Ludi Novi Romani/MMDCCLXIII/Concordialia

These are the photos about the 12th birthday ceremony of Nova Roma, the Concordialia, sacrifice to goddess Concordia. The ceremony was conducted by Cn. Cornelius Lentulus pontifex and sacerdos Concordiae, assisted by Livia Plauta, at the house of Livia Plauta.

Contents 1 Preparations 1.1 The pontifex dresses up to the ceremony 1.2 Livia prepares the altar 2 The home altar is ready 3 The ritual starts 4 Offering the three liba 5 Offering the incense 6 Offering the laurels

Preparations

The pontifex dresses up to the ceremony

Cn. Lentulus dons the pontifical toga praetexta as he will conduct the sacrifice as a pontifex of the Nova Roman Republic, representing all Nova Romans. Despite much solemnity, the friendly gathering is fun!

Livia prepares the altar

Livia Plauta, dressed in her palla and stola, brings the offerings to the home altar, three liba (sacrificial cakes), wine, milk, honey, laurels and incense.

The home altar is ready

Below you can see our home altar with the offerings and the focus (fireplace), ready for the sacrifice in the name for the entire Nova Roman nation and republic. It is modest and small and we miss a large crowd of celebrants, but this is the beginning of Nova Roma, we are scattered throughout the world, and we tried to represent all of you as if you were there.

The ritual starts

Pontifex Cn. Lentulus as sacerdos Concordiae, covering his head with the toga, recites the Latin text of the ritual. Here he takes a libum that he will offer to the Goddess saying "te precor, veneror, quaesoque obtestorque: uti pacem concordiamque constantem societati Novae Romae tribuas; utique Rem Publicam Populi Novi Romani Quiritium confirmes, augeas, adiuves, omnibusque discordiis liberes; utique Res Publica Populi Novi Romani Quiritium semper floreat; atque hoc anno anniversario undecimo Novae Romae conditae convalescat; atque pax et concordia, salus et gloria Novae Romae omni tempore crescat".

Offering the three liba

Cn. Lentulus offers a libum...

...and places them into the fire of the focus of the altar.

Offering the incense

We used a little boat-like turibulum in which the incense could burn easily over the lucerna. The mysterious scent of the sacred incense evoked feelings of divine...

Offering the laurels

The bay leaves were placed over the focus, the fires are burning it very well, the flames growing high are good sign for the Republic.

And the flames celebrate our Unity, the 12th Birthday of Nova Roma, the Concordialia...