Daily rituals (Nova Roma)

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Pontifex Cn. Lentulus prays at a home lararium at the reconstructed Roman villa of the Carnuntum Museum

These are modern rituals for cultores of the religio Romana to perform daily at their lararium. These rituals below are based on the prayers found in Cato's De Agricultura and various prayers found on imperial era inscriptions (for example, the Acta Ludorum Saecularium). The rituals should be performed; if possible, in a clean tunica and toga for males, for females in tunica, stola and palla. The toga or palla should be draped capite velato, so as to veil the performer from any and all ill omens that might present themselves in the course of the ritual. It is acceptable to perform this ritual in a more casual manner, without toga and in a cloak instead (e. g. lacerna), or even just in tunica, or even in modern clothes.

You may find more information on household worship in our article on simple rituals for starters.

Contents

Opening of the daily rituals

  • If others attend, say the following opening expression, but if you pray alone, it is not needed:
Be favorable by your tongues!
Favete linguis!
  • Wash both hands in clean salted water and say:
Father Janus, be blessed.
Iane pater, macte esto.
  • Approach the lararium capite velato, ignite the fire on your lararium, for example a lucerna, then say:
Mother Vesta, be blessed.
Vesta mater, macte esto.
  • Perform the adoratio, then you can start the invocations and prayers.


Closing of the daily rituals

  • Extinguish the fire on your lararium, and say:
Mother Vesta, be blessed.
Vesta Mater, macte esto.
Father Janus, be blessed.
Iane pater, macte esto.
  • This is the end of the ritual. Perform the adoratio, and if others attend, say the following closing expression, but if you pray alone, it is not needed:
You can go!
Ilicet!


Shortened rituals

Shortened morning ritual

  • Perform the opening for a daily ritual (see above).
  • Burn some incense, and, while touching the altar with your right hand, invoke all your household gods:
Janus Matutinus, Mother Vesta, Lar Familiaris, my Manes, (select list of ancestors), my Penates, (list of patron gods), my Genius / Iuno Genialis (Genius / Iuno Genialis of my pater familias), on the beginning of this new day, by offering this incense to you I pray good prayers so that you protect me, my hearth, my family and my household today, so that only good, prosperous, happy and fortunate things happen today to me (and to my children), to my household and to my family, and that you be benevolent and propitious to me (and to my children), to my household and to my family.
Iane Matutine, Vesta mater, Lar Familiaris, mi Manes (select list of ancestors), mi Penates (list of patron deities), mi Geni / mea Iuno Genialis (Geni / Iuno Genialis patris familias), huiusce novi diei initio, hoc thure ommovendo vos precor, ut me, domum familiamque meam hodie protegatis, ut omnia bona fausta felicia fortunataque hodie mihi (liberisque meis) domo familiaeque meae eveniant, et ut sitis volentes propitii mihi (liberisque meis) domo familiaeque meae.
  • Sacrifice a spelt cake sprinkled with salt to all your household gods after this prayer:
For these reasons, be blessed by this libum.
Harum rerum ergo macte hoc libo estote.
  • If you have more time, you should individually invoke all your patron deities after the previous general invocation, and you should sacrifice libum or wine (to male deities only) or incense to each one of them, accompanied by this prayer, repeating this for all of your household deities. Remember when calling upon the Manes, you point your palm and right hand toward the ground (in the direction of the underworld):
(Name of deity), for the same reason, be blessed by this libum/wine/incense.
(Name of deity), eiusdem rei ergo macte hoc libo/vino/thure esto.
  • If you think there was an error in your ceremony, make an expiation by adding this prayer, naming all the gods who invoked in your morning ritual:
Janus, Vesta, Janus Matutinus, Lar Familiaris, my Manes, my Penates (list of patron deities), my Genius / my Iuno Genialis (Genius / Iuno Genialis of my pater familias), if something was unsatisfactory for you in these ceremonies, I expiate you by this libum.
Iane, Vesta, Iane Matutine, Lar Familiaris, mi Manes (select list of ancestors), mi Penates (list of patron deities), mi Geni / mea Iuno Genialis (Geni / Iuno Genialis patris familias), quod vobis his sacris neque satisfactum est, vos hoc libo piaculo.
  • Perform the closing for a daily ritual (see above).

