Tuesday, May 31, 2022

THE ANCIENT RENAISSANCE MAN IMHOTEP
SET THE EGYPTIAN PRECEDENT
FOR ANTINOUS TO BECOME A GOD


SOME 3,000 years before Antinous, the Egyptians deified another mortal commoner ... the ancient "Renaissance Man" Imhotep ... Egyptian magician, physician, scribe, sage, architect, astronomer, vizier, and priest.

Imhotep's many talents and vast acquired knowledge had such an effect on the Egyptian people that he became the first individual of non-royal birth to be deified ... setting a precedent for Antinous to attain the status of a god.

 Imhotep, or "he who cometh in peace," was born in Ankhtowe, a suburb of Memphis, Egypt. 


The month and day of his birth are noted precisely as the sixteenth day of Epiphi, third month of the Egyptian harvest (corresponding to May 31) but the year is not definitely recorded. 


It is known that Imhotep was a contemporary (living in the same time period) of the Pharaoh, or king of Egypt, Zoser (also known as  Neterikhet) of the Third Dynasty. But estimates of the era of his reign vary by as much as three hundred years, falling between 2980 and 2600 B.C.E.

Imhotep's father, Kanofer, a celebrated architect, was later known to be the first of a long line of master builders who contributed to Egyptian works through the reign of King Darius the First (522–486 B.C.E. ). His mother, Khreduonkh, who probably came from the province of Mendes, is known today for having been deified alongside her son, an Egyptian custom.


Vizier under King Zoser


The office of the vizier in politics was literally described as "supervisor of everything in this entire land." Only the best educated citizen could handle the range of duties of this position that worked closely with the Pharaoh, or king of Egypt.


The capital city was Mennefer (Memphis) called the city of the "White Walls" for the enormous walls around the Temple of Ptah compound (right).


As vizier, Imhotep was chief advisor to Zoser in both religious and practical matters, and he controlled the departments of the Judiciary (court system), Treasury, War, Agriculture, and the General Executive.

There are no historical records of Imhotep's acts as a political figure, but his wisdom as a religious advisor was widely recognized after he ended a terrible famine (a severe shortage of food) that dominated Egypt during seven years of Zoser's reign. It is said that the king was failing in his responsibility to please the god Khnum, and his neglect was causing the Nile to fall short of a flood level which would support Egyptian farms. 


Imhotep, having a vast knowledge of the proper traditions and methods of worship, was able to counsel Zoser on pleasing Hapi, the the god of the inundation, allowing the Nile to return to its usual flood level.


The first miracle attributed to Antinous was a bountiful Nile inundation in the year 131 AD. 


Architect of the famous pyramid at Sakkara


 The Step Pyramid at Sakkara is the only of Imhotep's achievements that can still be seen and appreciated today. Its reputation is largely based on Imhotep's accomplishments as the pyramid's inventor and builder. 


This pyramid for King Djoser, also called "Netjerikhet" (Incarnation of the Gods), was the first structure ever built of cut stone, and is by far the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the World, the seven structures of the ancient world that were astonishing accomplishments for their time. 


It took twenty years to complete—not very long, given the newness of the idea and the state of structural science in the Bronze Age (between 3000 B.C.E. and 1100 C. E.), the period of development where metals, particularly bronze, were used for the first time.

Imhotep wanted the tomb to accommodate the Pharaoh's rise into the heavens. To do this, he planned to improve upon the flat, rectangular mastabas, or built-in benches, which were the traditional tombal structures. 


The pyramid was raised on top of the base mastabas in five smaller steps, one on top of the other.


He added a passageway on the north side issuing upward within the structure from a sarcophagus chamber (where the stone coffin holding the mummy is kept) seventy-five feet below ground. 


The total height of the pyramid and base is just under two hundred feet, unimaginably large for a single structure before Imhotep's design.

The project at Sakkara was designed in its entirety as a way for the deceased to perform the rituals of the jubilee festival, or Hebsed. The complex consisted of many other buildings, as well as ornamental posts some thirty-seven feet high. 


The protection of the king and his burial gifts—about 36,000 vessels of alabaster, dolomite, aragonite, and other precious materials—was the other primary function of the burial site.

The entire complex was enclosed within a stone wall about thirty-five feet high. Imhotep added several false entrances to throw off possible tomb raiders. As a final measure, the king's treasure was lowered through vertical shafts around the tomb into a long corridor one hundred feet below ground. The digging of just this corridor without machines of any kind is an amazing accomplishment by modern standards.

