HERE'S YOUR CHANCE TO BE A CHAMPION IN THE SACRED GAMES OF ANTINOUS

IT is with great joy that we, the Priesthood of the Temple of Antinous

Solemnly announce the coming of the 6th Antinous Games!

To be Celebrated on the Day of the Sacred Lion Hunt

13 Days before the Calends of September

On the 23rd of August 2026 (Year of Antinous 1895)

We invite Artists, Poets, Musicians, Performers and Athletes

To prepare submissions for the sacred competition

In honor of Antinous the Gay God

The theme is open to interpretation

With suggested emphasis on Antinous

Or Gay Pagan Spirituality.

Three winners will be selected by a panel of judges.

Fabulous prizes will be awarded!

May the gods of Olympus be with us as we formally announce

The 6th Sacred Games of Antinous

AVE ANTINOUS!

Send Submissions to: antinouspriest@gmail.com

Rules of Submission:

The Deadline to Enter is August 20th, 2026

All submissions must be about Antinous, or include Antinous as their theme or subject matter, or in some discernible way reference Antinous. Performance submissions can be about Homotheosis, Gay Spirituality, Paganism, LGBTQ experiences, or even Abstract but must either demonstrate a connection to Antinous or must begin or end with the submitter stating that their performance is dedicated to Antinous. Athletic submissions must begin, or end with a stated dedication to Antinous.

The following are acceptable categories:

ART

MUSIC

DANCE

THEATER

PERFORMANCE ART

POETRY

LITERATURE

ATHLETICS

REQUIREMENTS:

-ART must be submitted as photographs and emailed to antinouspriest@gmail.com

-MUSIC can be submitted as an audio-only file, or as a recorded video performance (preferred)

-DANCE, THEATER and PERFORMANCE ART pieces must be submitted as video and must not exceed standard YouTube time-length requirements.

-ATHLETICS can include any form of athletic demonstration such as weight-lifting, exercise, running, track and field, wrestling, yoga, gymnastics, or any form imaginable that can be captured in short video form.

-LITERATURE can be fiction, nonfiction, essays, academic research papers, or autobiographical works. It is recommended that Literary submissions be reasonably short in form, although there is no official limitation to the length of form of a submission. If submitting a novel or book, a short treatment or synopsis is recommended and a link to where the full work can be purchased or downloaded. Blog entry submissions or articles will also be accepted, a link to the blog page or article must be provided

Additional submissions that do not fall into the above categories will be considered at the discretion of the Convener of the Games.

RULES:

1) All Submission must be about Antinous. Performance pieces and Athletics must be verbally dedicated to Antinous. No non-Antinous related Submissions will be accepted. The decision as to whether a submission conforms to this requirement will be made by the Convener of the Games

2) Only One Entry can be submitted per Competitor. Multiple pieces can be submitted but they will all be considered One entry and will be presented together as a single Submission.

3) All submissions must be the original work of the Competitor. Additional participants in the entry are allowed, but only the submitter will be considered to be the Competitor and only the submitter will be eligible to receive an award.

4) No submissions made during a previous Sacred Games of Antinous will be allowed

5) All Competitors must be over the age of 18 to participate

6) Submissions must conform to the rules of usage of Facebook and YouTube

7) Submissions must not violate copyright laws or any other federal, state or local laws.

Three awards will be given:

ART - paintings, drawings, sculpture, photography

LITERATURE - fiction, nonfiction, poetry, novels, articles, memes

PERFORMANCE - theater, performance art, dance, ceremonies, athletics, music (including audio only)

One of the three winners will be proclaimed the overall champion and will receive the grand-prize, which will include the traditional bronze tripod and the largest monetary prize.

Everyone has heard of the Ancient Olympics, but there were other Games held in antiquity, and among the most famous were the Games of Antinous, which were called the Megala Antinoeia ... the Great Games of Antinous. These were Sacred Games which were held in Antinoopolis, Bithynia and in Mantinea."

The most famous Games were held at Antinoopolis, the city founded by Emperor Hadrian in Egypt at the spot along the Nile where Antinous had drowned in the year 130 AD.

The competitors were primarily young men called Ephebes. 

In Antinoopolis these included swimming and boat races in the Nile.

But the Antinous Games were unique in that they also included competition in the arts and music. 

The over-all winner was consecrated as the living embodiment of Antinous and given citizenship in Antinoopolis, with an all-expense-paid life of luxury and adoration. 

