The Aquaelicium: the rainmaking ritual of Jupiter Elicius

 The Aquaelicium of Jupiter Elicius

I. Preparation

At the declaration by the Pontifices, in case of unrelenting drought, a day is consecrated for the aquaelicium. The offerings: a jar of the choicest wine, and sacred cakes (liba), prepared according to sacred tradition. If urgency demands, let a white steer, perfect in form and without spot, be set aside for sacrifice.

II. The Solemn Procession

At the appointed hour, let the magistrates, arrayed in their dignity, the priests, veiled and reverent, and a procession of the faithful, their attire reflecting the sobriety of the city’s plea, assemble. Let also the sacred lapis manalis, the Stone of Showers, be carried with due reverence. The procession shall advance towards a high place, consecrated to Jupiter’s name, or to an open expanse of earth that may be particularly parched.  

III. Opening

Having reached the designated area, the presiding priest, his hands first purified with water, draws near to the altar.

First Libation and Invocation: Chief priest presents a cup of wine and says:

“O Jupiter Elicius, thou whose unseen hand governs the wellsprings of the firmament, forasmuch as it is meet and by tradition hallowed that this measure of wine be now poured forth unto thee, here, in the anxious assembly of thy people and upon this gasping breast of earth, for thy sacred consideration and feast; and to that august end, be thou exalted and revered by this food, this drink, now offered.” Then, reverently pouring the wine:

“Jupiter Elicius, be thou honoured by this, thy feast’s commencement, and be thou honoured by the wine placed thus before thy divine regard.”

IV. Main petitions and cake offerings

Cakes are brought forward. The Priest says: “Illustrious Jupiter Elicius, in this humble oblation of sacred cakes, I, bearing the unspoken fears and fervent hopes of this thy land, do with earnest spirit implore that thou wilt extend thy grace and merciful solicitude unto us, unto our progeny, unto our dwellings and all our assembled household, now languishing amidst this oppressive drought and lack.”  

The Consecration of Further Wine: Let another vessel of wine be presented. The Priest continues: “Jupiter Elicius, even as I have, with devoted heart, petitioned thee in the offering of the hallowed cakes, so too, and with purpose no less urgent, mayest thou be singularly honoured, and thy divine compassion stirred, by this pure wine now set before thee in solemn witness.”

Raising the cup towards the heavens, priest prays: “Jupiter Elicius, wilt thou not incline thine ear to accept these cakes? Wilt thou not, in thy boundless majesty, deign to accept this wine, placed before thee as a testament to our unwavering veneration and our profound and pressing necessity?”  

V. Supplication for Rain

The Priest, turning his gaze heavenwards, with hands uplifted in a gesture of profound entreaty, delivers the core of the supplication:

“Hail, O Jupiter Elicius, Thou regent of the legions of the storm, hear us and unloose the gates of the treasuries of rain! Behold, thy consecrated earth lies parched and barren, thy silver streams recede into mournful trickles, and the verdant promise of the nascent crops withers before it may achieve its destined fruition. The very bleating of the flocks tells of barren pastures, and the unquiet souls of thy people send forth a lamentation for thy divine intervention. We pray and beseech thee, O Father Supreme of Gods and Mortals, that thou be gracious and merciful unto us, thy devoted children. Dispel from our afflicted territories this creeping desolation, this arid affliction that enervates the very vitality of the soil. Keep far, ward from us, and utterly remove, we implore thee, the unseen miasma of drought and the spectral barrenness that threatens our sustenance and our sacred groves. Permit, O Thou All-Powerful, our sown seeds to burst forth with renewed vigour, our cherished vineyards to imbibe deeply of thy celestial gift, and our plantations, the hope of future seasons, to flourish and burgeon once more beneath the benediction of thy life-giving deluge. Grant that the parched and weary earth may soften, that it may again yield its accustomed bounty, that our shepherds and their gentle charges may discover pastures green and waters restored, and that robust health and vibrant strength may re-enter every dwelling and infuse every household within these thy cherished domains. To this solemn and pressing intent, O Jupiter Elicius, that the adamantine vaults of heaven might consent to open and thereby restore the quickening pulse of life to thy creation, even as we have declared in our sorrow and articulated in our enduring hope, deign to cast a favourable eye upon our earnest entreaties and these humble offerings, rendered in thy supreme and everlasting honour.”

VI. Lustration rite

If the lapis manalis is present, it should be asperged with water drawn from a spring. The Priest then says:

“As this venerated stone, repository of ancient potency, is now graced by this pristine water, so too may the celestial storehouses unburden themselves upon the needy land. Let this unrelenting drought be expunged from our fields and our hearts, and let purity, fertility, and abundance be re-established by thy divine and irresistible will, O Jupiter Elicius”.

VII. Sacrifice (Only to be done if the severity of the drought demands.)

The Priest, standing before the chosen victim, intones:

“Jupiter Elicius, forasmuch as it is thy sacred and incontestable right to receive this devoted sacrifice for the alleviation of thy people from this dread and urelenting desiccation, and to this grave and singular intent, whether it be I, thy humble servant, or one appointed by my sacred office who performs this irrevocable act, may it be executed with all righteousness and profound piety. To this very end, in the oblation of this unblemished steer unto thy divine majesty, I humbly and fervently beg that thou wilt prove gracious and merciful, not unto me alone, nor solely to my house and my immediate household, but unto all thy children who collectively endure beneath these unrelenting and brazen skies. Wilt thou, in thy supreme power, deign to receive this sacrifice, which we, in our extremity, offer unto thee for this most pressing end: that the heavens may weep, and the earth thereby exult in rejuvenation”.

 (Following the immolation and the careful examination of the entrails for omens of divine acceptance):

“To this intent, O Jupiter Elicius, deign to accept the offering of this devoted victim.”

(If the omens prove ambiguous or less than favourable, the Priest adds):

“Jupiter Elicius, if in any aspect the offering of this victim hath not found full favour in thy discerning sight, we make all due atonement and with unfeigned humility renew our fervent plea for thy compassion.”  

VIII. Conclusion  

A final libation of wine is poured out on the earth or the altar fires. The Priest proclaims:

“Jupiter Elicius, thy servants have, with candour and devotion, laid bare the supplication of their hearts and have rendered their offerings according to the most ancient and revered piety. Receive, we implore thee, our collective worship, and in thy inscrutable wisdom and omnipotent power, unseal now the fountains of the firmament that thy creation may rejoice.”

Participants and witnesses then wait and watch for any signs that rainfall is imminent.