When Antinous and Hadrian visited Egypt in the year 130 AD, they stood atop the plateau at Sakkara and marveled at the achievements of Imhotep.

It is likely that Imhotep was the architect and master builder of many other projects completed during a forty-year period of the Third Dynasty, though none of them compare in size or stylistic influence to the burial site at Sakkara. 


Imhotep was also the author of an encyclopedia of architecture that was used as a reference tool by Egyptian builders for thousands of years.
 

Physician-magician, God of medicine


As a god of medicine, Imhotep was beloved as a curer of everyday problems who could "provide remedies for all diseases," and "give sons to the childless."


Members of the cult of Imhotep in the Twenty-sixth and Twenty-seventh Dynasties (between 525 B.C.E. and 550 C. E.) would pay tribute to the God at his temple just outside Memphis. 


The temple also contained halls devoted to the teaching of medical methods, and to the preservation of the materia medica, which details the entirety of Egyptian medical knowledge which may actually have originated with Imhotep.

Imhotep's name was often grouped with such powerful deities as Thoth, God of Wisdom, Isis, the wonder-worker, and Ptah, a healer and the ancient God of Memphis. 


Although royal individuals were deified by the Egyptians, Imhotep is unique as the first non-royal man to be known by his own name as a god inferior in power only to Re (chief Sun-God). With that precedence in mind, the Egyptians had no objections to accepting Antinous as a God.


Imhotep was also a member of the great triad of Memphis, with Ptah, Imhotep's father among the gods, and Sekhmet, a goddess associated with childbirth.

It is a matter of debate today how much of Imhotep's reputation as a curer of disease stems from medical skill and how much comes from his command of magic and healing rituals.


More than 3,000 years before Antinous died in the Nile ... Imhotep set the precedent for deification of mortal non-royals in Egypt.

Monday, May 30, 2022

THE GEMINI NEW MOON
THE MERCURY MOON OF ANTINOUS


TONIGHT's Gemini New Moon a good time to set a goal for the coming four weeks. And given the presence of Gemini energy, it's an auspicious time to begin gathering the information you will need to set this mission in motion.

In Antinous Moon Magic we call the Gemini New Moon the "Mercury Moon of Antinous" because the mercurial and seemingly fickle energy of Gemini is in the spotlight during this New Moon period, amping up agitation and nervous energy.

Be patient with yourself if you find it more difficult to make decisions while also making space for others if they seem to be more capricious than normal.


If you're finding yourself indecisive, consider whether it’s because you are more clearly seeing the two sides of the proverbial coin and the fact that both of them have grace and value. Reflect upon whether it really is even necessary to choose between them; potentially you can create a structure where you are able to enjoy both paths.

Curiosity and wonder fill the air on the night of the Gemini Moon. Rituals and meditations carried out on this night are best aimed at learning and collecting information. And yet, don't be surprised if it may seem as if your attention is pulled in a spectrum of directions, since there's a heightened sense of "interesting" to the facts and figures you come across.

So if your mind begins to drift during meditation or a magical ritual, perhaps you should permit the Mercury Moon to take it off into a new direction ... which may turn out to provide the answers and results you were looking for.

THESE CRYSTALS FOR THE MERCURY MOON
By Our Crystal Meditation Advisor Martin Campbell



OUR astrology adviser Hernestus has prompted me that today's moon phase is the Gemini New Moon which is the Mercury-Hermes Moon for those who are companions of the Antinous faith.

Hernestus describes this moon as being about learning (about yourself or situations around or ahead of you) so you can set goals for the coming 4 weeks. 

As I indicated for the last moon phase, crystals are mostly there to help you to focus on your needs in the moment rather than helping you to achieve anything ahead of time. 

Consequently my advice is very similar to the last moon phase.

However there are some crystals which are attuned to the future so will attune you to it too. 

I recommend that you write down your wishes/desires and hold them as you meditate (with or without crystals). Focus your attention through the paper and crystal/s and back into your heart. 

I recommend using:

Sillimanite - Shown at the top of this entry, these uncommon (although reasonably obtainable) crystals help you to maintain your intentions for positive outcomes to the things you are intending for your life.

Orange Calcite - These pretty stones (heart-shaped stone above) remove fear and balance the emotion so that you are open and ready for positives to enter your life.

Apatite - These are the best crystals to use for manifesting your desires. They are both attuned to the future and past lives so you can consider the spectrum of your lives and set out your wishes for your future and your future selves. They are typically blue or yellow. Choose the blue for manifesting your desires."

Light and Life,
MARTIN

To get more advice from Martin Campbell and to find out how to contact him CLICK HERE.