He was worshiped in the temple as the representative of Antinous, the emblem of youth and masculinity. He was the Divine Ephebe.

The Great Antinoeia, as the Games of Antinous were called, were held for hundreds of years. 

But little was known of the actual competitions until a fragile papyrus was deciphered recently which revealed some intriguing and somewhat shocking details about the Games of Antinous of the year 267 AD and two wrestlers named NICANTINOUS AND DEMETRIUS.

The Games of Antinous faded into obscurity ... but have been revived in the past decade by us. They are held every four years during the cycle of the blooming of the ROSY LOTUS OF ANTINOUS AFTER THE LION HUNT in August.

The modern-day Religion of Antinous revived the Sacred Games 20 years ago. This is the VI ANTINOEIAD of the modern era, and entry is open to everyone wishing to honor Antinous with their own artistic, academic or athletic talents.

"These Games are open to all ... regardless whether you are gay and regardless of gender," Antonius Subia says.

"You can submit any form of artistic endeavor ... poems, paintings, videos or literary works. But you can also submit dancing, running or other physical effort ... as long as you provide documentation of your performance art," he explained.

Prizes will be awarded to winners, details of which are to be unveiled on this blog in coming days and weeks as the deadline approaches.

For enquiries and submissions, contact us here: antinouspriest@gmail.com 

ASTRO FORECAST JUNE 25th—JULY 5th, 2026

Antinous is a Moon God. He is, of course, many other things and he wears many hats. But one of the ways he was worshiped in Antiquity was as ANTINOUS THE MOON GOD.

His worshipers looked skyward and saw His beautiful face perpetually turned towards the Earth. The Man in the Moon was actually the Blessed Boy in the Moon for the ancient priests and worshipers of Antinous. Swiftest and most youthful of all the Zodiacal deities, Antinous speeds through an entire year's worth of Astrological signs in just 28 days.

ANTINOUS THE MOON GOD represents our deepest personal needs, our basic habits and reactions, and our unconscious gay selves. Where Hadrian the Sun acts, Antinous the Moon REACTS. How do we instinctively react or respond to problems? What do we feel we need for a sense of security? Look to ANTINOUS THE MOON GOD for answers.

ANTINOUS THE MOON GOD is both our inner boy child and our inner lover. His ever changing phases, as he sweeps past all the other Planets in all the Signs, make us at turns responsive, receptive, and reflective. Eternally youthful, ANTINOUS THE MOON GOD represents our childlike spontaneous and instinctual reactions.

ANTINOUS THE MOON GOD beams down on us to make us imaginative, creative, intuitive, sentimental, adaptable, introspective, and protective. On the negative side, and depending on where he is in the Zodiac, he can make us moody, restless, and irrational.

Antinous Astrology Forecast

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JUNE 25th
to JULY 5th, 2026

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THURSDAY, JUNE 25th, 2026

This week, you view the world through rose-colored glasses due to Sun-square-Neptune. This is the kind of aspect that occurs when Jack sells the family cow for a handful of "magic" beans. In the fairy tale, of course, the beans turn out to be magic after all. But on this weekend the beans aren't magic at all. If you go shopping, it might be a good idea to watch your emotions and not let yourself be carried away. It might also be a good idea to watch your wallet and not let it be lifted by some pickpocket.

FRIDAY, JUNE 26th, 2026

This weekend you may feel like a "noble knight" when Mars forms a sextile aspect with Jupiter. Unfortunately, during Mars-sextile-Jupiter many people may become deluded that they are superheroes, using others as kindling to start fires — not always literally often metaphorically. Either way, it is just so they can be seen to be the hero and put it out and destroy the lives of others in the process. Beware of crusaders who urge you to take part in some sacred battle. And beware of demagogues who insist they are fighting a holy war, sacrificing the lives of many innocent men women and children in the name of war or competition for basic/personal needs, just so they look like the hero.

SAT-SUNDAY, JUNE 27th-28th, 2026

This weekend, Mars leaves stodgy Taurus and charges into Gemini. Gemini Mars is very reckless with little details like the truth, preferring ham-fisted propaganda and outright lies instead. Mars is in Gemini from now until August 11th. This is the period of the year with the most energy, enthusiasm and determination.

