Cybele, the Magna Mater I need to better understand the work I present a brief description of the figure in the ancient history of the goddess Cibeles and the main features of its ritual, and that this introduction will better understand the description of the elements of the building and its intended use. In
Pesinonte in Galatia of the Anatolian peninsula, there was the main center of worship Kybele, the goddess at the site dictated his famous oracles. Galatia, mountainous place where he lived the Great Mother and was represented by the Black Stone.
PESINUNTE BLACK STONE Originally
was worshiped in the form of a large uncut stone was actually a meteorite. He devoted many shrines, most notably that of Mount Ida, Mount Sipila, that of Sardis and Cyzicus. His cult spread through Thrace and Greece. Their sanctuaries, numerous from V century BC were called metroon. But orgiastic practices and emasculated that were part of his cult were not well received by the Greeks.
CIBELES AND DRUM Cibeles, the Latin name of a goddess native to Phrygia in Asia Minor, known to the Greeks as Rhea, the wife of Cronus and mother of the Olympian gods. Cybele was a goddess of nature and fertility worshiped in Rome as the Great Mother of the Gods. Creator of souls, protected against the evil spirit, as full of kindness was helping those who the invoked. His cult achieved great importance in Rome from Augustus felt for her special veneration.
Cibeles A special aspect is that it causes oracles and ecstasy, both to promote the prophecy, and to relieve pain and even death.
's trip to Rome Black Stone
"In 205 BC, in full Punic War the Romans consulted the Sibylline books to get some oracular solution or remedy that will provide help to get to good purpose in those wars . The Oracle proposed to send an embassy to Pesimonte (Pessino) in Asia Minor for the famous Black Stone would be helpful. It is not known what price paid for the fetish, the fact is that they got it or at least a very important part. Built by the Romans identified with the goddess Cybele, which in its most archaic representation was always a black stone or put another way, was the support of the epiphany of Cibeles. He was given the name Magna Mater. Sometimes you could see a relief carving in stone, representing the goddess. " The sanctuary of the goddess in Rome on the Palatine stood up and opened
191 BC The earliest images were simple stones later it represented the Kalat (hair in a basket symbol of fertility) the great veil subject to the head with a crown of towers (symbol of the cities where prevailing) the tunpanón (drum) in his left hand and a cornucopia, a scepter or a handful of ears and poppies on the right. His car was pulled by lions.
The cult of Cybele / Rhea was directed by eunuch priests called gallus Corybantes or leading the faithful in orgiastic rites accompanied by wild cries and frenzied music of flutes, drums and cymbals. The most important post metróaco Roman priesthood was "Archigallus (Attis populi Romani), appointment more political than religious.
In Rome II and III century AD, can be said that "Attideia" took place with great splendor, to the point that the Emperor, the Senate and the prefect of the city, they went to the Palatine to honor and thank the Mater Salutaris amid the acclamations of the people. Phrygian feasts were held every year from 15 to 28 March. Claudio From his cult had secret rites (mysteries).
DANCERS FROM GALLUS CIBELES ceremony around which revolved around the initiation process was the baptism of blood that the newcomer received the sacrifice of a bull, taurobolium, or a ram, criobolium. Etymologically, it means hunting taurobolium bull Criobolio network and Sheep Chase. Phrygian ritual in both the bull as the sheep were slaughtered and the baptism of blood received by the devotee cure diseases and even death.
ARA VOTIVE a devotee of Goddess In those parts of its original cult was also known as Goddess of Ida, Magna Mater Deum Idaea, Díndimo goddess, or goddess of Berecintos, among other names. It was the divinity of nature and its power personified vegetative why was supposed to mountains and forests inhabited points, including wildlife. She was considered the origin of all, both gods and nature. Normally, was worshiped along with her lover Attis, sometimes considered his son. According
ancient mythical, Agdistis, hermaphrodite character behind which hide the personality of Cybele, was a passionate love for the young shepherd Attis. The seed that was born Attis was an almond tree that had sprouted Agdistis member, who had been cut by the gods who was castrated and became only woman. For this reason, Agdistis was the father of Attis, but being as only a woman, fell in love with the boy when he grew up and became extraordinarily beautiful. Attis was beloved by Agdistis and maddened by it. In the midst of madness, was castrated in the course of an orgiastic scene, killing him. However, it raised Agdistis-Cibeles and took him forever to her. The Latin poet Ovid
gave a different version of the legend of Cybele and Attis.
According to Ovid, Attis was a beautiful young forests of Phrygia which fell passionately in love goddess Cybele, which decided that the boy had to love her with a chaste love. What became guardian of his temple, to bind him to her forever, and put as a condition to retain virgin.
However, love for the nymph left Sagaritis and Cybele, outraged, provoked the death of the nymph. Attis went mad and in a violent crisis, self-mutilate. However, already neutered, the goddess came to accept his service, and took her in his car pulled by lions.
usually Cybele was represented with his head crowned with towers and accompanied by lions. Greek mythographers consider, often a simple incarnation of the Greek goddess Rhea, the mother of Zeus. Cibeles would thus the name of Mount Rea Kybele adored. Therefore, according to the iconography, as well as Rhea, Cybele was for servers to Corybantes or curette.