JOAN OF ARC, SAINT OF ANTINOUS


ON MAY 30th the Religion of Antinous honors Saint Joan of Arc who was burned as a heretic on this day in 1431.


She was a peasant girl who led the armies of the King of France against the occupying forces of the English. She claimed to have been chosen by God to drive the English from France and deliver the country to her King.

Joan of Arc said that she conversed daily with Saints Catherine and Margaret and St. Michael the Archangel. Her greatest victory was the liberation of Orleans, where Charles, then Dauphin, was crowned as King of France.

She was later captured by the English and subsequently tried by the Church and burned as a heretic. The focus of her trial was upon the nature of her visions, which the inquisitors condemned as Demonic, and upon her refusal to wear women's clothing.

Joan of Arc was in essence the most courageous of all transvestites, whose insistence upon male dress and hair style, and occupation as a warrior was the excuse used by the Church for her condemnation and subsequent burning as a heretic. The Church however reversed this decision in 1909 by beatifying her, and then finally consecrating her as a saint in 1920.

Though she is a saint of the Catholic Church and a devoted Christian, it is for her courage as a transvestite and possibly as a sacred lesbian that she is included as a Heroic Martyr Saint of the Religion of Antinous.

Sunday, May 29, 2022

JAMES WHALE, SAINT OF ANTINOUS


ON MAY 29th the Religion of Antinous celebrates the life of Saint James Whale (22 July 1889 — 29 May 1957), the openly gay British-born director of such films as Frankenstein, The Old Dark House, Bride of Frankenstein and The Invisible Man.

His movies were modern parables about the cruelty of "normal" people towards "monsters" in their midst. 


All of those 1930s films are recognized as classics of the genre. Whale directed over a dozen films in other genres, including what is considered the definitive 1936 film version of the musical Show Boat.

He became increasingly disenchanted with his association with horror, but many of his non-horror films have fallen into obscurity. Whale was openly gay throughout his career, something that was very unusual in the 1920s and 1930s.

He tended to use gay actors who were friends of his, including Colin Clive, Ernest Thesiger, Charles Laughton and Laughton's wife Elsa Lanchester, who played the "Bride". Thesiger has tea (below) in mad-scientist garb. 

Bride of Frankenstein, in particular, is widely interpreted as having a gay subtext and it has been claimed that Whale's refusal to remain in the closet led to the end of his career.

James Whale's true genius was in making movies which made the audience sympathize with the "monster" instead of the "normal" people, who invariably were portrayed as ridiculous, comic fools.

James Whale's soaring career was dashed by homophobic studio bosses who objected to having a "pansy" directing major movies. He spent the last decade of his life as an outcast in Hollywood.

He "accidentally" drowned in his own swimming pool in the mid-1950s after having become a chronic depressive following a stroke.

His life was brought to the screen in the award-winning movie Gods and Monsters, which is a masterful adaptation of a very wonderfully written gay novel entitled Father of Frankenstein by Christopher Bram.


The book and the movie are about his final weeks of life with flashbacks to his childhood in poverty in northern England and his traumatic experiences during World War I and to his heyday as the toast of Tinseltown, and his plunge into obscurity — and his final plunge into the watery arms of Antinous.


It is a great irony that the only out-and-proud Hollywood director of the 1930s is remembered as a man whose name is equated with monsters.


Sir Ian McKellen, who is also from conservative Northern England and is an openly gay star of stage and screen, was nominated for a Golden Globe and for an Academy Award for his role as James Whale in the 1998 movie Gods and Monsters.


Brendan Fraser also won critical acclaim in that film as Whale's yard boy who identifies with the Frankenstein monster. His compelling portrayal suggests to the audience that all of us are gods and monsters, to some degree. But then, even Antinous was a god to pagans — yet a monster to early Christians.


And Lynn Redgrave won a Golden Globe and got an Oscar nod for her scene-stealing performance as James Whale's disapproving Swedish housekeeper — a tongue-in-cheek characterization drawn from the real-life eccentrics who performed supporting roles in Whale's wonderfully campy old movies.



Saturday, May 28, 2022

ANTINOUS WAS PHOTOGRAPHED IN 3-D
FOR VICTORIAN ARMCHAIR TRAVELERS



I found this old stereoview with Antinous. 

It is from the Louvre Museum and is dated 1860 on the back of the card. The image shows the Antinous-Aristaeus statue.

Stereoviews are designed to be seen through a stereoscope, which I do not have but am tempted to purchase. 

When looking through the scope it produces "3-D" version of the image. 

