ANTINOUS shows up in the most extraordinary places — even at the supermarket magazine rack.
Some years ago, Hachette published a magazine series entitled THE GODS OF ANCIENT EGYPT which featured special issues on scores of Egyptian deities — nearly 100 in all — each sporting a glossy brochure and an epoxy resin figurine in a little plastic "display case." The magazines were widely available at booksellers and newsstands around the world.
Antinous was featured in Issue 88 — possibly the most collectible issue in the whole series.
The Hachette magazines have long since gone out of print, but the figurines are still found on eBay and other online marketplaces. Antinous is hard to find, but occasionally he turns up and the bidding turns fierce as ANTINOMANIACS fight to possess the little 4.5-inch (14 cm) figurine.
The one pictured here sold on eBay for nearly $50 in "NRFB" condition — "Never Removed From Box."
It is "only a fake" of course. But that does not make it any less sacred or magical to anyone who loves Antinous. In ancient times, Antinous figurines, images, coins and medallions were prized by his worshipers as a sort of portable Sacred Token or Pocket Shrine.
In his authoritative book about Antinous, BELOVED AND GOD, Royston Lambert points out that in ancient times many followers of the Blessed Youth felt it was necessary to have a tangible representation of Antinous with them at all times for protection and for blessings:
"Some of the devotees evidently could not bear to be parted from the beneficial and reassuring presence of their Antinous and therefore had small, light-weight travelling busts or bronzes made to accompany them on their journeys."
Poor people made do with more crudely made representations, such as coins and figurines and medals made of lead, clay and other base materials. The demand was so great that there was a rife trade in which we would nowadays call "copyright piracy" among artisans turning out "illicitly yet more crude and cheap medallions of this hero whose images, miracles and protection were obviously sought by countless poor folk of faith."
People of modest means who were lucky enough to get their hands on one of his clay figures or commemorative coins would carry them with them for protection, often even wearing them:
"Many were pierced by holes and hung from the neck as talismans: Antinous' image offering protection against evil, sickness and death," says Lambert.
Other such tiny statuettes, figurines, coins and medallions were placed in portable shrines or pouches or adorned away-from-home altars, and others were buried with the dead "to invoke the god's aid on the perilous journey into the unknown."
We look at the little Hachette Antinous figurine and see only a cheap epoxy resin plastic action figure, crudely hand-painted in some Chinese sweat shop.
But imagine how the Ancient Priests of Antinous would have gaped in wonder at this little figurine swaddled in cellophane, along with a book of shiny pages unlike any papyrus, pages adorned with inscrutable glyphs and breathtakingly realistic images.
Where we see ordinary plastic, the Ancient Priests would see a wondrous statuette fashioned in what to them would be a magical putty-like material not like anything found on Earth.
Clearly, it was fashioned by the Gods themselves — clearly, ANTINOUS THE GAY GOD truly is "immanent" (in-dwelling) in this miraculous vessel.
And the Ancient Priests would, of course, be absolutely right.
Sunday, April 6, 2025
ANTINOUS IN THE STRANGEST PLACES
EVEN AT THE SUPERMARKET
EVEN AT THE SUPERMARKET
Saturday, April 5, 2025
REMEMBER WHAT THE ROMANS SAID:
FORTUNE FAVORS THE AUDACIOUS!
FORTUNE FAVORS THE AUDACIOUS!
ON April 5th we remember the anniversary of the Temple of Fortuna Publica for the city of Rome.
It was one of three temples of Fortuna on the Quirinale Hill, where Fortuna Primigenia, Fortuna Brevis and Fortuna Euelpis were worshiped.
The symbol of Fortuna is the ever turning wheel, found in the Tarot pack as the Wheel of Fortune, this indicates that things change and that you should not rest on your laurels but be prepared to grasp opportunities. It also tells us that things will not stay bad forever, the wheel will turn and things will get better.
Remember what the Romans said: "audica favet fortuna" ... fortune favors the audacious.
Fortuna Publica Romani symbolised the luck of the Roman population and state. Sje is an aspect of the Roman Goddess of luck, fate, and chance, Fortuna. As Fortuna Publica, she ensures the luck of the populice or state, and is a complimentary idea to Fortuna Privata, the Luck of the Individual.
