Saturnalia Rostallonensia Nova Romana

Pannonia Provincia of the Res Publica Nova Romana has now at the 5th time had its public Saturnalia celebration. Now, it was held at the first time at the City Library in Sátoraljaújhely, Hungary, which is in the area of the Nova Roman regio Rostallonensis. The event took place on on a.d. VI Id. Dec. ‡Cn. Caesare C. Tullio cos. ‡ MMDCCLXV a.u.c.. This has been the 5th public Saturnalia feast of the Nova Roman Pannonia. This event also served, with a pontifex present, as one of the central Saturnalia celebrations for the entire Nova Roman Republic. The other main Saturnalia event for Nova Roma is going to be held at Saint Petersburg, Russia, by Sarmatia Provincia: event's Facebook page

At this event Pannonian citizens of Nova Roma (some of them members of the Gladius Association), primarily from regio Rostallonensis and from the Cohors VII Carpathica, came together to celebrate Saturnalia at the City Library of Sátoraljaújhely. They celebrated Saturn with a sacrifice, enjoyed each others' company, ate, chatted and laughed together, while keeping in mind that all citizens of Nova Roma are sipiritually together with them. This was emphasized by the presence of pontifex Cn. Lentulus, who, as a member of the chief priestly college overseeing the Nova Roman religion, conducted the sacrifice in the name of the res publica, the entire Nova Roman citizenry, for all Nova Romans everywhere and for the entire republic.

More about Sátoraljaújhely: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sátoraljaújhely

At this official Nova Roman event, there was present (besides pontifex and governor Cn. Lentulus) C. Villius Vulso, praefectus appointed by the governor to control Regio Rostallonensis of Pannonia - and several other Pannonian citizens of regio Rostallonensis and Colonia Rostallo burgus.

Lecture about Saturnalia, fashion show and sacrifice to Saturn

Before the sacrificial ceremony, Nova Romans, their associates and visitors of the library listened to a short welcoming and opening speech delivered by the governor of the province, Cn. Lentulus pontifex, and C. Villius, praefectus of the regio. They thanked the City Library for the possibility to celebrate the Saturnalia here. After the opening speeches, Cn. Lentulus held a short lecture about the history and significance of the Roman Saturnalia. The lecture ended with a reading from Ovid's description of the Golden Age from his famous poem the Metamorphoses.

Next there was a Roman fashion show, demonstration of Roman clothes. Visitors could try out how to put on a tunica, toga or lacerna.

1. The religious celebrations of the Saturnalia of Nova Roma begun with a solemn procession, pompa, of the regional government: the legatus pro praetore Cn. Cornelius Lentulus, accompanied by praefectus regionis C. Villius Vulso, and scriba praefecti P. Fabius Torquatus with prominent citizens such as C. Villius Macro, M. Fabius Longus approaching the sacrificial altar. The sacrificial altar was decorated with flowers as a symbol of the joy of Saturn's Golden Age, and a silver boar, the sacred animal and emblem of the Rostallonian Nova Romans. How nice to see the books of the city library, temple of knowledge and wisdom, and the altar of pious dedication next to each other:

2. Pontifex Cn. Lentulus, legatus pro praetore performed the sacrifice with the assistance of praefectus C. Villius, while Nova Romans and visitors with their families and children were standing around the altar. Various Roman clothes from the previous fashion show placed on tables in the foreground. The citizens all wear the red hat, the pileus, as the Roman tradition requires for Saturnalia season, a reference to freedom and joy. Cn. Lentulus prays for all Nova Romans and their families everywhere and recites the ritual words "Saturne pater, esto fito volens propitius Rei Publicae Novae Romanae"...:

3. After the main prayer, the pontifex Cn. Lentulus invites the attending Pannonian citizens to ask something personally from Father Saturn. As the citizens tell Lentulus their requests from Saturn, Lentulus immediately translates them into Latin and recites the personal prayer to Saturn. When the prayer is finished, the person who requested it from Saturn, pours a libation of wine onto the altar. The first citizen to ask something from Saturn was praefectus C. Villius Vulso, asking help from Saturn for his one year old Nova Roman community, Rostallo burgus. C. Villius pouring libation to the focus of the altar, while Cn. Lentulus recites C. Villius' prayers:

Many individual prayers followed this that are not reported here in the pictures. After the personal prayers, Cn. Lentulus recited the closing part of the ceremony, the piaculum, and the sacrifice to Saturn has come to an end. The pontifex says: "Io Saturnalia, ilicet, io saturnalia, ilicet! (Hail Saturnalia, you can go now!)", and the crowd repeats the exlamation: "Io Saturnalia".

Saturnalia Party in the library

4. After the ritual, Nova Roman citizens of Pannonia celebrate Saturnalia with a dinner party, sharing meals ab ovo usque ad mala ("from the egg to the apple") and wine that was offered to Saturn, while soldiers of Cohors VII Carpathica display armors and show them to visitors who can try various armors and Roman martial art tricks. Having fun, true Saturnalia spirit among Nova Romans around the dinner table:

IO SATURNALIA!
Nova Roma