It is amazing to think how many hands held this image and were able to see the glory of Antinous.

~PRIEST UENDI

Friday, May 27, 2022

WE CELEBRATE THE FEAST OF COMUS
GREEK GOD OF DRAG QUEENS



MAY 27th is the Greek festival of Comus ... the god of drag queens! 

Comus is the son of Dionysus which means that he is the son of Antinous, because Antinous is often depicted as Dionysus.

During his festival, the worshipers of Comus would dress in clothes of the opposite sex and have fun dancing all night. He is the god of cross-dressing, partying, comedy and comedians. 

Art above by Edmund Dulac shows Comus in red wig and green frock leading his followers in a wild dance in his role as the god of festivity, revels and nocturnal dalliances. 

He is a son and a cup-bearer of the god Bacchus. Comus represents anarchy and chaos. His mythology occurs in the later times of antiquity. During his festivals in Ancient Greece, men and women exchanged clothes. 

He had a wreath of flowers on his head and carried a torch that was in the process of being dropped. 

Comus was often depicted with Momus (illustration left), who was the deity of satire and mockery and who later became the familiar court jester.

Unlike the purely carnal Pan or purely intoxicated Bacchus, Comus was a god of excess. 

He is the god of drunken revelry, merrymaking, the source of jokes and comedy, especially anything which provokes a huge belly laugh. He is the god who makes a party go with a swing. 

His festival was a time of fun and frolics, with men dressed in drag and women sauntering about in male garb.

27 de maio é o festival grego de Comus ... o deus dos travestis! Comus é o filho de Dionísio. Durante seu festival, os adoradores de Comus vestir-se-iam nas roupas do sexo oposto e dariam o divertimento dançar toda a noite. Ele é o deus do travestismo, da festa, da comédia e dos comediantes. A arte por Edmund Dulac mostra Comus na peruca vermelha e no vestido verde que conduz seus seguidores em uma dança selvagem.

27 de mayo es el festival griego de Comus ... el dios de los travestis! Comus es el hijo de Dionisio. Durante su fiesta, los adoradores de Comus se vestirían con ropas del sexo opuesto y se divertirían bailando toda la noche. Él es el dios del travestismo, fiesta, comedia y comediantes. El arte de Edmund Dulac muestra a Comus en la peluca roja y el vestido verde que lleva a sus seguidores en una danza salvaje.

Thursday, May 26, 2022

ASTRO FORECAST: MAY 26th—JUNE 5th, 2022

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


MAY 26th-JUNE 5th, 2022


THURS-FRIDAY, MAY 26th-27th, 2022

This week, Venus square Pluto creates an explosive situation for interpersonal relationships. It begins at the breakfast table over corn flakes when you say you want to go shopping and your alpha-male boyfriend starts in saying that it's typical of you to go off and spend money and waste time while he has to clean the house. Next thing you know, the two of you have been screaming at each other for hours. Remember that astrology is a tool to master such situations. Venus-square-Pluto is a golden opportunity to rediscover the things you love about your lover. Okay, so he's a bitch-on-wheels. So what? He's your bitch-on-wheels and the two of you love each other. Make a stab at helping him clean the house — and sneak online and buy needless stuff on eBay when he's not looking.

SATURDAY, MAY 28th, 2022

This weekend, Venus enters the earthy and sensual realm of Taurus, where the Love Goddess will remain until 22 June 2022. The flirting of the past few weeks Venus spent in Aries is now over. Taurus Venus loves romantic cuddling with good food, good wine, flowers, candles and soft music. Venus in Taurus brings the need for reliability, steadfastness and loyalty. Having a partner whom you can lean on and rely on when the going gets tough is high on the priority list.

SUNDAY, MAY 29th, 2022

This weekend, the war god Mars aligns with Jupiter in perfect alignment in fiery Aries with marching orders to makeover the world. With Mars conjunct Jupiter, you have an abundance of energy and enthusiasm to take on tasks that would frighten all but the most courageous. In order to get what you want, you are energized to assert yourself fearlessly, even in the face of danger. You may sense even a rather reckless faith in your ability to tempt fate and take chances, never doubting that you will succeed. Be careful that what you lack in finesse you make up for in arrogance. On the global level, overweening tyrants use this energy to make over the world according to their own idea of what perfection should be.