Shortened evening ritual

  • Perform the opening for a daily ritual (see above).
  • Burn some incense, and, while touching the altar with your right hand, invoke all your household gods:
Father Janus, Mother Vesta, Lar Familiaris, my Manes, (select list of ancestors), my Penates, (list of patron gods), my Genius / Iuno Genialis (Genius / Iuno Genialis of my pater familias), on the end of this day, by offering this incense to you I pray good prayers so that you protect me, my hearth, my family and my household tonight, so that only good, prosperous, happy and fortunate things happen tonight to me (and to my children), to my household and to my family, and that you be benevolent and propitious to me (and to my children), to my household and to my family.
Iane pater, Vesta mater, Lar Familiaris, mi Manes (select list of ancestors), mi Penates (list of patron deities), mi Geni / mea Iuno Genialis (Geni / Iuno Genialis patris familias), huiusce diei exitio, hoc thure ommovendo vos precor, ut me, domum familiamque meam hac nocte protegatis, ut omnia bona fausta felicia fortunataque hac nocte mihi (liberisque meis) domo familiaeque meae eveniant, et ut sitis volentes propitii mihi (liberisque meis) domo familiaeque meae.
  • Sacrifice a spelt cake sprinkled with salt to all your household gods after this prayer:
For these reasons, be blessed by this libum.
Harum rerum ergo macte hoc libo estote.
  • If you have more time, you should individually invoke all your patron deities after the previous general invocation, and you should sacrifice libum or wine (to male deities only) or incense to each one of them, accompanied by this prayer, repeating this for all of your household deities. Remember when calling upon the Manes, you point your palm and right hand toward the ground (in the direction of the underworld):
(Name of deity), for the same reason, be blessed by this libum/wine/incense.
(Name of deity), eiusdem rei ergo macte hoc libo/vino/thure esto.
  • If you think there was an error in your ceremony, make an expiation by adding this prayer, naming all the gods who invoked in your morning ritual:
Janus, Vesta, Lar Familiaris, my Manes, my Penates (list of patron deities), my Genius / my Iuno Genialis (Genius / Iuno Genialis of my pater familias), if something was unsatisfactory for you in these ceremonies, I expiate you by this libum.
Iane, Vesta, Lar Familiaris, mi Manes (select list of ancestors), mi Penates (list of patron deities), mi Geni / mea Iuno Genialis (Geni / Iuno Genialis patris familias), quod vobis his sacris neque satisfactum est, vos hoc libo piaculo.
  • Perform the closing for a daily ritual (see above).

Shortened standalone daily ritual, or midday ritual, without morning and evening rites

  • Perform the opening for a daily ritual (see above).
  • Burn some incense, and, while touching the altar with your right hand, invoke all your household gods:
Father Janus, Mother Vesta, Lar Familiaris, my Manes, (select list of ancestors), my Penates, (list of patron gods), my Genius / Iuno Genialis (Genius / Iuno Genialis of my pater familias), on the beginning of this new day, by offering this incense to you I pray good prayers so that you protect me, my hearth, my family and my household today, so that only good, prosperous, happy and fortunate things happen today to me (and to my children), to my household and to my family, and that you be benevolent and propitious to me (and to my children), to my household and to my family.
Iane pater, Vesta mater, Lar Familiaris, mi Manes (select list of ancestors), mi Penates (list of patron deities), mi Geni / mea Iuno Genialis (Geni / Iuno Genialis patris familias), hoc thure ommovendo vos precor, ut me, domum familiamque meam hodie protegatis, ut omnia bona fausta felicia fortunataque hodie mihi (liberisque meis) domo familiaeque meae eveniant, et ut sitis volentes propitii mihi (liberisque meis) domo familiaeque meae.
  • Sacrifice a spelt cake sprinkled with salt to all your household gods after this prayer:
For these reasons, be blessed by this libum.
Harum rerum ergo macte hoc libo estote.
  • If you have more time, you should individually invoke all your patron deities after the previous general invocation, and you should sacrifice libum or wine (to male deities only) or incense to each one of them, accompanied by this prayer, repeating this for all of your household deities. Remember when calling upon the Manes, you point your palm and right hand toward the ground (in the direction of the underworld):
(Name of deity), for the same reason, be blessed by this libum/wine/incense.
(Name of deity), eiusdem rei ergo macte hoc libo/vino/thure esto.
  • If you think there was an error in your ceremony, make an expiation by adding this prayer, naming all the gods who invoked in your morning ritual:
Janus, Vesta, Lar Familiaris, my Manes, my Penates (list of patron deities), my Genius / my Iuno Genialis (Genius / Iuno Genialis of my pater familias), if something was unsatisfactory for you in these ceremonies, I expiate you by this libum.
Iane, Vesta, Lar Familiaris, mi Manes (select list of ancestors), mi Penates (list of patron deities), mi Geni / mea Iuno Genialis (Geni / Iuno Genialis patris familias), quod vobis his sacris neque satisfactum est, vos hoc libo piaculo.
  • Perform the closing for a daily ritual (see above).