MONDAY, JUNE 29th, 2026

This week, Mercury does an about-face and goes "backwards" as seen from Earth until July 23rd. This RETROGRADE MERCURY phase is a time of confusion in communications and commerce. About three times each year, Mercury the communications wizard turns into Mercury the fast-talking con man. This is the RETROGRADE MERCURY phase, and it lasts about three weeks. RETROGRADE MERCURY will be serving up glitches and snafus in communications, computers, transport, travel and social media. If you are buying a new mobile phone, be sure to read the fine print about hidden costs. Planning to move into a new apartment? Check the kitchen and bathroom for tell-tale signs of mold before signing the lease. Remember over the next three weeks that MERCURY wants you to play his sly game to win — not to be a whining victim. Make him proud of the way you play his game!

TUESDAY, JUNE 30th, 2026

Overnight Monday-Tuesday, we come to the Capricorn Full Moon, which is the lunar cycle we call the TOWER MOON in memory of the observatory tower which Emperor Hadrian built at his Villa to study the stars. This is the moon for reaching for the stars ... seeking job promotions ... stretching on tiptoes to grasp something previously unattainable.

Do you have a broken heart? Healing energies get a sudden and dramatic boost this week when Chiron the Healer comes galloping to the rescue to form a powerful square aspect with Jupiter ... two heavenly bodies which are so slow-moving that this positive aspect is rare indeed ... CHIRON AND JUPITER are so slow-moving that these powerful energies will last for weeks ... This is a good time for medical checkups and 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.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 1st, 2026

On Wednesday, one of the major astrological events of the year occurs when the planet Jupiter enters the Leo Zodiac sign. For the next 12 months, lots of good things are to be expected. Jupiter is the planet of luck and opportunity. It moves slowly through the Zodiac, spending 12 months in each sign, so it takes 12 years for it to return to Leo. Remember where you were and what you were doing in 2002 to get an idea of the flavor of this coming 12 months.

For the past year, Jupiter was in Cancer, the sign of family, coziness and domestic affairs. But JUPITER IN LEO will put the spotlight on getting out on stage, front and center, and putting on a good show. Jupiter Leo is the ultimate Drama Queen. While Jupiter was in Cancer many people kept relationships together as a top priority but Jupiter in Leo may encourage the opposite — love affairs. Of course, if your marriage or relationship is sound this will not pose a problem.

Jupiter in Leo will bring a certain amount of fun into our lives and people may be more interested in socializing. Leo is ruled by the Sun, which represents our vital core. If you were born under the sign of Leo, you can expect the next 12 months to be a banner year.

Jupiter is at home in a fire sign (Jupiter is ruled by Sagittarius) and fire sign Leo will encourage self-expression for the performing arts and it should be a good year for movies, TV and any of the arts. Entertainment in general will become more important as well fun. Leo holds the potential to be around or connect with flamboyant and charismatic people. The downside of Leo is often a need for attention.

If you were born with Jupiter in Leo you are the type of individual who likes to energy and a big life force. You are probably a snappy dresser. You often have a feeling of neediness to draw attention or always be the center of attention — in other words, you are a Drama Queen — and the coming 12 months will be your chance to dominate the spotlight.

THURS-SUNDAY, JULY 2nd-5th, 2026

This week, which started off so optimistically, takes a sharp turn down a spooky, dark alley at mid-week when aggressive Mars aligns in conjunction with impulsive Uranus for the first time in two years and also forms a sextile with Neptune and a tricky trine with Pluto ... and fortunately these configurations will not occur again for years to come. This is the textbook recipe for armed conflict, terrorist attacks and economic collapse. On the one hand, there is a powerful yearning for a dramatic new beginning. That is a good thing, in general. But on the other hand, there are ruthless people who take advantage of that yearning to push their own agendas for changing the world to fit their own selfish ends. Quite aside from global politics and economics, you will sense these tensions in your own domestic life and on the job. Remember to keep your head and strive for compromise while others lose their heads or ram their heads through the wall.

SNEAK PREVIEW OF NEXT WEEK:

Another exciting week lies ahead between July 6th and 12th, 2026, when we come to the Aries Third Quarter Moon, which is the lunar phase of the determined warrior we call the TRIBUNE MOON in Antinous Moon Magic. If you are someone lacking in self-assertiveness, then ANTINOUS THE MOON GOD is sending assertiveness your way on his moonbeams tonight ... so that you can forge ahead in with determination and vigor ... The Tribune Moon is about confronting your fears ... above all, your fear of baring your true self to others. It is about turning your weaknesses into your strengths. It is about transforming destructive energies into constructive ones. It is about finding ... and fulfilling ... your destiny ... Meditations and rituals this night are best suited for finding ways to assert your will constructively ... More details next time ....

