#vestalia
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Io Vestalia everyone!🔥🌿🫓
Heres my illustration of the temple to Vesta in the Roman Forum with worshippers 🏛️ i just love how colourful ancient Rome was!
During the Vestalia celebrations women could enter the Temple of Vesta (barefoot) to leave her offerings. Donkeys, sacred to the goddess, were also decorated with flowers and mini loaves of bread (so cute!). Overall the goddess was celebrated to ensure Rome's own prosperity.
I've chosen to depict the Severan reconstruction of the temple, built under Julia Domna after a devastating fire. This new build was significantly different from it's predecessor, which was supposedly destroyed completely in the fire. While Ovid (100 years before) stated that the temple had /no/ statue inside, I've seen that Domna's coins depicting her new temple show a figure of Vesta inside. While this could be an allegorical image, the figure is seated, which makes me believe it depicts an actual statue.
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Vestalia Devotional Collage: Vesta
#vesta#Vestalia#Hestia#roman pagan#deities#pagan#polytheism#polytheist#deity#paganism#roman paganism#hellenic polythiest#hellenism#hellenic deities#hellenic polytheism#roman pantheon#greek paganism#greek deity#greek goddesses#roman goddess#greco roman paganism#greco roman#religio romana#cultus deorum#helpol#paganblr#devotional#Vesta devotional#Hestia Devotional#devotional collage
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Litha grimoire page
#witchblr#witchy#grimoire#bos#book of shadows#witchery#another page in my bos#witch#witchcraft#litha#summer solstice#midsummer#st johns day#vestalia#enyovden#alban hefin#gwyl ganol yr haf#feast of epona#keskikesa
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Today begins the ancient Roman festival of Vestalia - honoring the Goddess Vesta through the 15th. It is a HOLY CLEANING FESTIVAL! Vesta is the sacred flame and the center of our "temples". Honor Her with a thorough temple cleansing and purification, bringing in flowers and candles, creating your sanctuary, and making way for the blessings of Vesta!
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Happy Vestalia!
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HOT. So very hot...
Yeah, summer it's NOT my favorite season. I hate the heat. Yet in this season there are a few holidays that i do love.
Saint John's Day. A night of bonfires by the sea.
Just hope my neighbours won't mind a bit of lavander :3
As always meaured in parts
Cinnnamon 2
Frankincense 1
Lavander 3/2
Lemon 1/2
Orange Blossom 1/8
Basil 1/2
Marigold 1/2
Citronella 1/4
Rosemary 1/4
As extra, add some mint and honey scent
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Hob: I've been wondering... If Desire always meddles in Dream's affairs, why have they never set their sights on me? Not that I want that ofcourse! But surely as a simple human I'm an easy target?
Death: Oh I asked a boon off an old friend.
Hob: A boon?
Death: All I had to do was promise you'd turn up on June 7th, every hundred years. Drink wine and make merry by the hearth light and toast to the simple human pleasures it brings ... And in return she'd keep you hidden from the gaze of my sibling.
Hob: Wait, but I thought our first meeting was purely happenstance! You planned the whole thing! Me.. Him! Putting the idea in his head! Right down to the day?!
Death: Well it had to be June the 7th, start of Vestalia, the festival of the Goddess Vesta Goddess of Hearth and Home. You offer her a toast of sweet wines by her sacred flame, and she in turn shares with you her unique godly gift. To not be maliciously bent or ensnared by Venus...Or in our case, Desire.
Hob: Wait, Vesta!...As in...
Death: The Vestal Virgins. Yes! You've been her first male, and may I add, longest serving priestess she's ever had.
Hob: But, but... I'm not..
Death: Oh she knows. She says your pure, reverent affection and quite frankly astounding patience for my... (And this is a direct quote) 'Brooding donkey' of a brother has been virtue enough. Don't tell Dream she knows though. She's had this whole epic, jump scare/divine matriarchal dress down planned since 1689...For the day he finally pulls his head out of his posterior and 'deflowers' you. Something about making an honest vestal out of you and demanding a June wedding in her honour. We can't wait to see his face!!
Hob: (Chocking on his drink)
#Hob: I ❤️ chimneys#Vesta: Aww I'm going to keep you#dreamling#dream of the endless#hob gadling#death of the endless#the goddess vesta#Keep that hearth in the New Inn tended well Hob#Death the cosmos greatest matchmaker#Managed to get an Up Pompeii reference in there 😆
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The Displaced Chimans
Our favorite fearless (or sometimes fearful) heroes have found themselves on the plane of Arcavios, transformed and disconnected from their home and peoples. They've decided to play along for now, remaining at Strixhaven University to understand their new (or not-so-new) magic and bide their time while they search for a way home. The amount of willingness to conform to the first-year dress code varies between each of them, with some being more agreeable about the white-and-grey than others.
