County Meath, Ireland – The 5,000-year-old monument, Lia Fáil, translated to English as “The Stone of Destiny” has been vandalized with graffiti. Located on the Hill of Tara in County Meath and near near Skryne, the monument served as the coronation stone where all the high kings of Ireland were crowned up to the year 500 CE.
The stone monument was defaced with the words “Fake” in blue spray paint in several places.
Ian Lumley of the heritage organization An Taisce said in a comment to PA news agency that the vandalism was “probably the worst example yet of this increasing vandalism and mindless use of spray stuff.”
Lumley noted the growing problem of graffiti saying, “It’s already infesting our towns and cities, but this is attacking a monument of huge historical and mythological significance to one of the things that unify us – our ancient Irish culture that is part of our national identity.”
While workers were able to remove the paint, cleaning up the defacement of stone buildings is expensive and time-consuming. And when it comes to historical stonework, the cleaning must be done carefully to not damage the surface.
“We’re seeing it’s an absolute scourge in our cities and larger towns on historic things, particularly when you get a stone like granite – once it’s sprayed with these horrible aerosols, it’s much more difficult to remove. You need expensive elaborate chemical treatment, you’ve got to make sure if you’re dealing with an historic piece of sculpture or stonework, that in cleaning off the vandalism paint that you don’t damage the stone or the monument in the process,” Lumley said.
“It’s not just archaeological, historic monuments being targeted, there’s increasing concern about graveyards and cemeteries,” Lumley continued, “There been some very unpleasant cases of gravestones; these would be tombs in graveyards in active use by their family members.”
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ROME – The Associazione Tradizionale Pietas (Pietas Traditional Association) posted pictures from various ritual celebrations of the Winter Solstice on their Facebook page that highlighted a number of temples they have erected within Italy.
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Announcements:
- A new space, Third Sanctum, located in Warwick, Rhode Island is seeking artists for its monthly exhibitions. The space is located behind The Veiled Crow, a shop that sells “Witchery for Mind, Body, & Home.” According to social media posts by Third Sanctum, “In addition to hosting lectures, workshops, classes, and rituals, Third Sanctum is home to monthly themed art exhibitions featuring local and national talent. These shows will alternate between invitation-based and open-submission processes. There will also be special pop-up events featuring local makers and artisans.”
- A call for abstracts to be published in the Theology, Religion, and Popular Culture book series on the subjects of “Theology, Religion, and Dungeons & Dragons.” but not limited to, the topics below for a volume on the intersections of academic disciplines of theology, religious studies, and the creative world of Dungeons & Dragons (D&D). The deadline for submissions is February 15.
- On Saturday, February 25 at 4:00 pm EST (1:00 pm PST) Cherry Hill Seminary will announce the winner of the third annual Wendy Griffin Professor of the Year Award in a special virtual ceremony. All Cherry Hill students, faculty, and friends are invited but must register in order to receive the Zoom link. Sponsored by Votaries Alumni Circle, the award includes a display trophy and a cash honorarium. Any questions regarding the ceremony can be submitted by email. CHS said, “Grab a coffee or tea, and join us as we honor this year’s winning professor and celebrate educational excellence in Pagan and Nature Spiritualities to transform our world.”
- Mystic South Conference has issued a “Call For Papers for 2023.” The annual event is held in Atlanta, Georgia, and will take place on July 14-16, 2023. Mystic South is a polytheistic conference and the call is for papers of a polytheistic spiritual nature. Blocks of the allotted time for those submissions that are accepted will be one hour. Presenters receive free access to the entire conference in exchange for their presentation of their paper. Papers may be either written and read or read and audio/visual in format. Those interested can submit a 400 +/- word abstract via the event’s website, deadline for submitting abstracts is February 28, 2023. The event states, “This is a perfect place for those that are not used to presenting academic papers; such as students, junior faculty, or those that are looking for tenure or promotion credits.” Questions pertaining to papers may be emailed to the Papers Coordinator, Gypsey Elaine Teague.
- The Journal of Academic Freedom is seeking original articles that investigate the links between landscapes of social power and the historical development and contemporary status of academic freedom for its 2023 issue. From The Journal, “We invite consideration of how academic freedom serves as a touchstone for democracy and the ways that the death of academic freedom signals the atrophy of more inclusive and democratized landscapes of power. What is the relationship between democratic societies and the flourishing of academia and academic freedom within them? What kind of society would powerful forces working against academia and academic freedom usher forth if they had their way?” The deadline for submissions is March 20.