EVERYONE'S A DRAMA QUEEN WHEN JUPITER IS IN LEO 2026-27

LUCK takes a turn for the better on June 30, 2026, when the planet Jupiter enters the Leo Zodiac sign.

For 12 months, until July 2027, lots of good things are to be expected. Jupiter is the planet of good fortune and opportunity. 

Everything is more exciting ... everyone is a drama queen ... like Ganymede stealing the scene from King of Gods Jupiter himself.

The painting is "Ganymede Adores Jupiter" by André Durand ... we love this gay tongue-in-cheek tribute by Monsieur Durand (one of our favorite gay visionary artists) to the famous Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres painting "Thetis Adores Jupiter."

Jupiter moves slowly through the Zodiac, spending 12 months in each sign, so it takes 12 years for it to return to Leo. 

Remember where you were and what you were doing in 2014-15 to get an idea of the flavor of this coming 12 months.

For the past year, Jupiter was in Cancer, the sign of family, coziness and domestic affairs. But Jupiter Leo will put the spotlight on getting out on stage, front and center, and putting on a good show.

Jupiter Leo is the ultimate Drama Queen. While Jupiter was in Cancer many people kept relationships together as a top priority but Jupiter in Leo may encourage the opposite — love affairs. Of course, if your marriage or relationship is sound this will not pose a problem.

Jupiter in Leo will bring a certain amount of fun into our lives and people may be more interested in socializing. 

Leo is ruled by the Sun, which represents our vital core. If you were born under the sign of Leo, you can expect the next 12 months to be a banner year.

Jupiter is at home in a fire sign (Jupiter is ruled by Sagittarius) and fire sign Leo will encourage self-expression for the performing arts and it should be a good year for movies, TV and any of the arts.

Entertainment in general will become more important as well fun. Leo holds the potential to be around or connect with flamboyant and charismatic people. 

The downside of Leo is often a need for attention.

If you were born with Jupiter in Leo you are the type of individual who likes to energy and a big life force. You are probably a snappy dresser. You often have a feeling of neediness to draw attention or always be the center of attention — in other words, you are a Drama Queen — and the coming 12 months will be your chance to dominate the spotlight.

LAWRENCE ALMA-TADEMA REDISCOVERED BY A NEW GENERATION

ON June 25th we remember Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema, who died on this day in 1912, one of the most famous painters of the late 19th Century who was forgotten in the 20th Century and is only now beginning to be rediscovered in the 21st Century.

No Victorian artist painted marble as well as Alma-Tadema ... or painted faces so that you could read the emotions from facial expressions ... as in "Bacchanale" 1871 above.

Alma-Tadema, the now sadly forgotten painter who was one of the biggest celebrities of the Victorian art scene. 

Born in Holland on 8 January 1836, and trained in Antwerp, he settled in England in 1870 and became the toast of London with his enormous, wall-sized paintings of scenes of luxury and decadence in Ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome. 

Viewing his paintings in a London gallery was the equivalent of going to an Imax 3-D Sense-Surround cinema today. 

His attention to color and to near-photographic detail was superb. Every petal of every flower was always perfect. Each face had a personal story to tell. 

The painting "Hadrian Visiting a Romano-British Pottery" (above) displays Alma-Tadema's mastery of textures, colors, facial expressions and architectural details ... just look at the exquisite mosaics.

Alas, fame and celebrity are fleeting things. Styles changed and his work went out of fashion. He died a bitter and disappointed man in June 1912. 

That was only a couple of weeks after Nijinsky had shocked ballet-goers in Paris by masturbating on stage, and it was barely a month after the Titanic had sunk. 

Very soon war would break out and the world would never be the same. 

It was the end of the Gilded Age of complacency, comfort and ease. 

Alma-Tadema' s paintings were derided as "kitschy" and were stored away in attics and warehouses. 

Once the most famous artist in Britain, he was soon forgotten and serious art historians ignored him for decades. 

In recent years, however, his genius has been rediscovered and a new generation of admirers delight in his magnificent paintings, a few of which have been brought out of storage for display for the first time in more than a century.

THE SCENT OF ANTINOUS

FOR Pride Month, an aromatherapist and parfumier in Brazil shares this image of Antinous/Antenociticus adorning a small temple in Newcastle England.

He adds this poem:

THE SCENT OF ANTINOUS

When contemplating the beauty

of your divine body

adorning the altar

in this ancient temple

my heart calms down

When smelling the perfume

of your bare skin

Saturating this sacred space.