Fortuna was honored with three temples on the Quirinal Hill in Rome in the neighborhood called tres Fortunae, "the Three Fortunas".
At least two of those three temples were to Fortuna Publica. One was to Fortuna Primigenia, whose full title in Rome was Fortuna Publicae Populi Romani, "the Luck of the Roman People".
Another was to Fortuna Publica Citerior (citerior meaning "nearer", probably because it was closer to the center of the city).
There is not much known of the third temple to Fortuna. Some identify it as again belonging to Fortuna Primigenia.
But it is possible that it was more specifically dedicated to Fortuna Publica. The first temple had as its festival date the 25th of May, and the one to Fortuna Publica Citerior the 5th of April.
Fortuna Publica was sometimes known as Fortuna Populi Romani, the "Luck of the Roman People". Under this name She had an altar way up on Hadrian's Wall, at the fort of Vindolana, at modern Chesterholm in Northumberland, England.
Friday, April 4, 2025
WE CELEBRATE THE MEGALENSIA
GREAT MOTHER OF THE GODS
GREAT MOTHER OF THE GODS
AT the Megalensia we celebrate the introduction of the Cult of Magna Mater, the Great Mother of the Gods, into Rome.
During the War with Hannibal, the Senate consulted the Sibilline Book and received an oracle instructing them to bring the Great Mother of Phrygia to Rome.
They sent an embassy to the city of Pessinus and amazingly, the Phrygian priests freely handed over the black heavenly Stone that was the most sacred emblem of their goddess.
The Black Stone was brought to Rome, and met at the port of Ostia by a large congregation of the matrons of the city. They carried her in their arms, from one lady to another, into the city.
Within a year, Hannibal left Italy and was soon defeated. So it was that Magna Mater became one of the guardians of Rome.
The religion of Magna Mater is one of the oldest faiths of mankind, extending far back into prehistory. Evidence has been found of her veneration in one of the oldest human settlements known as Catal Huyuk in modern Turkey.
The image above shows a mother figure on a chariot drasn by two lions, an image always central to the Great Mother.
She was known under several names, Idea, Dydima, Sipyla, Agdistis, Rhea, Kubaba, Khaba, Khabala, and Cebele, daughter of Uranus and Gaia, wife of Saturn, mother of all the gods.
It is believed that her religion was spread throughout the Middle East during the conquests of the Hittite Empire, led by eunuch priests headed by the Archigallus, who was the earthly representative of the divine consort Attis.
The sacred shrines of the goddess were established where a black stone had fallen from heaven, and there a prophetess, known as a Sybil took up residence, speaking oracles from Apollo. The religions of Dionysus, Apollo, Diana and Persephone are deeply and intimately related, through their connection to Magna Mater.
They are the vestiges of a faith and culture that long preceded Greece, yet whose traces remain even now, in the concept of Holy Mother Church, in the black stone embedded in the Khaba at Mecca, and as the spirit of the Holy Tree known as the Kabalah in Jewish mysticism.
Antinous was very probably brought up as a devotee of her religion, since Bithynion had a mountaintop shrine to Attis, and was very near to the center of her worship at Pessinus.
We adore and venerate the Great Mother on this day, as the savior of Rome, and as the Goddess whose religion was central to the formation of the young Antinous, who is the New Attis.
The bisexuality of her incarnation as Agdistis, and the transvestitism of her priesthood makes her religion of extreme importance to the concept of Homo Deus and of the New Religion of Antinous.
We praise the Great Mother of the Gods on this night.
Ancient goddess of Phrygia, who has watched over us since the down of time, seated upon her throne of Lions
Mother of the Holy Mountain, Queen of Beasts,
Lover of Grandfather Saturn with whom she gave birth
To the Gods of Olympus.
It was on this day that the sacred black stone arrived
In Rome from Pessinus, carried by the Matrons
Together with the transgender priestesses of Magna Mater
It was prophesized by the Sibyl of Cumae that
So long as the black stone was venerated that no enemy
Would ever penetrate the walls of Rome, a prophecy
That remained true until the black stone was desecrated by The Christians, a few years later the city was destroyed
Magna Mater Deum Ideum, Cybele, Rhea
Queen of the Titans, Mother of the Gods
Watch over us, bless our black stones, make us invincible
Let our hearts be an impenetrable fortress of black stone
Ave Magna Mater
Thursday, April 3, 2025
CHIRON COMES TO THE RESCUE
THE Sun aligns with the asteroid or minor planet CHIRON IN ARIES this week to empower you to access your inner healer. (Art by Miranda Baggins entitled: "Antinous as the Horseman of Conquest!"
