GERMAN SCIENTISTS ARE AFRAID TO DECANT THIS BOTTLE OF ANCIENT ROMAN RED WINE

SCIENTISTS in Germany would love to decant a bottle of Ancient Roman red wine which has been aging for more than 1,600 years ... but they are afraid to open the bottle.

The sealed glass bottle was found in a Roman tomb in 1867 and put on display at the Historical Museum of the Palatinate in the western German city of Speyer.

Museum directors fear that a moment's carelessness could shatter the bottle, destroying its priceless content. Though scientists would like to test it to figure out exactly how old the wine is and where it comes from, as well as perhaps seeing how it tastes – cracking it open is out of the question. 

"It's not clear what would happen if air gets into the wine," said Ludger Tekampe, who heads the department responsible for storing it. 

There's also the danger that, after all this time, it could have become poisonous, although scientists suspect the alcohol would not be dangerous, but just taste disgusting.

In any event, the ultra-old wine has survived a lot, including ancient drinkers, handling on its way to the museum, and two world wars, with nary a problem. 

Tekampe said he hasn't observed any changes in the wine or its container in his 25 years at the museum, the bottle appears to have been carefully constructed by the Romans to prevent the wine from decomposing.

"The content is remarkably stable," Tekampe said. 

Still he's the only one who handles the bottle. Everyone else is just too afraid.

"I held the bottle in my hand twice during renovations. It was a strange feeling," Tekampe said.

A TRANSLATION OF THE HIEROGLYPHS ON THE OBELISK OF ANTINOUS

IN ancient times, Antinous was known as a miracle worker. His worshipers prayed to him for miracles, oracles, visions and answers to problems in their daily lives.

The Egyptian hieroglyphs on the OBELISK OF ANTINOUS state clearly that Antinous answers the prayers of all who call upon him through dreams and visions, for example.

This document, written in crumbling hieroglyphs on an obelisk of red granite, is the only authentic fragment which remains from the Ancient Religion of Antinous. It is believed to have been authored by Hadrian, or a high priest, proclaiming the Egyptian basis of the Ancient Religion of Antinous.

It vividly proclaims the Religion of Antinous, and it is the only document through which the voice of Antinous speaks directly. If it was written by Hadrian, then it is what the founder of the Religion of Antinous wished to convey to us.

The translation below is based on extensive work using the only scholarly book in existence which provides a full transliteration of the hieroglyphic inscription. This book was published in Germany in 1994 by German scholars and so their translation is of course in German — not English. An authoritative English translation has never existed — until now.

The inscription liberally employs deliciously "Egyptiany" puns and euphemisms which are very difficult to translate. For example, Antinous is described as having "festively decorated eyes" and those words have been used in all previous English translations, based on the German. But other scholars cited in the book's appendices point out that "festively decorated eyes" is an idiomatic expression not to be taken literally. In fact, they argue, it means it is not necessarily HIS eyes which are decorated, but rather it is OUR eyes which are adorned by the vision of his loveliness. Through His eyes He dazzles us. So it really means "He is dazzling in beauty of the eyes" — which is what we have decided to use.

The inscription also shows how difficult it was for the Egyptians to translate Greek and Roman concepts into hieroglyphs. For example, the Egyptians had no word for "hippodrome" since a stadium for chariot-racing was an alien concept to the Egyptians. So the inscription calls it "a horse-whipping place" which, while being colorful, is perhaps a bit misleading. So, after careful consideration, we have decided to use the word "arena" in that passage.

One insight which comes from reading the glyphs (which are incised right-to-left) is the realization that the text begins on the East Face (the Rising Sun) and proceeds clockwise right-to-left around the obelisk. Hitherto, the order of the faces was assumed to be East-West-North-South. But we are convinced the Egyptians meant the text to be read East-South-West-North, in one continuing narrative. Thus, the faces follow like pages in a book. For the first time in 1,800 years, the new translation below makes the narrative sense clear.

Starting with the East Face, we see references to Ra-Herakhte, the Rising Sun.

Next comes the South Face, which is the direction of the Source of the Nile, the source of all life, and the inscription discusses the tomb and the establishment on this Earth of the Sacred City of Antinoopolis.

Then comes the West Face, which is the direction of the setting sun and the Underworld. The inscription speaks of the deeper Mystery Teachings of the religion and how the guardians of the Gates of the Underworld permit Antinous to pass through unheeded.

