Another manic day for Romans when the gates of Hell are open…
When: August 24th, October 5th & November 8th.
Where: Ancient Rome.
These festivals were held in honour of Mania, goddess of Death and to appease the Manes (the spirits of the dead). It was believed that on these days the passageway to the underworld was open and the spirits of the dead were free to roam the earth.
Families would hang woollen dolls representing each family member on the doors of their homes, in the hope that the Manes would carry these off (either by mistake or kindness) instead of the household inhabitants.
Food & Drink
At Roman feasts honey coated doormice were considered a great delicacy (We’ll be sticking to the sugar variety!) Drink Italian wine out of Roman style goblets by candlelight.
Picture: Roman Passageway, by Dan McKay on Flickr
Sanggutan Festival
Pahiyas Festival
