Conventus Sarmatia

Earlier this month a Protocol was affirmed between the international fellowship of Cultores Deorum Romanorum (CDR http://cultusdeorumromanorum.blogspot.com/) and the Respublica Romana (RPR http://www.respublica-romana.com/English).  The RPR is an international belief organization that is registered in Sweden. Under the Protocol RPR recognizes the Religio Romana as the main religious tradition for its organization, although RPR is not exclusively for cultores Deorum Romanorum alone. This is an important step for the future of the Religio Romana because it could mean the first step in gaining legal recognition in Europe.  In Italy cultores Deorum have organized as an associazione culturale, as with the Associazione Romania Quirites (http://www.arqreligioneromana.it/) or the MTR, but have been unable to openly organize as a religious community due to political and religious opposition. The same had occurred earlier in Greece with the Hellenes until a court decision finally recognized the ancient tradition as a modern religion.  Being registered in Sweden as a “belief organization” is comparable to incorporating in the US as a religious organization. Thus the association of CDR with RPR opens a new chapter for the modern Religio Romana just as the incorporation of the Temple Religio Romana in California, formed in January 2002, was a milestone for modern practitioners.  According to the Protocol, CDR remains an independent fellowship that shall provide religious services for RPR. In exchange RPR grants certain rights and privileges for those who shall serve as sacerdotes, and RPR will afford the CDR with opportunities to solicit donations to further its projects.  Both organizations see the Protocol as mutually benefiting their respective membership.

The RPR shall be holding its first Conventus Sarmatia, 1 – 5 August, in Poltava, Ukraine. Among those attending shall be most of the members of two new collegia established by CDR for RPR. The Collegium Pontificum shall consist of myself, Marcus Horatius Piscinus as Pontifex Maximus, Gnaeus Salvius Astur as Pontifix and Appius Furius Lupus as Pontifex.  M. Horatius has previously served as Pontifex Maximus in SVR and NR as well as among the Cultores Deorum Romanorum.  Pontifex Gn. Astur of Australia has previously served as a Pontifex in NR where he was a major force behind the reform of its religious institutions before the demise of Nova Roma.  App. Furius currently serves as a Pontifex for the local community of cultores in Poltava, Ukraine.  They shall be joined by Vestales Virgines, Flamines and Flamenicae who serve in other local communities.   RPR has also recognized the pre-existing CDR Collegium Augurum to provide augurs for its own needs.  This Collegium consists of Marcus Horatius Piscinus as Magister Collegii Augurum, Augur Caeso Fabius Buteo Modianus (USA), and Augur Marcus Lucretius Agricola (Japan), with the addition of Marcus Octavius Corvus (Ukraine) as an Augur.  M. Octavius has previously served as sacerdos Jovi Perennus in NR.  All members of the Collegium Augurum have previously served as augurs in other organizations.  Augur Emeritus A. Aemilius Ericius, who worked with the Temple Religio Romana in California and in NR and Flamen N. Moravius Vado of the UK also advise CDR sacerdotes on the Religio Romana.

The Conventus Sarmatia will be the first time that some of these sacerdotes shall meet face to face.  It shall also be the first time that an international Collegium of the Religio Romana shall be able to meet together as a body.  While members of collegia have met individually before, at no time has a collegium met for a face to face session.  Now we shall have the majority of members of two collegia coming together in what we hope shall become annual sessions. For more on the Conventus Sarmatia and its scheduled events visit the RPR site http://www.respublica-romana.com/English/news/conventus-i-of-respublica-romana

After the Conventus I shall travel to Budapest, Hungary, and the continue on for a leisurely journey through northern Italy. Currently scheduled stops are Milan, Bologna, Turin, Florence, Siena, Ovieto, and Rome.  Along the way Augur Agricola and I, along with our hostess Livia, shall be meeting with other cultores Deorum Romanorum and gentiles Romani.  Look for reports on my travels in coming posts.  Many places to visit; many people to meet; many bridges to build for the future of the Religio Romana.