Instead, the cult of Cybele was very popular in Rome. From the year 204 BC was officially accepted during the course of the Second Punic War, when he moved the sacred stone of Pesinonte to Rome. This cult, started the expansion of all Eastern cults of the Roman world.
The religious symbolism of the Roman world Cibeles, the so-called doctrine metróaca it was necessary especially during the imperial era. On the one hand, it is assimilated to classical deities as Maia, Ops and Ceres, but the other maintained its character more markedly bearded god in Greece. In Rome, Cybele was worshiped as a lady of the land, skies and sea, protector of the miners, as the goddess determining the fate of the men, who were protected from temptation and evil.
SCULPTURE OF THE GODDESS
His cult included, in Rome, orgiastic scenes, to the point that the Roman Senate was forced to limit them. Initially, the priests of Cybele, known as Gauls, eunuchs dressed as women, emasculated during the orgiastic frenzy, with music of flutes, Combal, Phrygian and eardrums, these initiates entered a state of delirium and frenzy that ended with castration full practice of Roman law punished. For this reason, at first, was a cult itself mostly immigrants from eastern empire and the republic eventually banned, but later came to be accepted. To be legalized in large cities were designated official archigalos for the worship of the goddess and the emperor led the hierarchy, assisted by quindecemviros.
The structure of the priesthood of Cybele was as follows: first, the school had dendróforos bearing trees or other, the school canephora, or carrying canes, and finally the Corybantes. There was also a group living on the street preaching and almsgiving, called metragyrtes. This diversification was a religion and the religion of Cybele one of the most developed in Roman times.
The festival of Cybele, of great magnitude, were held during the spring equinox, between 15 and 27 March. Symbolized the history of Cibeles and Attis, who were the most popular deities of Rome.
Day 15 was the canna untreated, came the cane, they sacrificed a bull and procession, the canephora.
The arbor day 22 was untreated, was driving when the temple solemnly sacred pine tree, symbol of the mutilation of Attis.
Day dies sanguis 24 was the day of funeral mourning, with scenes of trains and new sacrifice of a bull.
The 25, day of joy or Hillary, commemorating the resurrection of Attis, and bathed on 27 de Cibeles in the mage a sacred river, culminating parties. Claudio
finally formalized this holiday and moved to April, when it became known as Megalesia. There, in addition to these major public liturgies, an esoteric cult of secret ritual in which they sacrificed bulls, sheep and printed with hot iron brands.
Despite the attempt to renew Neoplatonic doctrine connected with Cybele, worship of this goddess suddenly fell from the fourth century JC, in contrast to the extraordinary popularity which he had enjoyed during the empire. Cibeles
had many shrines in ancient oracles were residing in sibyls. These allowed the priests of the goddess of fortune telling. Sibyls voices were considered prophetic, bodiless, timeless, that the Greco-Roman anthropomorphic embodied in the form of prophetess.
These voices were those of birds associated with the cult of Cybele. Roosters, ducks, geese, peacocks, etc. The flight of birds, their songs and their cries containing the prophecies of the Sibyls. Cybele-Rhea Queen of birds. It is no coincidence that these birds receive today the scientific name in your order (reiformes), family (Rheidae) and species (rhea).
CIBELES IN HISPANIA The goddess Cybele, which according to his account of Virgil's Aeneid had protected the ships of Prince Aeneas on his flight from Troy to Italy, was adopted by Augustus himself as a protector in their companies in Hispania.
Augustus, who felt a special reverence for it, determined the presence of the patron goddess of Rome in the new urbanized enclaves by him in the peninsula. Archaeologically has been testified to the presence of sanctuaries outside the walls of cities and Cibeles forts altoimperial period.
CIBELES IN CALLAECIA Existenen evidence of worship of the goddess Cybele in the Callaecia.
In the sixties Sardiñeiro was found in a Roman altar dedicated to Cybele. Votive altar of granite, with base and cornice just for the front and sides. Above, circular focus between the two half-cylinders of which only preserved in the left side. On the back without styling to attach it to a wall. Its dimensions are 50 x 29 x 19 and epigraphic field is as follows:
Matri de-/ um s (acrum) / et Val (---) e (x) / vote.
is the second dedication that remains in Galicia to the Goddess Cybele considered mother of the gods.
Augas In the church of Santas in Allariz carved in stone, a Roman altar square and cubic form, with the image of the goddess who is sitting to the left of the nave. Is the profile of the Magna Mater.
Cubic Stone "is essentially a 'foundation stone', is certainly as 'land', as indicated on the other form, and also the idea of \u200b\u200b'stability' expressed by this form it is perfectly suited to the role of Cybele as 'Mother Earth', ie as representing the principle of 'substantial' of universal manifestation. "(R. Guenon)
Aguas Santas - Cibeles Cubic Stone
OUTSIDE THE CRYPT 
INSIDE THE CRYPT 
SANTA EULALIA DE VAULT 