Full length daily rituals

Morning ritual

  • Perform the opening for a daily ritual (see above).
  • Burn some incense, and, while touching the altar with your right hand, invoke Janus Matutinus, Vesta and your Lar Familiaris.
Janus Matutinus, on the beginning of this new day, by offering this incense to you I pray good prayers so that you be benevolent and propitious to me (and to my children), to my household and to my family.
Iane Matutine, huiusce novi diei initio, te hoc ture ommovendo bonas preces precor, ut sis volens propitius mihi (liberisque meis) domo familiaeque meae.
Mother Vesta, by offering this incense to you I pray good prayers so that you protect me, my hearth, my family and my household by being benevolent and propitious today.
Vesta mater, te hoc ture ommovendo bonas preces precor, ut me, focum meum, domum meam, familiam meam hodie volens propitia protegas.
Lar Familiaris, by offering this incense to you I pray good prayers so that only good, prosperous, happy and fortunate things happen today to me (and to my children), to my household and to my family.
Lar familiaris, te hoc ture obmovendo bonas preces precor, ut omnia bona fausta felicia fortunataque hodie mihi (liberisque meis) domo familiaeque meae eveniant.
  • Sacrifice a spelt cake sprinkled with salt to the Lar Familiaris after this prayer:
Lar Familiaris, as by offering the incense I have prayed good prayers to you, for the same reason, blessed by this libum, be benevolent and propitious to me (and to my children), to my household and to my family.
Lar familiaris, ut te ture dato bona prece precatus (precata, if you are a woman) sum, eiusdem rei ergo macte hoc libo libando esto fito volens propitius mihi (liberisque meis) domo familiaeque meae.
  • Sacrifice wine to your Manes (you can invoke some deceased family members by name) after this prayer, and while praying, point your palm and right hand toward the ground (in the direction of the underworld):
My Manes, (select list of ancestors), I pray that only good, prosperous, happy and fortunate things happen today to me (and to my children), to my household and to my family, and that you be benevolent and propitious to me (and to my children), to my household and to my family. For this reason, be blessed by this wine.
Mi Manes, (select list of ancestors), vos precor, ut omnia bona fausta felicia fortunataque hodie mihi (liberisque meis) domo familiaeque meae eveniant, utique sitis volentes propitii mihi (liberisque meis) domo familiaeque meae. Huius rei ergo macte hoc vino estote.
  • Sacrifice a spelt cake sprinkled with salt to your Penates and, if you have any, to your patron deities after this prayer. Insert the list of your patron deities after the general invocation of the Penates. If you have more time or if you want to make more solemn ritual because of the importance of the day, you should individually invoke all your patron deities.
My Penates, (list of patron gods), I pray that only good, prosperous, happy and fortunate things happen today to me (and to my children), to my household and to my family, and that you be benevolent and propitious to me (and to my children), to my household and to my family. For this reason, be blessed by this libum.
Mi Penates, (list of patron gods), vos precor, ut omnia bona fausta felicia fortunataque hodie mihi (liberisque meis) domo familiaeque meae eveniant, utique sitis volentes propitii mihi (liberisque meis) domo familiaeque meae. Huius rei ergo macte hoc libo estote.
  • If you have more time or if you want to make more solemn ritual because of the importance of the day, you should individually invoke all your patron deities after the previous general invocation, and you should sacrifice libum to each one of them, accompanied by this prayer, repeating this for all of your patron deities:
(Name of patron deity), for the same reason, be blessed by this libum.
(Name of patron deity), eiusdem rei ergo macte hoc libo esto.
  • Sacrifice a wine to your Genius or Iuno Genialis if you are the head of your family, if not, then to the Genius or Iuno Genialis of your pater familias. If you sacrifice to the Genius or Iuno Genialis of your pater familias, you still can offer a second sacrifice to your own Genius or Iuno Genialis, although it is not necessary each day:
My Genius / Iuno Genialis (Genius / Iuno Genialis of my pater familias), I pray that you help me on this day and be benevolent and propitious to me (and to my children), to my household and to my family. For this reason, be blessed by this wine.
Mi Geni / mea Iuno Genialis (Geni / Iuno Genialis patris familias), te precor, ut me hodie adiuves et sis volens propitius/propitia mihi (liberisque meis) domo familiaeque meae. Huius rei ergo macte hoc vino esto.
  • If you think there was an error in your ceremony, make an expiation by adding this prayer, naming all the gods who invoked in your morning ritual:
Janus, Vesta, Janus Matutinus, Lar Familiaris, my Manes, my Penates (list of patron deities), my Genius / my Iuno Genialis (Genius / Iuno Genialis of my pater familias), if something was unsatisfactory for you in these ceremonies, I expiate you by this libum.
Iane, Vesta, Iane Matutine, Lar Familiaris, mi Manes (select list of ancestors), mi Penates (list of patron deities), mi Geni / mea Iuno Genialis (Geni / Iuno Genialis patris familias), quod vobis his sacris neque satisfactum est, vos hoc libo piaculo.
  • Perform the closing for a daily ritual (see above).

