The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-02-16
THE FEAsTs OF OLD ROME.

In the calendar Of ancient Rome
the 18th of February was the Feast
of Publication, when the worshippers
Of the pagan gods INDUCED in rites
and ceremonies of expiation. The
pagan observance, although Of brief
duration, was in some of its aspects
similar in purpose to the modern
Christian Lenten season, which begins
this year on Wednesday next AS Lent
is preceded by the frivoliti2s of Mardi
Gras, SO did the old Romans prepare
for their Cleansing" by final fling
of hilarity and dissipation. n
The Roman Februa was the most
respectable Of the feasts of the an
cfent Romans. The love Of the pres
ent day Italian for frequent religious
observations, saints days and festivals
may be a heritage from those distant
ancestors who worshipped the innum-
cradle deities. Of his polytheistic
faith. These rites and feasts were,
says Gibbon, closely interviewer with
every circumstance of business and
pleasure, Of public or of private life;
and it seemed impossible to escape
the observance of them without at the
same time renouncing the commerce
of mankind and all the offices and
amusements of society,"
The great historian of '"The Decline
and Fall of the Roman Empire" adds:
'sSome of the most sacred festivals in
the Roman ritual were designed to
salute the new ca1ends of January
with vows Of public and private fe-
licity; to indulge the pious remem-
brance Of the dead and living; to as
certain the inviolable bounds Of prop
erty; to hail, on the return of spring,
the genial powers of fecundity;to per-
petuate the two memorable eras of
Rome, the foundation of the city and
that Of the republic; and to restore
during the humane license of the Sa-
turnalia the primitive equality Of man
kind"
To avoid participation in these var
ious festivities, without thereby in
curing popular or official displeasure
and its accompanying pupishments,
was one of the chief concerns of the
early Christians of Rome. There
came a time, however, when the shoe
was on the other foot, and the tri-
umphant Christians attached severe
penalties to the observance of the old
feasts. The festival Of publication
became the Christian Lenten season,
the spring celebration Of the pagans
became the Easter Of the Christians
and the December SaturnaEa was
superseded by Christmas.
It was in the rural districts of the
empire that the pagan rites were
longest maintained. Under the laws
of Theodosius the performance of
any Of the rites Of the old religion
was punished by forfeiture Of. house
or estate, or by the imposition of
heavy fines. In the defense of the "o1d
time religion the adherents of poly
theism displayed little determination,
but, says Gibbon, "they desisted with
plaintiff murmur from the use of
those sacred rites which their SOW
ereign had condemned. If they some
times were tempted by a sally Of pas
sion or by hopes Of concealment to i'm
du1ge their favorite superstition, their
humble repentance disarmed the Sc
verify of the Christian magistrate, and
they seldom refused to atone for their
rashness by submitting, with some Sc
cret reluctance, to the yoke of the
Gospel. The churches were filled
with the increasing multitude of these
unworthy proselytes. who had con-