Poetry by Edhie Laureano Pires Yata'wá

@antinousemporium1 (Instagram)

 

This small temple is dedicated to a curly-haired boy god called ANTENOCITICUS ... a deity worshiped by soldiers and local people at the eastern end of Hadrian's Wall.

Antinous in the guise of Antenociticus is not mentioned at any other Romano-British site or on any inscriptions from Europe, which is why it has been identified as a local deity.

Antinous priest and writer MARTINUS CAMPBELL, author of THE LOVE GOD about the life of Antinous, says it is highly possible Antenociticus is a local aspect of Antinous ... perhaps in honor of a visit to this outpost by Antinous and Hadrian.

Martinus says: "Archaeologically there is a period of time in AD 126 to 127 when we have no record of where Hadrian was. We do know, however, that the wall was completed in Ad 128."

He says: "It is believed he would have come to Britannia to oversee the final stages of the wall. It is further believe he would have brought Antinous with him."

Martinus adds: "That is why the locals (mostly of mixed Roman and British blood, by then) connected Antinous to a local deity Citicus and re-named him Antenociticus."  Stone heads of Antenociticus have been found nearby.

HADRIAN'S PANTHEON PUTS ON SPECTACULAR SOLSTICE SHOW

ON June 20th and 21st Hadrian's Pantheon is the place to be during the Solstice. 

Hadrian's Pantheon brings tears to your eyes. Imagine being with ANTONIUS SUBIA as he describes the monolithic columns each carved from a single stone from Egypt ... "as if he could snap his fingers and have such columns appear here" ... and the marble in the interior coming from every corner of Hadrian's vast empire.

Then you stand under the oculus ... the eye of the cosmos ... the most spiritual architectural element anywhere.

ANTINOUS WORSHIPERS WORLDWIDE CELEBRATE JUNE SOLSTICE VIA ZOOM

WORSHIPERS of Antinous from around the world converged via Zoom tonight for ceremonies held at the Hollywood Temple of Antinous celebrating the June Solstice.

Each year we gather ... in person in Hollywood ... and via Zoom from around the world ... during the cycle of the June Solstice. It is the day when Ra Herakhte, the heavenly father of Antinous, stands still for a moment. 

In the Northern Hemisphere it is the longest day  and from now on the days become shorter and shorter. For our brothers in the Southern Hemisphere (who join the festivities via Zoom), this is the Shortest Day and from now on the days become longer and longer.

That is an important aspect to remember about the Religion of Antinous. The Blessed Boy is beyond such constraints as Summer and Winter or even Life and Death. For Antinous, the days are ALWAYS getting longer and the they are ALWAYS getting shorter.

For HE lives in our hearts — wherever we are.

The Religion of Antinous celebrates a whole cluster of Sacred Events on this magical day, which we call The Delphinea as a collective term. The Delphinea is the celebration of the beautiful, golden-haired god of light, Apollo, for starters.

And then we celebrate the day that Hadrian and Antinous met and fell in love. 

But on this date we also celebrate the beautiful boy Hyacinthus.

And we celebrate June 21st as the day in the hot summer of the year 130 AD when the Imperial entourage crossed the Sinai desert and entered into Egypt on the final, fateful leg of that final, fateful journey. A year earlier, on this date, they had entered Ephesus in triumph. 

On June 21st of the year 130 AD, however, they were entering a drought-stricken Egypt (breadbasket of the empire) where the local populace looked to their emperor for a miracle.

That miracle would occur, but at a terrible price. Antinous would plunge into the Nile and drown. The following season, the Nile would inundate the croplands, bringing bounty and abundance once more to Egypt and, as a consequence, to the hungry empire.

The Bountiful Flood of the year 131 is the first of the many miracles attributed to Antinous the Gay God.

And on June 21st of the year 131, Hadrian would commission the OBELISK OF ANTINOUS, the Egyptian hieroglyphic text of which comprises our religion's greatest single document of faith.

Antinous would be associated with many deities in the generations to come. Among his many names, the Beauteous Boy was adored as Antinous-Apollo.

The Delphinea is the celebration of the beautiful, golden-haired god of light, Apollo, and of his triumph over the great and monstrous Python which was wrapped around holy mount Parnassus. The Python was the creation of Juno, a creature of jealousy whose coils were meant only to stifle and constrict the grace of that which was to proceed from the Sacred Way of the holy city of Delphi.