Evening ritual

  • Perform the opening for a daily ritual (see above).
  • Burn some incense, and, while touching the altar with your right hand, invoke Janus, Vesta and your Lar Familiaris.
Father Janus, on the end of this day, by offering this incense to you I pray good prayers so that you be benevolent and propitious to me (and to my children), to my household and to my family.
Iane pater, huiusce diei exitio, te hoc ture ommovendo bonas preces precor, ut sis volens propitius mihi (liberisque meis) domo familiaeque meae.
Mother Vesta, by offering this incense to you I pray good prayers so that you protect me, my hearth, my family and my household by being benevolent and propitious tonight.
Vesta mater, te hoc ture ommovendo bonas preces precor, ut me, focum meum, domum meam, familiam meam hac nocte volens propitia protegas.
Lar Familiaris, by offering this incense to you I pray good prayers so that only good, prosperous, happy and fortunate things happen tonight to me (and to my children), to my household and to my family.
Lar familiaris, te hoc ture obmovendo bonas preces precor, ut omnia bona fausta felicia fortunataque hac nocte mihi (liberisque meis) domo familiaeque meae eveniant.
  • Sacrifice a spelt cake sprinkled with salt to the Lar Familiaris after this prayer:
Lar Familiaris, as by offering the incense I have prayed good prayers to you, for the same reason, blessed by this libum, be benevolent and propitious to me (and to my children), to my household and to my family.
Lar familiaris, ut te ture dato bona prece precatus (precata, if you are a woman) sum, eiusdem rei ergo macte hoc libo libando esto fito volens propitius mihi (liberisque meis) domo familiaeque meae.
  • Sacrifice wine to your Manes (you can invoke some deceased family members by name) after this prayer, and while praying, point your palm and right hand toward the ground (in the direction of the underworld):
My Manes, (select list of ancestors), I pray that only good, prosperous, happy and fortunate things happen tonight to me (and to my children), to my household and to my family, and that you be benevolent and propitious to me (and to my children), to my household and to my family. For this reason, be blessed by this wine.
Mi Manes, (select list of ancestors), vos precor, ut omnia bona fausta felicia fortunataque hac nocte mihi (liberisque meis) domo familiaeque meae eveniant, utique sitis volentes propitii mihi (liberisque meis) domo familiaeque meae. Huius rei ergo macte hoc vino estote.
  • Sacrifice a spelt cake sprinkled with salt to your Penates and, if you have any, to your patron deities after this prayer. Insert the list of your patron deities after the general invocation of the Penates. If you have more time or if you want to make more solemn ritual because of the importance of the day, you should individually invoke all your patron deities.
