Lucius Marius Vitalis' Day

This is my 1000th post, and while it could have ended up being almost anything, I wanted it to be on a date of significance, and for an occasion of significance. September is a month that is somewhat thin on the ground of festivals, Ekklesía Antínoou-wise, and thus we have to work with what we’ve got…but, at the same time, this is a festival that has been important to me for a while, and especially since the start of this blog, way back in its second month in 2010, and in subsequent years as well; thus, this year was bound to be no different.

But, just as we’ve also honored Flavius Eugenius in years past on this date, so too let us begin our observances by remembering him and the restoration of polytheism that he attempted to enact. It is part and parcel of that restoration to restore honoring of ancestors and the sacred dead, which is what the Sancti of the Ekklesía Antínoou are, and thus Lucius Marius Vitalis rates highly with in it, at least as far as I’m concerned.

Since this date last year, I can state with some certainty that Vitalis has increased in his attested literary appearances by at least 300%: he was given some attention in Devotio Antinoo: The Doctor’s Notes, Volume One, he plays a major role in the myth of the Tetrad in All-Soul, All-Body, All-Love, All-Power: A TransMythology, and he is also a major structuring element and is given further attention in A Serpent Path Primer. He is one of the Treískouroi, along with Antinous and Polydeukion constituting the Triad of such. If I had to choose one of the many wonderful, influential, and beautiful Sancti amongst those that we reckon in the Ekklesía Antínoou, I’d have to rate Vitalis as my most likely “patron saint.”

I’m also happy to report that for this occasion, and my 1000th post, my over-two-week poetry drought has ended, and I’ve returned with a vengeance (sort of!) to write anew about Vitalis on this occasion. (Typical…I get a book out which has sections featuring him, and THEN I write more about him–feck!)

I hope that you have time to give him due honor in your devotional considerations today, or even tomorrow. And, remember, his brother Treískouros Polydeukion’s oracle is taking place on September 9th, so get your questions in to him if you want!

If you don’t have any of my books on ways to honor Vitalis, or haven’t looked at previous entries on this matter, here’s my new poem for the occasion.

Lucius Marius Vitalis

O sweetest youth, perfected in the arts,
Lucius Vitalis, holiest dead,
be gracious, and steal back for us our hearts.

It was a misfired shaft, Apollon’s darts
that toward you with death following had sped,
O sweetest youth, perfected in the arts;

but even as your soul downward departs
to other lives and worlds by Hermes led,
be gracious, and steal back for us our hearts.

On beasts in woods brought down–boars, stags, and harts–
on hunts of Emperoros, you’d spin the thread–
O sweetest youth, perfected in the arts–

what epic work remained, writ in eight parts,
and lions in Bithynian victor’s tread…
be gracious, and steal back for us our hearts.

But for you now, another labor starts
in bringing sustenance for saints, fresh bread
(O sweetest youth, perfected in the arts),

and golden ambrosial Olympian tarts:
those foods of blessedness the just are fed;
be gracious, and steal back for us our hearts.

The list of them o’erwhelms tables and charts
and yet, no matter how oft’ names are read,
repeated, stated, spoken, sung, and said,
one name–your name–whether high- or low-bred
brings joy to hearers, and banishes dread:
O sweetest youth, perfected in the arts,
be gracious, and steal back for us our hearts.

*****

Praise to you on this day, Lucius Marius Vitalis, forgotten of history but not of devotion–
and praise to Hadrian who found you worthy to be in his company,
and to Antinous who was your friend, companion, and co-victor in his Mysteries!

Ignis Corporis Infirmat; Ignis sed Animae Perstat!
Ave Lucie Marie Vitalis!
Ave Dive Hadriane Auguste!
Ave Ave Antinoe!