Finally, we come to the North Face, which is directed to the Circumpolar Stars which the Egyptians called "The Imperishables". These stars and constellations around the Pole Star Polaris never set below the horizon — they never die. The Egyptians believed those "Imperishables" were in fact the gods and pharaohs. Accordingly, the inscription speaks of the miracles which Antinous performs by virtue of the fact that he is indeed one of these "Shining Ones" and by virtue of the fact that the magical force of creation ("the semen of the First God") truly is in his body.

The Obelisk of Antinous is the most important document of the new Religion of Antinous, it is the only vestige of the original religion, a sacred inscription without parallel, but its origin and purpose remain completely veiled in mystery, as is everything that remains of Antinous.

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THE OBELISK OF ANTINOUS

EAST FACE
(Towards the Newborn Sun)

Antinous the God, His heart in rapture
At Having come to know His True Form
And at Having seen His father Ra-Harakhte,
It is Antinous who brings forth this prayer.

Thus His Heart Proclaims:
Ra-Harakhte, supreme among the gods,
He who hears the prayers of the Gods and Men,
Of the Transfigured and the Dead,
Hear also the plea of Hadrian,
Who stands before you!

As recompense for all he has done
For me, Antinous, your beloved son,
Generously reward Hadrian,
Lord of Both Upper and Lower Egypt,
Who founded a magnificent new religion
In the temple shrines for all people,
Which has pleased the Gods!

And he is called "Beloved of Hapy and All the Gods,"
The Lord of Crowns, Hadrianus Caesar

May he have Eternal Life, Prosperity and Sanctity
Throughout all time like Ra,
Blossoming and rising anew
Throughout the ages!

He is Our Lord,
The ruler of all lands,
The Noble Augustus!

The Lords of Egypt bow to him,
And the Barbarians are vanquished
Beneath his feet,
As it has always been
Under the rulers of Upper and Lower Egypt.

They come into being by the utterance of his word,
His might extends to the far reaches of the realm
And the four corners of the Earth!

Bulls mate in rapture with cows
And bring forth their young for Hadrian,
To please his heart and that of his great and beloved Queen,
The Mistress of Upper and Lower Egypt and all its cities,
Sabina Sebaste Augusta!
May she have Eternal Life, Prosperity and Sanctity forever!

Hapy, progenitor of the gods,
On behalf of Hadrian and Sabina,
Arrange the inundation in fortuitous time
To make fertile and bountiful the fields
Of Both Upper and Lower Egypt!

SOUTH FACE

(Towards the Source of the Nile)

Antinous the God is here!
He rests in this place
Which is in the Border Fields of Our Lady Rome.

In all Sacred Places of Egypt
He is recognized as Divine.

Temple shrines are raised to Him,
And He is revered as a God
By the oracles and priests
Of Upper and Lower Egypt,
Indeed by all the people of Egypt!

The City of Antinoopolis was named in His honour,
Populated by the Greeks of Egypt
As well as priests from the temples of Egypt,
And those who have come to this place
With the promise of splendours beyond all measure.

A Temple to Antinous the God,
Who is among the Shining Ones of Heaven,
Is located in this city
Built of good white stone,
Surrounded by sphinxes and statues
And innumerable columns
Like those Temples erected
By Our Ancient Ancestors
And also like those of the Greeks.

All Gods and Goddesses
Give Him the Breath of Eternal Life
That He might breathe
As One Who Is Eternally Young!

WEST FACE
(Towards the Underworld)

Antinous the God,
Who is among the Shining Ones of Heaven,
Has been transfigured into a God of Eternal Youth,
Perfect of countenance,
Who is dazzling in beauty of the eyes,
Whose heart is full of heroic joy
Since He received the order of the Gods
At the hour of his death.

Every ritual of the Book of the Hours
Shall be repeated for him
Along with each of His Mysteries.

His Word shall be spread to the whole world.
His teaching shall be a never-ending river
Of admonition, inspiration and mystery.

Nothing comparable has been conferred
On any mortal man before now,
Just as with His altars, His temples
And His sacred images.

All by virtue of the Truth
That He breathes the Breath of Eternal Life.
And His magnitude comes into being
In the hearts of all men.

Lord of Hermopolis,
Lord of the Sacred Words, Thoth!
Take the Soul of Antinous
And make it Eternally Young
At every moment of every night,
And every day, for all Eternity!

Love for Him fills the hearts of His followers
And the Awe of HIM is with all.
His believers raise their voices in praise
When they worship Him.

He takes His seat in the Hall of the Justified,
The Illuminated and the Exalted,
Who are in the entourage of Osiris
In the Kingdom of the Underworld,
For the Lord of Eternity finds Justice in Him!