My Penates, (list of patron gods), I pray that only good, prosperous, happy and fortunate things happen tonight to me (and to my children), to my household and to my family, and that you be benevolent and propitious to me (and to my children), to my household and to my family. For this reason, be blessed by this libum.
Mi Penates, (list of patron gods), vos precor, ut omnia bona fausta felicia fortunataque hac nocte mihi (liberisque meis) domo familiaeque meae eveniant, utique sitis volentes propitii mihi (liberisque meis) domo familiaeque meae. Huius rei ergo macte hoc libo estote.
  • If you have more time or if you want to make more solemn ritual because of the importance of the day, you should individually invoke all your patron deities after the previous general invocation, and you should sacrifice libum to each one of them, accompanied by this prayer, repeating this for all of your patron deities:
(Name of patron deity), for the same reason, be blessed by this libum.
(Name of patron deity), eiusdem rei ergo macte hoc libo esto.
  • Sacrifice a wine to your Genius or Iuno Genialis if you are the head of your family, if not, then to the Genius or Iuno Genialis of your pater familias. If you sacrifice to the Genius or Iuno Genialis of your pater familias, you still can offer a second sacrifice to your own Genius or Iuno Genialis, although it is not necessary each day:
My Genius / Iuno Genialis (Genius / Iuno Genialis of my pater familias), I pray that you help me on this night and be benevolent and propitious to me (and to my children), to my household and to my family. For this reason, be blessed by this wine.
Mi Geni / mea Iuno Genialis (Geni / Iuno Genialis patris familias), te precor, ut me hac nocte adiuves et sis volens propitius/propitia mihi (liberisque meis) domo familiaeque meae. Huius rei ergo macte hoc vino esto.
  • If you think there was an error in your ceremony, make an expiation by adding this prayer, naming all the gods who invoked in your evening ritual:
Janus, Vesta, Lar Familiaris, my Manes, my Penates (list of patron deities), my Genius / my Iuno Genialis (Genius / Iuno Genialis of my pater familias), if something was unsatisfactory for you in these ceremonies, I expiate you by this libum.
Iane, Vesta, Lar Familiaris, mi Manes, mi Penates (list of patron deities), mi Geni / mea Iuno Genialis (Geni / Iuno Genialis patris familias), quod vobis his sacris neque satisfactum est, vos hoc libo piaculo.
  • Perform the closing for a daily ritual (see above).

Standalone daily ritual, or midday ritual, without morning and evening rites

This ritual should be performed if you can do only one domestic ritual on a specific day, and you don't do a separate morning and night ritual that day. If, at the evening, you get a chance to perform the evening ritual, you are free to do that, too: this standalone or midday ritual doesn't inhibit the possibility for performing either or both the morning and the evening rituals, as well.

