The Maniae May 11th

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THE EARLY ROMANS WERE A SUPERSTITIOUS PEOPLE WHO BOTH FEARED AND HONORED GHOSTS. THEY BELIEVED THAT SOULS BECAME EITHER LEMURES "OR MALEVOLENT SPIRITS," MANES "WHO WERE THE NEUTRAL SPIRITS", OR THE LARES "WHO WERE THE HOUSEHOLD GUARDIANS". THEY ALSO BELIEVED THERE WAS A DEATH GODDESS. HER NAME WAS "MANIA" AND SHE IS THE ANCIENT ROMAN GODDESS OF DEATH. SHE APPEARS AS A HAG-LIKE MOTHER OF GHOSTS IN ROMAN LORE. SHE GOVERNS THE SUBTERRANEAN REALM OF THE DEAD. " MANIA "WAS FIRST MENTIONED IN THE PANTHEON OF ETRURIA, AN ANCIENT CIVILIZATION THAT FLOURISHED IN NORTHEASTERN ITALY BETWEEN 900 AND 500 B.C.

HER WORSHIP WAS BOTH SECRET AND FULL OF MYSTERY. "MANIA" SUPERVISES THE "MANES", THE BENEVOLENT SPIRITS OF THE DEAD WHO MUST BE APPEASED TO STOP THEM FROM BECOMING LIKE THE BENEVOLENT DEAD "LEMURES". IN EARLY TIMES, CHILDREN WERE SACRIFICED TO THIS GODDESS IN ORDER TO GAIN HER FAVOR FOR THE FAMILY, BUT LATER ROMANS BEGAN SUBSTITUTING PUPPETS FOR THE HUMAN SACRIFICES. SHE IS A GODDESS OF BOTH LIFE AND DEATH. WHEN FAMILIES FELT THREATENED WITH DANGER, THEY OFTEN HUNG EFFIGIES OF HER ON THEIR DOOR.

MAY 11TH WAS CALLED THE "MANIAE", AND THE DAY WAS SACRED TO "MANIA". ON THIS RELIGIOUS DAY, A SACRIFICE WAS MADE TO HER TO ACKNOWLEDGE HER AS THE MOTHER OF GHOSTS. THIS FESTIVAL ALWAYS FELL DURING THE PERIOD OF "LEMURIA" WHEN THE DEAD WERE CELEBRATED. DURING THE CELEBRATION OF THIS FEAST, EACH FAMILY PLACED AT THE ENTRANCE OF THEIR HOUSE THE STATUE OF THE GODDESS MANIA. THEY HUNG WOOLEN DOLLS ALONG WITH POPPIES AND GARLIC TO SERVE AS PROTECTION.

AFTER THE ARRIVAL OF CHRISTIANITY, "MANIA" LOST HER GODDESS STATUS, BUT SHE STILL SURVIVES IN ITALY AS THE DREADED NIGHT WITCH WHO HAUNTS THE PEOPLE'S DREAMS

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