Calendar of the Sun
11 Halegmonath
Meditrinalia
Color: Red
Element: Fire
Altar: In the center of the altar should be a fire laid and waiting to be lit in a pot, and around it
trays of small honey-cakes (crusta mellei), jugs of old and new wine, a cup of water, a sprig of
rosemary, a bowl of salted spelt flour (mola salsa), incense of myrrh, and lanterns.
Offerings: Cakes,
Daily Meal: Honey-cakes, salted spelt flour bread with rosemary and olive oil, wine, lentils.
Meditrinalia Invocation
Caller: Incendio! (One steps forward and lights the fire and lanterns.) So doth the lively flame
thrive, whether a little earthen bowl feed the thirsty linen wick, or pinewood that lends its pitch.
Accept, Divine One, we pray, the light which we offer you.
Response: Vivax flamma viget, seu cava testula sucum linteolo suggerit ebrio, seu pinus piceam
fert alimoniam. Lumen quod vobis offero, suscipe, precor, dive.
Caller: O Father Liber, grant us your favour! We who are come to your sacred rite in your
service now open our lips. (One takes the mola salsa and passes it around to be tasted.)
Response: Liber Pater, fave! Quia tibi nunc operata resolvimus ora, quae ad sacrae tuae
adsummus.
Caller: Purificatio! (One steps forward and sprinkles the remaining mola salsa.) Ab illos
benedicaris, in cuius honore friaris. (One steps forward and asperges each with rosemary and
water.) Ab illos benedicaris, in cuius honore spargaris. (One steps forward and censes each in
turn.) Ab illos benedicaris, in cuius cremaberis.
Caller: Before thee, Liber, the altars were without offerings and grass grew on the cold hearths.
Response: Ante tuos ortus arae sine honore fuerunt, Liber, et in gelidis herba reperta focis.
(Two step forward and mix the old and new wine together with water, and pass them about.)
Caller: As I drink of this wine old and new, so of all ills old and new may I be healed.
Response: Vinum vetum novumque bibo, de morbo veto novoque medeor
Caller: Liber enjoys honey, and it is right that we give its discoverer honey cakes.
Response: Melle Liber fruitur, liboque infusa calenti iure repertori candida mella damus
(One steps forward to place four cakes on the fire, and pass the rest about to be eaten.)
Caller: So may the fruits of Autumn be sweet to us!
Response: Sicut nobis dulces fruges autumni.
Caller: Ambulatio! (All approach the altar and lay the garlands on it.)
Caller: Sacrificio! Sacred spirit of the spring, be honoured.
Response: Vina dat Liber, fert sibi quisque coronam, miscendas large rivus agit aquas. Anima
sacra fontis, macte coronae vinoque crustoque quod inferimus.
Caller: So may all the waters of the earth be sacred to us. So may it be!"
Response: Sic sacrae nobis omnia aquae terrae. Ita sit! (Silence for a moment, then all exit.)
[Pagan Book of Hours]