for priesthood (Nova Roma)

Revision as of 15:32, 18 September 2015

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Guidelines for applying for Priesthood in Nova Roma

1. We ask that applicants have sincere religious feeling for the deity who's priesthood they wish to undertake. It is necessary that the applicant worship that deity in private life in addition to being willing to preside over public rituals on behalf of Nova Roma. As our central goal is to restore sincere as well as traditional worship of the ancient Gods, we cannot grant Priesthood status to Citizens who apply only for reasons of historical curiosity or for purposes of secular historical reenactment.
2. We ask that Priesthood applicants have real time to devote toward advancing the worship of their chosen deity both within Nova Roma and in the outside world. This involves being available for public correspondence concerning the worship of the God or Goddess they serve, assisting others in their personal worship, working to reconstruct rites, prayers and other religious liturgy related to their deity, being available for public rites sponsored by Nova Roma, and ideally, organizing public rites/temples on their own as well. We feel that Priesthood is defined by active service on many levels. Therefore we cannot provide empty "titles" for those who are unable to put forth genuine effort.
3. We must ask that all Priesthood applicants be able to do College-level literary research to recover the historical facts of their Priesthood, and the worship of the God or Goddess they seek to serve. The restoration of the Cultus Deorum Romanorum is still in its first stages and it is the Priesthood that must do the historical work to make their chosen path come alive again. Each Priestess or Priest will be required to create a complete written "plan" for rebuilding the worship of their deity at some point, This will need to include not only a historical overview of their God or Goddesses ancient worship, but also written rituals for the deities festival days, prayers and rites for others who seek to worship that deity, offering liturgy, etc. We recommend that applicants have access to one or more good libraries, or have the means to find/buy scholarly books and resource materials.
4. We must also request that applicants agree to act within a Roman reconstructionist format while acting as an official Priestess or Priest of Nova Roma. This means being as historically accurate as possible in rituals, offerings, prayers, written text, etc. As we are seeking to build the Cultus Deorum Romanorum as a distinct religion in the modern world, it is important that it's practices be as unique today as they were in the antiquity.
5. We ask that applicants be involved with Nova Roma as a Citizen for six months before applying for a Priesthood position. This is important because members of the Priesthood are acting on behalf of Nova Roma itself, and some experience with the community you will be working with is necessary. This can only come with time.

If you agree and can practice within the five initial guidelines above, you are invited to formally apply for Priesthood within Nova Roma. To apply, please learn about the system of the cretion of priests and answer the following ten questions and send them to the Collegium Pontificum^[1].

Application for Priesthood

1. Please provide the following information (the pontifices may need to contact you for clarification of your responses).
   1. Legal Name:
   2. Roman Name:
   3. Email Address:
   4. Date of Citizenship:
2. For which priestly office do you wish to apply?
3. Please write a brief outline of your religious history up till now, including any practical involvement you have had with the Cultus Deorum Romanorum.
4. Why do you want to become a Priest/ess?
5. What skills do you have that will both further the worship of your chosen deity, AND assist others in *their* worship?
6. Do you have a Lararium in your home, and are you currently doing the household rites? Please describe your household worship.
7. What books have you read which deal with ancient Roman religion?
8. Working toward the priesthood will require historical research on your part. What resources do you have for acquiring scholarly texts?
9. Please give a short overview of the deity you wish to serve. What is this deity the god or goddess of, how were they worshipped in the ancient world, and why are they important?
10. What future do you see for the worship of your deity? How would you like to see this aspect of the cultus deorum progress?

After You Apply

After submitting your application, you should receive a response from a member of the Collegium Pontificum within one nundinum, to confirm receipt of your application. The Collegium will consider your application, and the members of the Collegium may contact you with additional questions to assist in their evaluation of your application. Applicants having sufficient knowledge, demonstrated skill, and abilities to immediately move into the role for which they have applied will be considered by the Collegium Pontificum for appointment; other applicants will be offered referral to various resources which will help prepare the individual to be considered for appointment at a later date.

Questions

If you have additional questions on the application process, or about the Cultus Deorum Romanorum in general, please feel welcomed to contact the Collegium Pontificum, and we will be glad to ensure your questions are answered.

Notae

1. ↑ The link provided will add the email address and appropriate subject. If you enter the information manually, please ensure the subject line reads "An Application to the Collegium Pontificum", and ensure that your email is directed to collegium <underscore> pontificum <underscore> nr <dash> owner <at> yahoogroups <dot> com. Emails formatted in this way will be automatically forwarded to the Collegium Pontificum.