Cragger Ponteid
Transformed from a Crocodile into a Croc-like lizardfolk, Cragger's found himself wielding water elemental magic upon his mysterious arrival to Strixhaven. He's decided to study to get into the College of Witherbloom and keep an eye on things alongside Emily Zephyras. His water magic manifests as swamp water due to his homesickness.
Eris Notus
This isn't Eris's first extraplanar rodeo - unknown to the other Chimans, Eris is a planeswalker, bearer of a spark that allows her to travel to other planes in the Multiverse. This is her first time waking up on a different plane as an elf instead of an Eagle, though, so she's just as confused as the others. She's already got a strong connection to her wind magic (to the point where she can summon wings with her magic), but she's currently working on understanding her new fire powers as well thanks to her mysterious connection to the Phoenixes. She's working to get into the Quandrix College, trying to find a solution to their transformation through the mathematical magic practed there.
Laval Vestalia
Of all of the Chimans, Laval changed the least - from Lion to leonin. His magic manifests as the element of fire due to his desire to make sure the others are comfortable even as they search for a way home. He's aiming to join the Lorehold College to use that as his own stepping stone to a solution that will get them home.
Razar Pheletes
Razar is actually having a great time, despite being transformed from a Raven into an elf. Strixhaven University is home to its own underground methods of acquiring goods, and he's found himself with powerful spoken magic that helps with persuasion and talking people in circles. In order to better this new skill, Razar is aiming to join the Silverquill College - mostly to see if he can gain secrets other students or faculty therein may have that will help them get home.
Scorm Imperator
Scorm is, to literally no one's surprise, incredibly pissed off about these circumstances. First he wakes up on Arcavios transformed from a Scorpion into a human (and struggling with balance due to losing his tail), then he discovers that half of the heroes of Chima he fought are also there, then he finds himself worrying himself sick over his Scorpions and the other Crawlers, and finally, on top of all that, he finds out the hard way how menstrual cycles work. There are only three things he considers to be "going in his favor": his new friend and ally in Emily Zephyras (and her sibling Onyx to a lesser extent), his newfound talent at archery, and his new elemental magic that manifests in the form of earth and stone. It's just enough to make him willing to work alongside Chima's heroes to get home. He's playing along and studying for Silverquill, though he's thiiiis fucking close to snapping.
#jasper post#writing#my writing#legends of chima#lego legends of chima#lego chima#chima#chimahaven#cragger#loc cragger#eris#loc eris#laval#loc laval#razar#loc razar#scorm#loc scorm#fun fact: razar was originally going to be a vampire but that iteration didn't maintain enough of his fuckable transgender swag#so we had to find a better alternative and eventually settled on making him an elf like eris
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The Summer Solstice
The time for the sun to beat down at its most powerful is upon us. In other words: Summer is almost here! Read more to find out about the Summer solstice and its history!
What is the Summer Solstice?
Coming from the Latin sol (sun) and stare or sistere (to stand or to stop), the solstice is an astronomical event that happens twice a year; one being the Summer Solstice, the other being the Winter Solstice.
In the Northern Hemisphere, this Solstice takes place on June 20th or the 21st. In the Southern Hemisphere, it’ll take place on December 20th or 21st.
The Summer solstice is the longest day of the year. The Sun travels the longest path through the sky, causing this day to have the most daylight.
Holidays on or around the Summer Solstice
This is not a complete or absolute list of Summer Solstice holidays, these are the most common I’ve found while researching. Feel free to comment if you know of any more!
Vestalia, an ancient Roman holiday to celebrate the Goddess of the Hearth, Vesta. One the first day of Vestalia, married women would be allowed to enter the temples of the vestal virgins and give offerings to Vesta.
Kronia, an ancient Greek holiday to celebrate the God of harvest/agriculture, Cronus. One this day slaves would be allowed to join in festivities with the free folks, all equal under the sun for one day.
Midsummer was, and in many cases still is, celebrated by Baltic, Slavic, and Celtic folk.
Many indigenous peoples across the world have their own holidays associated with the Summer Solstice, but these celebrations vary by region and community.
Holidays involving St. John have many different names, but all celebrate the life of St. John the Baptist.
In Jewish tradition, Tekufat Tammuz is the solstice of the month of Tammuz.
Litha celebrates the beginning of summer and the summer solstice and is often celebrated by modern pagans as well as Wiccans. Wiccans attribute the holiday to their Horned God, consort of the Wiccan Triple Goddess.
Ultimately, you can call this holiday whatever you want and celebrate it however you want, just be respectful of what other people call and celebrate it!
Lore, Legends, and Traditions
In ancient Greece, the solstice would mark a one month count-down to the Olympic Games.
In China the Summer Solstice was associated with Yin, or feminine force, the people would have festivities that pertained to earth, femininity, and yin force.