MON-TUESDAY, MAY 30th-31st, 2022

Overnight Monday-Tuesday, we come to the Gemini New Moon — a good time to set a goal for the coming four weeks. And given the presence of Gemini energy, it's an auspicious time to begin gathering the information you will need to set this mission in motion. In Antinous Moon Magic we call the Gemini New Moon the MERCURY/HERMES MOON because the mercurial and seemingly fickle energy of Gemini is in the spotlight during this New Moon period, amping up agitation and nervous energy.

WEDS-FRIDAY, JUNE 1st-3rd, 2022

This week, Saturn the ringed planet shifts into reverse gear to go Retrograde or "backwards" as seen from Earth. As Saturn retraces its steps for the next four months, we will all revisit issues and problems in our lives which need to be remedied before we move on. From now until October 22nd, when Saturn goes Direct or "forwards" again, you can expect to have Saturn, the school teacher of the Zodiac, to force you to sit down and complete your homework before moving forward to the next class.

SAT-SUNDAY, JUNE 4th-5th, 2022

Aren't you tired of all the computer glitches, "lost" files, travel delays and snafus of recent weeks? Take heart! Today Mercury does an about-face and starts going forward again as seen from Earth, ending three weeks of Retrograde "backwards" travel. So you can safely message friends and co-workers a prediction that certain "lost" computer files or parcels will show up by the time they go to work tomorrow morning. Mercury going backwards creates this sort of impish mayhem with matters concerning communications, documents and money. Misplaced tickets, keys, "lost" computer files, letters and packages which vanish into postal limbo ... all are typical of Retrograde Mercury. The "lost" things turn up again as if by magic when Mercury goes Direct again. A skilled astrologer, Hadrian no doubt amazed his courtiers by accurately predicting when some "lost" document or wayward courier message would finally re-appear out of no where.

SNEAK PREVIEW OF NEXT WEEK:

Another exciting week lies ahead between June 6th and 12th, 2022, when we come to the Virgo First Quarter Moon. This is the Lunar Phase we call the MOON OF MELANCHOLY ... but don't worry ... it can be your "lucky" moon ... In English-speaking countries, "Melancholy" is almost a dirty word. Puritan upbringing has conditioned us to grin and bear it, to adopt a stiff-upper-lip attitude ... Other cultures are not so uptight about acknowledging this feeling of sadness. They realize it is a necessary part of life. It is what the French call "larmoyant" — a lovely word which suggests there is great beauty in sadness ... For example, crying at the movies is very beautiful and cleansing for the soul ... it is cathartic and healthy ... Meditations and rituals on this night are best suited for identifying the source of sadness in your life. If you find the source of sadness in your life, then this Lunar Phase provides you with the energy to effect changes which will move you out of melancholy into the next lunar phase ... More details next time ....


ANTINOUS WITH MITHRAS




AFTER what receiving the power of Homotheosis, Antinous ascended beyond the celestial sphere to the spine of the cosmos where he came into the presence of Mithras, the god of light, who advances the heavens with the turn of his hand.

Serpent entwined, he is the lion-headed god of endless time. 

The bull slayer, arisen from stone, with crown of stars, who holds the sky beneath his starry cloak, who sets time in motion, turning the clockwork of the cosmos, stands before Antinous illuminating the ascending youth with his light.

Antinous is greeted by the ascended fathers of the mysteries, because he is among the initiated through the tauromachia where he received the blood of the bull.

An initiated raven escorts him into the cavern of the sky, he passes between two mighty torch bearers who mark the turning of the sun.

A majestic table is set within the celestial dome, where Mithras sits enthroned, together with Sol Invictus and Lunus the Moon by his side.

All around are the ascended initiates, charioteers and fathers and the sacred soldiers of Rome who serve the god of light.

Antinous is given a seat in the presence of the gods.  He is served the sacred meat of the Bull of Heaven.  His cup is filled with the libations of those who know the mysteries.

The great god Mithras bestows his blessing upon Antinous who is illuminated with rays of shining light, becoming as one with the unconquered sun, becoming the bull-slayer, the savior of all those who enter the sacred mysteries.

Ave Antinous-Mithras

We pray to the Unconquered Sun, Pater Saturnus, serpent entwined, leontocephalus
Who walks across the spine of the cosmos
Here, now, always in darkness, 
The blood of the bull is my cup
The stars are my crown
The lotus-rose is my heart
My hooves are cloven among the tombs
Rising from stone by night I am Bacchus, Capricornius returned, 
For the semen of the first god truly is in my body!

Ave Antinous-Mithras

Wednesday, May 25, 2022

HADRIAN IN ALEXANDRIA



IN May of 131 Hadrian returned to Alexandria, where he inspected the many construction projects he began earlier and finalized the administrative reforms he made, setting everything in order.