Through the Gods
His Word endures upon the Earth,
Because He fills their hearts with joy!

He is able to enter any place he wishes.
The guardians of the gates
Of the Kingdom of the Underworld
Say "Praise to You" to Him...
They loosen their bolts
And throw open their gates before him...
Millions of years long...daily...
As his duration of life is as the sun,
Never in eternity elapsing!

NORTH FACE

(Towards the Circumpolar Imperishables)

Behold, Antinous the God is Here,
Who is among the Shining Ones!

An arena was erected in His sacred city in Egypt
Antinoopolis, which was named for Him,
Being for the champions from all lands of the Earth,
For the rowing teams and the runners
And for the masters of the arts
Of the Lord of Sacred Words, Thoth.
And they are awarded glorious prizes
And wreaths and rewards of plentiful riches.

Offerings are brought daily upon His altars.

He is honored in praise by the artists of Thoth
In accordance with His glory.

He strides forth from his resting place
To His innumerable temples
All across the earthly realm.

He hears the prayers of all those who call out to Him,
And He cures the afflictions of those in need
By sending healing visions while they dream.

Once He has accomplished His work among the living,
He takes every shape that His heart desires,
For the semen of the First God
Truly is in His body!

THE KNIGHTS TEMPLAR MARTYR SAINTS OF MALE-MALE LOVE

ON this day, the origin of the folk belief that "Friday the 13th" is an unlucky day, the Religion of Antinous remembers the Knights Templar.

The proud and courageous brotherhood known as the Order of Knights Templar, who were sworn to protect pilgrims traveling to the Holy Land, were accused of Heresy, Idolatry and Sodomy, and were arrested on Friday the 13th of October in the year 1310 in France.

Although they had fought valiantly during the Crusades, and even stayed behind, sacrificing themselves to guard the retreat of Christian refugees during the fall of Acre in 1291, the order was condemned by the Pope and handed over to the envious King Philip the "Fair" of France, who coveted their land and immense wealth.

The Knights had adopted the heresy of Catharism which was basically a form of Gnosticism with Manichean influence, that had perhaps been introduced to them in the Holy Land where it flourished under the Moslems.

The Cathars believed that Jesus had descended to the material plane to undo the rule of the God of Israel, and that he had liberated mankind from the law of Moses and the natural order, through salvation in his name.

The Cathars believed that the body, and life itself, was the creation of the Evil One, who claimed to be the "Creator of the Universe."

They did not recognize the authority of the Church and believed that homosexuality was sacred because it was a form of love which did not result in procreation (locking humans in a cycle of earthly incarnations).

Following the Platonic ideal of Venus Urania, the Cathars believed that Brotherly Love was more in keeping Christ's teaching than the love between husband and wife.

The Knights Templar, whose seal depicted two knights riding on one horse, quite openly advocated this philosophy. But the Papal accusation claimed that they took this to the extreme of sodomy, requiring new initiates to perform the Kiss of Shame, by which they kissed the buttocks and phallus of the Grand Master of the Order.

They were also accused of abandoning Christianity and worshipping a demon called Baphomet, a hermaphroditic, goat-headed idol whose name implied secret knowledge.  

Other accusations were leveled against the Knights. But Heresy, Satanism, and Sodomy were the crimes which essentially led to their downfall. 

Of course most of this information was obtained through torture. But one can only wonder at the consistency that characterizes their confessions. 

On this night, the Grand Master Jacques de Molay and thousands of  Templars were arrested, tortured, condemned and subsequently Burned at the Stake. From then on, Heresy, Devil worship, and Homosexuality were indistinguishable in the eyes of the Inquisition, perhaps because they were indeed interconnected. 

Homosexuality, however, had not been a significant threat to Christendom until it was connected with a diabolical plot to overthrow the order of society and of the Church. This was the beginning of Our Burning Times, and over the course of the next 400 years, thousands of homosexuals were officially and publicly condemned and burned or otherwise executed as an act of faith that, through our extermination, the Church was protecting the world from the Forces of Evil which we embodied.

For their courage and sacrifice, we praise the Order of the Knights Templar as Heroic Martyr Saints of the Religion of Antinous, as the Sacred Band of the Middle Ages, and we recognize their secret god Baphomet as an incarnation of our beloved Dionysus, a manifestation of Homo Deus, and of Our Beautiful God Antinous.

MATTHEW SHEPARD SAINT OF ANTINOUS

ON this sad day we honor a young gay man who was brutally murdered: Matthew Shepard, who died at 12:53 am on Monday, October 12th, 1998.