Bonfires may have been held by ancient Slavic, Baltic, Celtic, and (possibly) Nordic people to either represent the sun, help the sun gain more power, or to banish negative energy/beings.
It was also thought that bonfires could lead young women to their future husbands.
Vikings would often gather around Midsummer to resolve issues and talk about legal matters.
The Celts believed that the solstice was the best day to catch a glimpse of the Fae.
It's been said that the Druids would gather specific herbs on the night of the solstice, believing that they would gain certain magical attributes on the shortest night of the year that they wouldn’t usually have.
Modern Summer Solstice
Many people still celebrate the Summer Solstice, though the celebrations have become more eclectic over time as cultures and people merge.
Keep in mind that this is by no means a complete or absolute list. This is just what I’ve found while looking into the Summer Solstice.
Celebrations
Bonfires
Feasts
Wear flower crowns or wreaths or otherwise adorn yourself in flowers
Decorating your space with flowers or foliage
Go berry picking
Go on a walk and appreciate nature
Go Swimming
Rituals and Practices
Do spells involving success or abundance
Meditate
Tarot or other divination
Decorate your altar with Summer Solstice-associated items (you can look at the list below this section for ideas)
Offerings or Devotional Acts
You can give or dedicate these offerings/devotional acts to deities mentioned above, Summer associated deities, local spirits, or whichever beings you think you should offer to!
Seasonal Fruits and Vegetables
Lemonade/other citrus beverages
Citrus flavored baked goods
Tend to a garden
Tend to houseplants
Light a candle (or many, just be careful!)
Watch the sun rise or set (or both)
Feel the sun on your skin and soak in its energy
Associations
Deities and Divinities
Vesta, Cronus, Freyr, Aine, Damia, Aestas, Theros, Apollo, the Great Summer God (夏大神), Hine-Raumati (the personification of Summer in Māori mythology), Miochin (summer spirit or god in some Native American mythology), and many other Solar Deities.
Do your research before offering to a new deity!
Colors
Golds, yellows, oranges, reddish-pinks, deep greens, and sky blue.
Creatures
Bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and dragonflies.
Herbs and Plants
Sunflowers, basil, bay leaves, mint, thyme, lemongrass, rosemary, calendula, and chamomile.
Rocks/Metals/Crystals
Citrine, tiger’s eye, sunstone, and amber.
Citations and Further Reading
Scientificamerican.com Why We Celebrate the Summer Solstice
History.com History of the Summer Solstice
Timeanddate.com June Solstice Customs
Summer Deities and Divinites - Wikipedia
Britannica - Midsummer’s Eve
A Midsummer’s Celebration by Mike Nichols
Sun Lore of all Ages: Chapter IX by William Tyler Olcott
The Midsummer Solstice as it was, or was not, Observed in Pagan Germany, Scandinavia, and Anglo-Saxon England by Sandra Billington
Post edited for accuracy.
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Mirai Nikki Diary Holder Birthday Headcanons
*checks the Diary Holder’s wiki information* Looks like there’s a severe lack of birthdays here. Let’s fix that!
(Please note, these are only headcanons. None of these are canon information.)
a. Yukiteru Amano: September 13; based on the festival for Jupiter Optimus Maximus, "Jupiter the Best and Greatest", the chief god of the Romans.
b. Yuno Gasai: February 2; based on the festival for Juno Februa, goddess of motherly and matrimonial love.
c. Takao Hiyama: August 23; based on the festival for Vulcan, Vulcanalia.
d. Keigo Kurusu: May 15; based on the festival for Mercury, Mercuralia.
e. Reisuke Houjou: April 12; based on the festival for Ceres, Cerealia.
f. Tsubaki Kasugano: January 6; based on the festival day for Proserpina.
g.1. Marco Ikusaba: March 23; based on the day the festival for Minerva and Mars, Quinquatria, ends.
g.2. Ai Mikami: April 1; based on the festival for Venus Verticordia, "Venus the Changer of Hearts", Veneralia.
h. Kamado Ueshita: June 9; based on the festival for Vesta, Vestalia.
i. Minene Uryuu: March 19; based on the day the festival for Minerva and Mars, Quinquatria, begins. Also seen as the traditional birthdate of Minerva.
j. Karyuudo Tsukishima: August 13; based on the festival for Diana, Nemoralia.
k. John Bacchus: October 3; based on the festival that was held to thank Bacchus for the year's harvest of grapes for wine making.
l. Yomotsu Hirasaka: February 21; based on the festival for the dead, Feralia.
Feel free to leave your critics on these headcanons!
#this is what happens if you both base your characters on roman gods and goddesses and not give them canonical birthdays#oh god the tags#mirai nikki#future diary#yukiteru amano#yuno gasai#takao hiyama#keigo kurusu#reisuke houjou#tsubaki kasugano#marco ikusaba#ai mikami#kamado ueshita#minene uryuu#karyuudo tsukishima#john bacchus#yomotsu hirasaka
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Happy Vestalia to those who observe the festival!