It was during Hadrian's final stay in Egypt that he organized and delineated the details of the new religion of Antinous.  He appointed priests and set forth the liturgy and theology of the new faith.  


The artist who sculpted the original bust of Antinous while he was still alive, known as the "Antinoos Haupttypus," was summoned to bring his sketches and make copies of Antinous images to be distributed all over the Empire.  


The first Antinous coins were struck which were the prototype for all coins to follow.  


It was at this time that the Lion Hunt poem was presented to Hadrian by Pancrates, for which he was rewarded a lifetime position in the Musaeum.  


The original reason Hadrian may have visited Egypt was to settle the issue of the new Apis Bull which had been born and which various cities were vying to possess for the religious prestige and immense wealth from pilgrimage that the bull would bring.  


Hadrian's decision is not recorded, but it may have been that he presented the Apis Bull to the Serapeum of Alexandria, as a life-size Apis bull sculpture was found in the catacombs dating from Hadrian's reign.  


Alexandria had a thriving Cult of Mithras that was associated with the Apis Bull, and which 200 years later became one of the issues that set off deadly riots in the 3rd Century when the Christians pillaged a hidden Mithraeum and paraded the sacred images through the city, causing a riot among the pagans that ultimately led to the destruction of the Serapeum by order of Emperor Theodosius.


Shortly afterward, Hypatia was murdered by Christians in a church that had once been the temple of the divine Caesars. The cult of the bull which had brought Hadrian to Egypt in the first place therefore had a part to play in the ultimate destruction of the last pagan te temples.


Before leaving, Hadrian complained of the ingratitude of the city after all he had done, which included bestowing the Apis Cult upon them, and yet they spoke ill of him and Antinous.  


The boat-shaped sarcophagus of Antinous was placed on a ship, the new priests were sent out carrying statues and coins to every corner of the world, and Hadrian made his final departure from Alexandria.


Tuesday, May 24, 2022

WE JOYOUSLY CELEBRATE
PANSEXUAL VISIBILITY DAY


MAY 24th is Pansexual Visibility Day. Much like Bi Visibility Day, when bisexual people remove their invisibility cloaks and instead don their beautiful bi vis jackets, Pan Visibility Day is a day to celebrate and recognise those who identify as pansexual. 

To help you do that, here are five things you should know.

1. The word pansexuality originally comes from Greek ... just like the Greek god Pan in the poster here. 

Pan means ‘all’, and is related to words like panorama. Pansexual people aren’t attracted to all other people, but they are attracted to people of all genders. This is different from being attracted to everyone; in the same way that a heterosexual woman will not be attracted to all men and a lesbian woman will not be attracted to all women, pansexual people will experience attraction to specific people and not others.

2. It’s nothing to do with saucepans or frying pans. Pansexual people have nothing against old jokes but the one about being sexually attracted to pans isn’t just old, it’s also just not funny.

3. Pansexuality is different from bisexuality but the two aren’t mutually exclusive. Being bisexual means being attracted to more than one gender, while being pansexual means being attracted to people regardless of gender. Pansexuality and bisexuality are not in conflict. In fact, some bisexual people also identify as pansexual, and vice versa. Pansexuality is included under the bisexual umbrella, which covers anyone who experiences sexual or romantic attraction to more than one gender.

4. There are lots of famous pansexual people! Recently, the fabulous Janelle Monáe came out as pansexual, saying ‘I’m open to learning more about who I am’. Other notable pansexual people include Miley Cyrus, Angel Haze, Laci Green and of course the not-quite-superhero Deadpool.

5. Being pansexual is just one part of who someone is. A pansexual person may also be trans, or disabled, or a person of colour, or all three. Pansexual people come in all ages and sizes and enjoy a range of activities and hobbies. On pansexual visibility day it’s important to remember that we’re celebrating pansexual people from all backgrounds and all walks of life.

Happy Pansexual Visibility Day! 

Sunday, May 22, 2022

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 5th Antinous Games!

To be Celebrated on the Day of the Sacred Lion Hunt
13 Days before the Calends of September
On the 20th of August 2022 (Year of Antinous 1891)

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 5th Sacred Games of Antinous

AVE ANTINOUS!

Send Submissions to: templeofantinous@gmail.com

Rules of Submission:
The Deadline to Enter is August 17th, 2022

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 templeofantinous@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 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 Antin
oeia, 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 V 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: templeofantinous@gmail.com 




WORSHIPERS WORLDWIDE VIA ZOOM
CELEBRATE THE SACRED BULL HUNT



WORSHIPERS worldwide tonight celebrate The Sacred Bull Hunt of Antinous in ceremonies originating from the Hollywood Temple of Antinous and uplinked globally via Zoom.