He was brutally assaulted because he was gay, on the night of October 7, by two men who had lured him to a secluded place outside of Laramie Wyoming. 

His attackers tied him to a fence, beat him and left him for dead in the freezing cold. 

He was found the following evening by a cyclist. 

By the time help arrived, he had slipped into unconsciousness.

The death of Matthew Shepard awakened the world to the persecution that homosexuals have endured for centuries. His beauty, youth and innocence affected everyone, and spoke for the hundreds of others who in recent years have died similar deaths without being noticed.

Matthew Shepard is a Sacred and Holy Martyr of Homosexuality, he died an innocent because he was gay. He died a death that so many others have suffered, but his death changed the world.

He was 22 years old, very near the age of Antinous and, like Antinous, his beautiful face, humble origin, and tragic death have had a great impact on the future of homosexuality in our society.

We consecrate his memory and pray for him, that he will guide and protect us in our hour of danger, and bring an end to the violence and hatred that he suffered.

ANTINOUS HAS TWO SPIRITS

IN October millions of people in the United States of America celebrate Indigenous Peoples' Day as an alternative to Columbus Day.

Antinous the Gay God is the divine essence of homosexuality ... the magico/spiritual gay spark in the Ancient Blood of humanity ... from the Olduvai Gorge ... across the Caucasus ... into Europe ... over mountains and deserts to the Far East ... over land bridges and in outrigger canoes to Australasia ... and the Americas! 

That gay spiritual spark flows in the veins of all of us ... but it shines most brightly in the Two Spirit People ... who have suffered so terribly for living magico/spiritual lives ... and who are re-kindling that spark today ... that it might shine brighter than ever.

Antinous the Gay God has Two Spirits ... but One Heart. Antinous dances with Two Spirits around the world. Antinous lives in the heart of Two Spirits everywhere ... the healers, medicine people and musicians. 

Antinous adherent Jack Baker offers this poem to all Gay and LGBT Two-Spirit, that they take pride in that name! 

TWO-SPIRIT

Two-Spirit never forget who you are.

A light to this world as bright as a star.
You are born as healers to humanity.
Together we can cure its insanity.
Mother Earth gave you this gift.
Of two-spirits to heal this rift.
Once seen as sacred and pure.
Now a sinner the Abrahams abhor.
Persecuted you are but strong is your heart.
Shine a light to the world to pave this new start.
Two-Spirit you are the visionaries of earth.
Through your sacred guidance we will see a rebirth.

TODAY IS INTERNATIONAL COMING OUT DAY

THIS international event is in celebration of the joy of revealing to the world our sexuality. 

It is an international event that gives people the opportunity to come out as an act of spiritual and political courage, in defiance of all who would deny homosexuals our human rights. 

The first National Coming Out Day was held on October 11, 1988, it was in commemoration for the 1987 March on Washington. 

In its full essence it is a political statement, meant to call out to our brothers and sisters to publicly state that they are homosexual to all those who do not already know. 

Flamen Antonius Subia says:

We acknowledge the spiritual implication of this event as profoundly significant to the religion of Antinous and of the mysterious nature of Homo Deus. As an act of Liberation and as a vision promotion of our presence and numbers, we solemnly dedicate ourselves to public declaration of our sacred sexuality on this day.

THE ANTINOUS 'CAR MASCOT' ORNAMENT

IT has taken 100 years, but this elegant frosted glass "car mascot" has finally found its way ... despite many detours in the road ... to a place of honor in the Hollywood Temple of Antinous.

Perhaps a René Lalique original, this frosted glass car grill radiator ornament would have been illuminated by a tiny light bulb. Standing proudly 15 centimeters (6 inches) tall, it was a very elegant way to personalize a car and to give "The Finishing Touch" to a very elegant motor car.

Glass car mascots came in many forms ... birds, leopards/jaguars, deities ... but an Antinous car mascot gave a subtle hint as to which way the car's bachelor gentleman liked to steer.

This particular car mascot was the subject of fierce bidding on eBay in March 2012 ... with number Antinous followers on both sides of the Atlantic bidding frantically to get it.

In the end, PETER FISKE of Palm Springs California won it for "a couple of hundred dollars," as Peter announced when he formally presented the car mascot to ANTONIUS SUBIA during ceremonies consecrating Peter as a Priest of Antinous in September 2026.

Now the frosted glass Antinous car mascot is a sacred relic in the Hollywood Temple of Antinous.