Gaia Veturia Sacerdos (Nova Roma)
Gaia Veturia Sacerdos holds a B.S. in Architecture ( for buildings, not for computers ) and is a licensed architect in the state of California. She also holds a California real estate license and a clergy ordainment through a separate organization and has performed legal marriage rites in California.
Born the daughter of a successful Irish-American businessman on the west side of greater Los Angeles, Veturia became a believer in the ancient mythological religions as a "latchkey" kid with a fascination for the library while still in elementary school. After learning the ancient path as a solitary child, her prayers for a normal home life were answered: her mother remarried a University-educated, British building systems engineer who loved children, and she and her siblings were blessed with adoption. Her childhood fascination with ancient temples in the Greco-Roman world became a foundation for her later studies in University. Between architectural contracts, Veturia discovered Nova Roma whilst doing online research regarding the Goddess Fortuna and eventually applied for citizenship. In the meantime, her research expanded into a variety of different projects, including a website, a radio show and a nonprofit organization.
Veturia also learned divination as a hobby and turned it into a part-time career, at the same time earning occult credentials as a master tarot consultant and the title of high priestess. After becoming a citizen of Nova Roma Veturia added a Roman Oracle page to her website for divination by Homeric Lots, where she is available by email, live chat and phone.
C. Veturia Sacerdos was the first Nova Roma citizen to establish the Veturia gens. She was proud to choose the name as a tribute to the mother of Caius Marcius Coriolanus, Veturia, who was the founder of the Temple of Fortuna Muliebris; a feminist temple celebrating a return to peace from war, which was earned by a group of women who proved that they could bring peace to Rome. The Temple of Fortuna Muliebris was the only permanent temple in Rome that was completely run by women and which gave women, particularly women in their first marriage, the right to speak publicly.
Veturia was honored as first place winner of the Certamen Historicum, during the Ludi Novi Romani celebrating the XVth anniversary of the founding of Nova Roma shortly after becoming an active citizen of Nova Roma.