  • Perform the opening for a daily ritual (see above).
  • Burn some incense, and, while touching the altar with your right hand, invoke Vesta and your Lar Familiaris.
Mother Vesta, by offering this incense to you I pray good prayers so that you protect me, my hearth, my family and my household by being benevolent and propitious today.
Vesta mater, te hoc ture ommovendo bonas preces precor, ut me, focum meum, domum meam, familiam meam hodie volens propitia protegas.
Lar Familiaris, by offering this incense to you I pray good prayers so that only good, prosperous, happy and fortunate things happen today to me (and to my children), to my household and to my family.
Lar familiaris, te hoc ture obmovendo bonas preces precor, ut omnia bona fausta felicia fortunataque hodie mihi (liberisque meis) domo familiaeque meae eveniant.
  • Sacrifice a spelt cake sprinkled with salt to the Lar Familiaris after this prayer:
Lar Familiaris, as by offering the incense I have prayed good prayers to you, for the same reason, blessed by this libum, be benevolent and propitious to me (and to my children), to my household and to my family.
Lar familiaris, uti te ture dato bona prece precatus (precata, if you are a woman) sum, eiusdem rei ergo macte hoc libo libando esto fito volens propitius mihi (liberisque meis) domo familiaeque meae.
  • Sacrifice wine to your Manes (you can invoke some deceased family members by name) after this prayer, and while praying, point your palm and right hand toward the ground (in the direction of the underworld):
My Manes, (select list of ancestors), I pray that only good, prosperous, happy and fortunate things happen today to me (and to my children), to my household and to my family, and that you be benevolent and propitious to me (and to my children), to my household and to my family. For this reason, be blessed by this wine.
Mi Manes, (select list of ancestors), vos precor, ut omnia bona fausta felicia fortunataque hodie mihi (liberisque meis) domo familiaeque meae eveniant, utique sitis volentes propitii mihi (liberisque meis) domo familiaeque meae. Huius rei ergo macte hoc vino estote.
  • Sacrifice a spelt cake sprinkled with salt to your Penates and, if you have any, to your patron deities after this prayer. Insert the list of your patron deities after the general invocation of the Penates. If you have more time or if you want to make more solemn ritual because of the importance of the day, you should individually invoke all your patron deities.
My Penates, (list of patron gods), I pray that only good, prosperous, happy and fortunate things happen today to me (and to my children), to my household and to my family, and that you be benevolent and propitious to me (and to my children), to my household and to my family. For this reason, be blessed by this libum.
Mi Penates, (list of patron gods), vos precor, ut omnia bona fausta felicia fortunataque hodie mihi (liberisque meis) domo familiaeque meae eveniant, utique sitis volentes propitii mihi (liberisque meis) domo familiaeque meae. Huius rei ergo macte hoc libo estote.
  • If you have more time or if you want to make more solemn ritual because of the importance of the day, you should individually invoke all your patron deities after the previous general invocation, and you should sacrifice libum to each one of them, accompanied by this prayer, repeating this for all of your patron deities:
(Name of patron deity), for the same reason, be blessed by this libum.
(Name of patron deity), eiusdem rei ergo macte hoc libo esto.
  • Sacrifice a wine to your Genius or Iuno Genialis if you are the head of your family, if not, then to the Genius or Iuno Genialis of your pater familias. If you sacrifice to the Genius or Iuno Genialis of your pater familias, you still can offer a second sacrifice to your own Genius or Iuno Genialis, although it is not necessary each day:
My Genius / Iuno Genialis (Genius / Iuno Genialis of my pater familias), I pray that you help me on this day and be benevolent and propitious to me (and to my children), to my household and to my family. For this reason, be blessed by this wine.
Mi Geni / mea Iuno Genialis (Geni / Iuno Genialis patris familias), te precor, ut me hodie adiuves et sis volens propitius/propitia mihi (liberisque meis) domo familiaeque meae. Huius rei ergo macte hoc vino esto.
  • If you think there was an error in your ceremony, make an expiation by adding this prayer, naming all the gods who invoked in your daily ritual:
Janus, Vesta, Lar Familiaris, my Manes, my Penates (list of patron deities), my Genius / my Iuno Genialis (Genius / Iuno Genialis of my pater familias), if something was unsatisfactory for you in these ceremonies, I expiate you by this libum.
Iane, Vesta, Lar Familiaris, mi Manes (select list of ancestors), mi Penates (list of patron deities), mi Geni / mea Iuno Genialis (Geni / Iuno Genialis patris familias), quod vobis his sacris neque satisfactum est, vos hoc libo piaculo.
  • Perform the closing for a daily ritual (see above).
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