Festus Mortuorum - Festival of the Dead

FESTUS MORTUORUM - November 1st

My suggestion is that European Mithraists celebrate a 'Festival of the Dead' on the 1st November

It is thought that ancient Germanic and/or Celtic pagans paid special attention to the dead at this time of year and the Roman Church adopted the 1st November as 'All Hallows Day' in the 9th century AD to match the pagan festivals.

What could you do on the day of Festus Mortuorum?

1. Remember people who have recently died.
2. Remember all family members you knew who have died and departed friends.
3. Remember your 'ancestors' more generally.
4. Remember all the ancestors of the Irano-European people (i.e. those people we think 'belong' to Mithras whatever their professed religion)

The Festus Mortuorum can be practiced in different ways - whether mainly to remember those who were once part of your life - or else to celebrate the good work that our ancestors did which we still benefit from and let them inspire us to emulate them today.

One way to remember departed family members might be to hold a festive meal and set places at the table for the departed family members.

In future we might also find a way for Mithraists to come together and remember their collective ancestors.

The closest Parsomazdean (Zoroastrian) equivalent to the Festus Mortuorum is known as Fravardigan and celebrates the Fravashis (loosely translated as Guardian Spirits) of the dead. Of course there are plenty of other European traditions associated with this day already - both Christian or semi-Christian (Halloween, All Hallows Day, All Saints Day, All Souls Day) and pagan like Alvebot and Samhain.

MZ - 28th Oct 4016