It is nice to remember who Chiron is ... the wisest and noblest of all the Centaurs in Classical Mythology. While all the other centaurs galloped off to riotous ruin and drunken oblivion, Chiron alone shared the knowledge he had inherited from the Titans ... tutoring a series of sensitive youths ... Achilles, Jason, Perseus, Theseus, Ajax, Dionysus, Hercules ... an endless list of heroes and demigods. He schooled them in the arts and sciences ... teaching them to be musicians and physicians.
This week healing energies get a sudden and dramatic boost when the Sun aligns with Chiron in Aries. This is a good time for health checkups and medical treatment ... also, you can expect a positive and expansive outlook, which can benefit your well-being at this time.
You may be more open-minded with regard to experiencing new things, which will allow healing of your mind, body, and spirit.
For instance, you could seek higher understanding and meaning in your life through a guide, mentor, or spiritual person or increase your inner knowledge by means of educational processes, religion, or meditative practices during this period.
An urge to travel to far-away places (real or imaginary) may also be experienced. You may discover new perspectives on your beliefs, faith, and sense of hope.
Restoring peace and harmony in your personal life and relationships is possible now through your interest in healing your own wounds, as well as extending compassion and generosity to others.
ANTINOUS IS THE GOD OF THE GAYS
BUT WAS HE GAY IN THE MODERN SENSE?
BUT WAS HE GAY IN THE MODERN SENSE?
WE are often asked whether Antinous was gay during his mortal lifetime ... truly gay, at least as we understand the complex sociological and orientation that exist today.
This stunning portrait by famed collage artist DOUG STAPLETON shows modern faces superimposed on the face of Antinous.
But was Antinous "gay" in the modern sense?
Scholars have quibbled ... especially in Victorian times ... that Hadrian and Antinous were not homosexuals in the modern sense.
Instead, they were engaged in a socially acknowledged erotic relationship between an adult male (the erastes) and a younger male (the eromenos) usually in his teens ... or so the uptight scholars argued.
These semantic nuances allowed academics to sidestep the socially loaded issue of calling some of the greatest figures in history "practicing homosexuals" ... because that might imply that homosexuality was in fact not a degenerate mental illness, but instead was perfectly normal.
Even up until the turn of the 21st Century, many academicians (mostly male) persisted in avoiding the "G" word when referring to Hadrian and Antinous.
All of that changed at a news conference in London a few years ago.
"Hadrian was gay, and we can say that now. The Victorians had a problem with it. But we can say it." Thorsten Opper, a British Museum curator of Greek and Roman sculpture shocked the stuffy world of academia when he made that statement ... at a news conference announcing the Museum's Hadrian: Empire and Conflict" exhibition in 2008.
The British Museum, that bastion of staid and conservative scholarship, signaled a paradigm shift in historical awareness of homosexuality.
The collage portrait of Antinous by artist Doug Stapleton on this page symbolizes the many layers of perception of gayness through the ages.
Our own high priest, Flamen Antonius Subia, explains the change in attitude that has taken place ... it is not so much gayness which has changed ... but rather the cultural perception of gays has changed ... not only society's perception of gays ... but more especially the perception of gayness amongst gays.
"Gay has always been and always will be, or so I feel," Antonius says. "Antinous was gay in the way that gays were in Roman times, which is different from how gays were in the 1950's, which is different from how gays are now," he says.
"Antinous represents the divine essence that we all hold in common, so yes, I believe that in his own way and for his time, Antinous was gay just like we are now."
Wednesday, April 2, 2025
HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN
SAINT OF ANTINOUS
SAINT OF ANTINOUS
WE remember Danish fairy tale writer Hans Christian Andersen as a Saint of Antinous because he was gay although he may never have acted on his gayness.
Throughout his life, Hans Christian Andersen thought of himself as the ugly duckling … a misfit undeserving of being loved by anybody.
Tuesday, April 1, 2025
ON THE VENERALIA
By Flamen Antinoalis Antonius Subia
By Flamen Antinoalis Antonius Subia