Apollo shot the Python and destroyed it, when he was only three days old, which is like the brilliance of the Sun dispelling the covering of night. He set the black stone which had fallen from the sky, called the Omphalos, over the navel of the Earth, and charged a Sibyl, a priestess of the Great Mother to watch over the stone and to convey his wisdom to mankind.

Flamen Antinoalis ANTONIUS SUBIA explains the significance for us Antinoians:

"The Oracle of Delphi, called a Pythoness, was overtaken while seated atop a golden tripod, by a fire that is the breath of the God. Apollo is the Flower Prince reborn, he is the Twin brother of Dionysus, the Twin brother of Diana. He is the Son of Zeus, and the inheritor of his Kingdom, just as Aelius Caesar was the chosen son of Hadrian.

"Apollo is the God of wisdom and art, the speaker of truth, the deliverer of radiance, reason and beauty. Apollo is the God of Socrates and Plato, and he is the God of Pythagoras who claimed to be his son, exhibiting a golden thigh as proof. Apollo is the unconquered light, the full manifested brilliance, power and wisdom of Orpheus.

"Of all the gods, Apollo is the most boy-loving, though the touch of his heart was invariably fatal. He is the genius of the dying boy-gods. We pray to Apollo, the great god of homosexuality, and seek his guidance on this day, the longest day of the year."

During the June 21st Solstice, when we celebrate the Delphinea,  the Religion of Antinous also commemorates the entry of Hadrian and Antinous into the fabled city of Ephesus in the year 129.

Ephesus had 300,000 inhabitants at its peak in the time of Hadrian, and it drew thousands of devotees to the shrine of the goddess annually. Even today, Ephesus is one of the most complete and most splendid ancient sites in the world and still draws thousands of tourists every year. The Great Library of Ephesus, which Hadrian patronized and greatly expanded, has been lovingly restored.

The Temple of Ephesus was one of the wonders of the ancient world. It was consecrated to Artemis, in her Asian element as a Phrygian-Hittite goddess of the hunt, a youthful manifestation of the Great Goddess of Mount Ida and Didymus.

The old Temple had burned down on the night that Alexander the Great was born, but after his conquest, Alexander ordered the reconstruction of the Temple, which was still standing when Hadrian and Antinous visited.

Antonius Subia explains the parallels between Artemis and Antinous and why we celebrate this Sacred Day:

"Artemis is considered the female Antinous, as his divine twin, the only goddess to exhibit lesbian qualities. She was worshipped as Diana alongside Antinous by the funeral society of Lanuvium. Ephesus was one of the first cities to proclaim Hadrian a living God, and one of the first to adhere to his veneration as a Divus.

"The presence of Antinous and Hadrian with their very pronounced Artemisian qualities must have made a deep impression on the Ephesians, in that they were aware that the city was being visited by living gods. It is to Artemis of Ephesus that this day is Sacred, as the female twin of Antinous, the Bithynian hunter god."

And on June 22nd the Delphinea concludes when we honor the beautiful boy from Sparta known as Hyacinthus. The astonishing beauty of Hyacinthus and his long, flowing blonde hair was first noticed by Zephyrus, the God of the West Wind. The moisture laden Zephyrus fell madly in love with the boy, and attempted many times to seduce Hyacinth. But every time the boy rejected the wind god, whose breeze is the most lovely and most arousing.

Antonius relates what happened next:

 "It was then that Apollo noticed Hyacinthus and fell completely in love with him also. Unlike with Zephyrus, when Apollo revealed his love to Hyacinthus, he was not rejected, but his shining love was returned many fold. The two, who were like twins, whose long, blonde curls, rustled together in the jealous wind of Zephyrus, enjoined a passionate love affair ...

"... until one day, the sight of their happiness proved too much for Zephyrus to endure, and while Apollo and Hyacinthus were throwing the discus together, the wind god sent a gust of air, when Apollo threw the golden disk, causing it to fall directly on the perfect head of Hyacinthus who died instantly from the blow.

"It was all an accident, and a tragedy, but Apollo was beside himself with grief, like Hadrian holding the body of his beloved Antinous. 

"The Sun God turned the blood that flowed through the soft curls into the flower that we call the Hyacinth. The Death of Hyacinthus is the divine metaphor for the beauty and tragedy of life taken from the young in their full vigor, falling victim to the accidents of youth. It is also a warning to those who would approach the majesty of the great god Apollo, who is rightfully called the Far-Shooter, and the falling of the golden discus is a sign that the powers of the sun at this time of the year, though at their greatest, are slowly fading. The disk strikes Hyacinth on the head and the days grow shorter."