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Starting it off with really, one of my favorite beginnings of a book ever...
So, keeper of the locked tomb is self explanatory, they have the namesake of the book obviously. Sewn tongue is a little vaguer at this point of the book, but it's in HTN as that one excuse for Ianthe and Harrow to kiss.
The black vestals, according to my cursory googling, is just meaning "a chaste woman" or a nun. So, okay, nuns on the ninth. we know this. Not to super read into things from post one, BUT, I find it interesting that the other meaning Vestal falls under is "relating to the roman goddess Vesta"
Which, cool, what's that about?
(again, fair warning, I am leaping to a fair number of conclusions and reading very far into this. Take everything with several grains of salt, lol)
Vesta is the goddess of the hearth. She was worshipped pretty commonly in Rome, had some shrines, the whole nine (lol) yards. Her worship within the state was via a large temple, with an ever burning fire in it. The fire was extinguished and renewed annually on the Roman new year and if it was out any other time, it was regarded as a signifier of disaster coming to Rome.
The inside wasn't open to the public but once a year it opened up to matrons, during a festival called the Vestalia. The big thing about this is that the festival's days were considered unlucky until on the last day they would ceremonially sweep out the building and put the sweepings on the Clivus Capitolinus (an old roman road) or throwing the into the Tiber (famous Italian river)
Now, the vestal virgins, priestesses of Vesta, were picked out of several candidates, enrolled in Vesta's priestly college of six priestesses (hmm.... six.. college... interesting) and governed by the Emperor. They practiced religious rites, maintained their chastity, and got a bunch of extra rights from the Emperor for it. They supervised the fire in Vesta's temple. If they screwed up by letting the fire go out they were punished physically, and if they lost their chastity they were sentenced to a living burial. Their partners who they broke their chastity with were publicly beaten to death.
I feel like... this has a lot of interesting meat on it. Firstly, the whole concept of these nuns tending to the eternal fire feels a lot like these nuns praying to the tomb, if not with a little bit of stretching necessary to make the connection evident. The fact that if the fire goes out, it spells destruction for Rome feels a lot like if the tomb ever opens it spells destruction for the houses. Again, the being buried alive thing also fits, with vestals being sentenced to living burials. Double plus, I just feel like the connection with John as the emperor of the houses and Rome being ruled by an emperor feeling pretty interesting as connections.
Anyway, we get to see our first mention of Harrow and Gideon! Harrow, of course, at the very top of the list, and Gideon at the bottom.
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It’s Getting Hot in Here
Hello to the Summer Solstice! The longest day of the year is honored globally, including the pagan celebration of Litha, to the beginning of Cancer season, ancient honoring of Vestalia, Nordic celebration of Midsummer. As a pagan myself, who works closely with Apollo and Hestia, I will be fully honoring this full day of sunshine.
Litha notes when the Sun God has reached its peak and the Earth Goddess fully embodies the Mother stage, as the Earth is lush and abundant. As the Earth Goddess thrives the Sun God begins to retreat, days start to gradually grow shorter, the sunset comes earlier and earlier each day. Even as the daylight wanes, the Sun God’s power is still strongly felt. Hot days, sunshine, and sunburns are left in his wake. Harvest is right around the corner as we rejoice in the light and the heat, grateful for the distance between the barren cold of Winter but knowing even that too will come again.
When I think of the perfect Litha celebration, I am instantly reminded of the Festival of Lights in Disney’s Tangled. Obviously in the movie the festival is held to honor the lost princess, but the way it emphasizes the Sun symbol and fresh flowers, and how the community comes together, it feels so inherently Litha to me.
If you’re looking to form your own Litha celebration, or simply honor the Summer Solstice, I have some great activities below! Also listed are common symbols for the Solstice which can be used as decoration ideas.
Symbols
Mother statue
Earth & fire goddess such as Hestia & Demeter
Sun medallions
Sun gods such as Apollo and Helios
Bees & honey
Citrine
Lavender
Chamomile
Frankincense
Honeysuckle
Activities
Light a bonfire
Pick wild flowers for a bouquet
Make baked goods with honey
step into nature
go swimming
watch and sunrise or sunset
Sun Tea
Add tea and herbs of choice to a clear jar
Place in a sunny area for at least 3 hours, or until stepped to your liking
Cool & enjoy!
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Happy Vestalia!
#vestalia#ancient roman festival of vesta#vesta#ancient roman goddess of hearth and home#hearth and home#ancient rome
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Call me insane, but the fact that my birthday lines up with Vestalia means something deeply to me. Rome was an incredibly patriarchal culture and I'm happy to live the life I live, but I know in my heart some ancestor or incarnation has been a vestal virgin, I know it so deeply.
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