Anna Perenna, Roman Festival of Long Life

March 15March 15March 15March 15, The, The, The, The Ides of MarchIdes of MarchIdes of MarchIdes of MarchOvid in

Fasti

mentions the procession of Anna Perenna on this day, in whicha drunken old woman known as the Petreia, is dragged along the streets by a drunken old man, who may represent Mamurius Veturis [holiday March 14]. Both of these figures seem to represent the old year, much like modern American depictions of Grandfather Time on New Year's Eve. Anna Perenna is a goddess of annual return. In one legend, Mars asks her to help him seduce Minerva but she takes Minerva's placeand then mocks the god when he recognizes her. This accounts for the bawdysongs sung at her festival. The common people of Rome picnicked in a groveand amused themselves by singing, dancing and drinking a cup of wine foreach year of one's age.The Cults of Anna Perenna The Cults of Anna Perenna The Cults of Anna Perenna The Cults of Anna Perenna There were cults dedicated to the goddess, two places of worship of Anna Perenna are attested. One in Buscemi, Sicily where in 1899 some inscriptions to Anna and Apollo were found, and in Rome, where a fountain devoted to Anna Perenna rites was unearthed in 1999.

Fonte di Anna Perenna- PARIOLI

Anna = 'live through the year'Perenna = 'live many years'

**The tradition of getting drunk on St. Patrick's Day (or near the equinox) has ancient roots!

Anna Perenna in the modern era Anna Perenna in the modern era Anna Perenna in the modern era Anna Perenna in the modern era Typically around this time of year, I'll gather a group of friends and visit a local cemetery I frequent.

Wedrink several bottles of wine, and bask in the death that surrounds us.

It serves as a reminder to live each dayas if it were your last (Memento Mori).

We celebrate life, by appreciating it, and acknowledging that our time here is short.

In ancient Rome, the 'Ides of March' marked the first full moon in the oldRoman calendar.

On occasion, we are lucky enough to have a full moon whencelebrating our Anna Perenna in the shadowof death.

When thisoccurs, I call this

MoneyNight.

For every bottleof wine we drink, eachof us has to place coinageon the graves we visit.

**Denarius. 82BC,Roman Empire.

Traditionally,when onevisits a grave you leave a stone, to let loved one's know someone hasbeen by to pay their respects to the fallen

Money Night

, we leave coin instead.

Silver is traditional. The Ancient Greeks believed in leaving goldcoinage, but the Romans regarded silver as sacred. This devotion allows passage along the River Styx, the river in Greek Mythology that serves as the boundary between earth and the underworld. The coinage is for the ferryman, and passage along the river . In essence, we are paying the fair for the markers we visit.She's often associated with time-keeping; I've heard her called 'Goddess of the Clock'or, 'She, the timekeeper'.

When I set up an altar for Anna Perena, time pieces are placed on the offering plate.

I usually use dead watches, or broken clocks - to represent the stopping of time.

A place of no-time, so that mortality is only relevant when one'watches the clock'.

I never wear a watch, and check the time only when I have to besomewhere.

Otherwise, I rarely keep track of time.

Personally, I think the obsessionwith time-keeping, only shortens your life.

There are legends that tell the tale of Anna Perenna as a person, who was later deifiedby the common people (plebeians).

Thestory goes, that the plebs were tired of paying taxes, so they took a stand.

Theyfelt they had no voice in the government,so they held themselves up at SacredMount, not far from the capital in Rome.

They refused to return, until they were relieved of taxes.

Anna Perenna, is said to have brought them food and water forseveral seasons (not entirely sure how many), so she was revered by the people as a savior of men.

When she died, she was deified a goddess.

People would gather, at Via Flaminia, where a sacred grove of trees surrounded a shrine dedicated to the goddess.

It was renowned for its tombs and cemeteries.

They would drink wine, celebratewith music and dance. It wasbelieved, that for every cup of wine you drank your life would beextended one year.

So, obviously the people got very drunk - and the morewine you drink the longer you live!

Toasting to

“Long Life!”

is traditional.