The commemoration marks the end of Taurus, the death of the Bull of Heaven ... and the coming of Gemini, the Divine Twins ... or shall we say The Lovers ... Hadrian and Antinous.

The Cycle of the Sacred Hunts are of course a recognition that Antinous was a God of the Hunt, that in his life-time, he is recorded in verse to have participated in a Lion Hunt, and in stone relief, his image has been identified as one of the participants, along with Hadrian in the hunt of the Bear and the Boar, and also the Lion on the tondos of the Arch of Constantine.

We might call this cycle "Hunt Spirituality," an awareness of the active element of Antinous.  

From his images we are given to understand him as a melancholy, day-dreaming, slightly self-involved, yet gentle and radiantly peaceful boy...but this is only part of the beautiful story.

Another part, which is in the ancient record and therefore can be regarded as biographical, is that he was a hunter...on horseback...and perhaps on foot...able to chase down wild animals, and kill them with a spear.

The Sacred Hunts commemorate the nature of the animals which then become part of who Antinous is, and by extension, who we may become, or find ourselves to be.

Whether we see ourselves as the Hunter Antinous, or the Hunted Animal...or a mingling of the two...the significance is always through our own personal essence...animalistic...the Sacred Hunts, therefore are one of the significant forms that Animalism has taken up in the New Religion of Antinous.

Antinous was never historically said to have hunted a Bull...so for historical accuracy, this is not a Sacred Hunt with historical precedence...this would be my own invention....but I will try to explain the essence of what I feel it means, and perhaps will you understand and even add your own meaning..or detract from it, or have no opinion at all.

But as I feel now...the Bull Hunt is probably one of the more meaningful and powerful understandings of Antinous that I have discovered.

There is an ancient connection between Antinous and the Bull that has remained unexplained, or unobserved because the meaning is unclear.

If there is no historical precedent to prove that Antinous participated in the bullfights, there is evidence to show that the bull was sacred to Antinous.

There are a number of coins from Asia Minor, that portray Antinous standing by the side of a bull, or have a Bull on the reverse. A coin from Antinous's home town Bithynium-Claudiopolis is among this type.

The majority are of the type that read "Fatherland of Antinous the God"...they were minted in cities where the Religion of Antinous was strongest and most heart-felt, where he was openly proclaimed to be a God of the Country...and so from the coins, we can know that the bull, among other animals, was considered to be a sacred symbol of Antinous.

The Bull, therefore, is an ancient, stone-age and early Bronze age symbol for a King, and it is from this connection that the notion of the Bull of Heaven is derived.

The Egyptians believed that the Ka of Osiris would take the form of a perfect young Bullock...when one of these perfect bulls was discovered, it was treated with deep reverance, and allowed to live in splendor like a living god...because it was a living god...it was Osiris.

When the bull reached the age of 28, the age when Osiris was murdered, the bull was sacrificed.

Certain parts were eaten by the Pharaoh, while the body of the bull was mummified and given a tomb at Saqqara.

Plutarch said "The Apis should ever to be regarded by us, as a fair and beautiful image of the soul of Osiris."

The Apis Bull was the Spirit of Osiris in living form...eternal and ever-present. Antinous was of course first compared to Osiris because he drowned in the Nile.  In ancient antiquity when a King died, his Ka and his Ba...soul and spirit, were said to join and take form as Osiris in the underworld, so as to circle the cosmos in the Boat of Millions of Years.

In later history, any person who could afford to have the elaborate ceremonies associated with mummification and the recitation of the Book of the Dead could also join Osiris.

It would seem to be highly probable to suppose that Antinous may have undergone the most elaborate Egyptian burial that Hadrian could arrange....that Antinous was very likely mummified and entombed in or near his temple in Antinoopolis...if he was not bought home and entombed at Hadrian's Villa.

Mummification seems very likely, though there is no proof or evidence that it occurred...but that he was first and very closely identified with Osiris seems to hint that perhaps his association with Osiris would have been elaborated, and not merely allegorical.

Antinous and Osiris were united in one being...known as Osarantinous.

Our sacred Obelisk Text repeatedly mentions him as "The God, Osiris-Antinous the Justified"...because among several other gods, one of the most important elements of the divinity of Antinous was his connection to Osiris.

The living symbol of Osiris was the Apis Bull...therefore, as the Coins of Bithynia seem to suggest...the Bull was likewise, the living symbol of Antinous...the Ka of Antinous...the Spirit of Antinous in living form.

