Eponalia December 18th

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ON THIS, THE SECOND DAY OF THE "SATURNALIA", THE ANCIENT ROMANS CELEBRATED THE "EPONALIA", A FEAST WHICH WAS DEDICATED TO "EPONA", THE POWERFUL CELTIC MOTHER GODDESS AND PATRONESS OF HORSES, DONKEYS, AND OTHER ANIMALS. HER NAME MEANS "DIVINE MARE". SHE WAS ALSO ASSOCIATED WITH THE EARTH AND FERTILITY, REBIRTH AND ABUNDANCE. HER CORNUCOPIA AND THE BASKET OF FRUIT SHE CARRIED CARRIED PROVIDE FURTHER SUPPORT FOR HER ROLE AS A FERTILITY GODDESS. SHE IS USUALLY DEPICTED AS A YOUNG GODDESS WITH A HORSE WHICH WAS REVERED IN THE CELTIC WORLD FOR ITS BEAUTY, SPEED, AND BRAVERY.

ROSES WERE IMPORTANT TO THE DEITY AND THE FLOWER, ITS BUDS, AND GARLANDS WERE OFTEN USED TO SYMBOLIZE THE GODDESS. WHEN THE PEOPLE WISHED TO OFFER FRUIT IN HONOR OF "EPONA", THEY WOULD CHOOSE AN APPLE. MANY TIMES, A BASKET OF FRUITS WERE THOUGHT TO MAKE ONE OF THE BEST OFFERINGS.

WHEN ROMAN CAVALRY OFFICERS LEARNED OF HER, THEY ADOPTED HER AS A PROTECTRESS OF THEIR CAVALRY. THEY PLACED STATUES OF HER IN THEIR STABLES AND HELD AN OFFICIAL ROMAN IN HER HONOR EACH YEAR ON DECEMBER 18TH. SHE IS THE ONLY CELTIC DEITY TO BE ACCORDED THIS HONOR. THE PROBABLE REASON THAT THE ROMANS ADOPTED HER AS THEIR OWN IS THEIR LOVE OF HORSES.

TODAY SHE IS STILL HONORED AND REVERED BY THOSE WHO FOLLOW THE OLD RELIGION AND HONOR HER THROUGH THE USE OF HOUSEHOLD SHRINES, RITUAL OFFERINGS OF APPLES, MILK OR ROSES, AND WITH PRAYERS OR CHANTS.

You also may enjoy this free books:

Aleister Crowley - Liber 031
Frater Achad - Liber 31
Carl Gustav Jung - On Life After Death

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