The Bull can therefore be viewed as a symbol of our spiritual connection to Antinous...the living spirit of Antinous, the consumption of which, like the flesh of the sacred Apis Bull is in essence the consumption of the Spirit of Antinous.

There is a strong likelihood that Antinous and Hadrian may have hunted Bulls.

We must therefore wonder what the Bull Hunt means to us, in what of so many contexts we may choose to view the brutal combat between a man and a bull...which is in a sense, a parable of man against nature...against the world (earthquakes for example)...the ferocious forces that are greater and able to destroy us, over which we can only triumph with excessive courage, at the risk of our very existence.

The Bull Hunt, therefore, is a sacred observance of how with intensities of inner strength, we can overcome all those forces that would destroy us.

And so it is, in the Name of Antinous, that I offer you the Sacred Bull Hunt, in observance of which I recommend that you take a moment to think upon the obstacles of your life, those which seem overwhelming, or on the verge of destroying you, or breaking you down, those from which you seek to flee...that you may find the courage to face them, even at the cost of everything that you count as dear and of value.

It is these wild forces that we must face, if we are ever to regard ourselves as Men.

In Commemoration of the End of Taurus,


May Antinous, the Spirit of Osiris give you strength.

~ANTONIUS SUBIA

THE LOTUS MOON OF ANTINOUS



THE LOTUS MOON is what we call the PISCES THIRD QUARTER MOON which occurs at this time of year around the time when we celebrate the rise of the STAR OF ANTINOUS.

Tonight's LOTUS MOON means the next week will be a time of joyous anticipation of something big which is just beyond the horizon.


In ANTINOUS MOON MAGIC each phase of the Moon represents a Divine Spirit or Archetype. The Spirit of the LOTUS MOON is the Spirit of Yearning. It is the Spirit which lives in the hearts of people who sit and wait by the phone for their lover to call, or who look out the window in anticipation of the arrival of their beloved. It is the Spirit of the child who cannot sleep on Christmas Eve. 


It is perhaps the most spiritual of all the Lunar Phase Spirits because it knows that its wait will not be in vain. It is waiting for something it knows must and will come to pass.

It is what the Portuguese call "SAUDADE," a bitter-sweet longing for someone or something just out of reach. Waiting for your ship to come in — and knowing it WILL come in. It is the anticipation of waiting at an airport arrivals lounge for a special friend you have met online in a chat room, but never met in person — the inexpressible joy/anxiety of knowing something big is about to happen. 

This is a very special emotion that every gay knows how to savor. It is like putting off unwrapping the birthday present from your sweetheart as long as possible, just so you can savor the anticipation a bit longer. 
  
This is the SACRED ANTINOUS LOTUS which rises from the surface of the Nile and which slowly opens its blossoms during the day — yearning for sunlight — and closes its petals again at night in anticipation of the next sunrise.

The key to understanding the LOTUS MOON in your life, and working with it in ANTINOUS MOON MAGIC, is that it represents a yearning for something you are certain will most definitely occur. It is not an illusion. You are not waiting in vain. Like waiting for the lotus to open its petals again, you know it will happen and you yearn for it to do so.


ANTINOUS LOTUS MOON SPELL

TO OBTAIN YOUR HEART'S DESIRE


You Will Require: A candle of the color symbolizing your heart's desire.



Choose a pink candle for love, sex and passion; red/orange for energy; a Nile green candle for health; gold/yellow for confidence, attraction or persuasion; turquoise for serenity, vision dreams, clairvoyance; lapis-lazuli blue for success, luck; a white candle for purification and protection from enemies.

Light the candle during the LOTUS MOON phase tonight or tomorrow, depending on your local time zone. The "CURRENT MOON" box in the right-hand column on this page is calibrated to your local time. When it displays "Third Quarter" and shows the left-hand half of the moon's face illuminated while the right-hand half is dark — then you can light your candle and concentrate on your wish, believing wholeheartedly that it WILL come to pass.

Call out to ANTINOUS THE GAY GOD to see into your heart to fulfill the wish that resides there. Continue meditating on the flame until the candle burns about halfway down, or until your heart tells you to extinguish the flame.

Re-light the candle on succeeding evenings until the next New Moon seven nights later. Don't worry if the candle burns all the way down prior to the New Moon. It means your wish has been heard. Remember ALWAYS to follow your gay spiritual heart. Do that, and the Archetype Spirit of the LOTUS MOON ensures that your yearning will not be in vain