Upcoming Events:
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ConVocation Logo
After a multi-year absence from the pandemic precautions, ConVocation 2023 will take place on February 23 through February 26 in Detroit, Michigan. The four-day event which was started in 1995, will offer over 100 classes and rituals, a merchant room, an art show, and what the event identifies as “the largest indoor drum circle in the Midwest.” The theme for 2023 is “Finding our Balance, Maintaining our Center.” This year’s guests of honor include Jason Mankey, Tess Whitehurst, Mary K. Greer, and Oberon Zell, with featured presenters: Clifford Hartleigh Low, Elizabeth Hazel, Ivo Dominguez, Jr., Diana Rajchel, Baba Teddy, and Lady Kate.
- The LAVRYS Worship Community will hold its eighth annual “Falliforia” in the historical center of Athens. All the friends of Dionysus are invited to march in the Procession of the Fallis. On Sunday, February 19, the initial meeting before the start of the Phallic procession will take place in front of the entrance area of the Conservatory of Herodes Atticus (Herodion – Dionysios Areopagitou) at 5:15 local time that afternoon.
- On Saturday, February 25, in Athens, Greece, the Falliforia parade will be held for the first time since 2019 and the pandemic forced many events to be postponed or canceled. The event boasts that this year will offer “even more fun, new events, and plenty of wine from the grapes of Dionysus! Come and celebrate the coming of spring together, dance and sing together in the Fallis procession!” The parade is scheduled to begin at 18:30 (local time) at the entrance to the Acropolis Museum.
- Circle Sanctuary announced last week that registration for Pagan Spirit Gathering is now open. The annual event includes a variety of vendors, workshops, music, and rituals.
- The Scottish Goddess Conference 2023 will be held online from September 13 – 17 as well as in person in Paisley, Scotland on September 16, 2023. This theme for 2023 is “Oracles of the Divine, and will be dedicated to all things related to communicating with the other realms and spirits. From oracle work to séance, spiritism, necromancy, omens, trance work, psychedelic plants, medium, divination methods, ancient oracles, and much more!” Speakers include Professor Daniel Ogden, Dr. Jeffrey S. Kupperman, Kristoffer Hughes, Caitlin Matthews, Ivo Dominguez, Jeff Cullen, Chris Allaun, Lucya Starza, Starr Ravenhawk, Susana Aguilar, Michael Mayo, Cara Hamilton. Super Early Bird Tickets are currently available on the Scottish Goddess Conference Website. The Conference will also hold a Virtual Goddess Market till September and a live Goddess Market at the event venue at the Wynd Centre in Paisley, Scotland, to support the Goddess Temple Alba.
- The Goddess Temple Alba, with its aim to open a Community Space for Pagans in Scotland, will be hosting several Charitable Goddess Markets this year. The first one was held on February 4, and the next is scheduled for April 29 and will celebrate Beltane, and the third market will be held during the Scottish Goddess Conference on September 16. According to the organizers, “All donations towards spaces for traders will go directly to the Goddess Temple Alba Fund towards a space. Ness Bosch, the Head of the Goddess Temple Alba, and some of the members of the Temple are working very hard to open this Temple space! Go and support the Goddess Community in Scotland by paying a visit to the forthcoming Goddess Markets!” Those interested can now also join the Goddess Community In Scotland Facebook Group to keep up with goddess happenings in Scotland. Anyone interested in securing a space as a trader/vendor with the Goddess Markets can email the organizers. All markets will take place at the Wynd Centre in Paisley, Scotland.
In other news:
- A Duluth, Georgia man who described himself as a “witch doctor” has been arrested and charged with rape, sexual battery, false imprisonment, and theft by deception. Hassan Shalgheen, 44, allegedly met his victim through social media. According to a statement released by the police, “The victim described the suspect as a ‘Witch Doctor’ and initially went to his apartment to be ‘cleansed’ during a ‘ritual’. The victim reported to the police, that while she was at the location, the suspect removed her clothing, forced himself onto the victim, and then sexually assaulted her.” The crime took place on February 5, and Shalgheen was arrested on February 6. Duluth police are now investigating if any other women may have also been victims. The Duluth police department has requested that anyone who has been a victim or has additional information about the case, call the detective handling the case at 770-476-4151 or send an email to tips@duluthpd.com.
- Amy Schneider of Jeopardy! fame, winning 40 consecutive games in a row, and who also won the top prize in the show’s 2022 Tournament of Champions, has announced that she is now going to be exploring tarot on her social media accounts. Last week Schneider posted this video on Instagram:
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SAN DIEGO – A tiny mouse has made history and been entered into the Guinness Book of World Records for its longevity. A Pacific pocket mouse (Perognathus longimembris pacificus) named Patrick, has become the oldest mouse living in captivity. Patrick was born on July 13, 2013, at the San Diego Zoo’s Safari Park in California making him 9-years-180-days-old.
Patrick, named for actor Patrick Stewart, is part of the zoo’s conservation breeding program. The breeding program was designed to help save species like the Pacific pocket mouse, which had seen a drastic decline in population. If fact, until 1993 when a small colony was discovered, it was thought to be extinct. The breeding program has been successful enough that some of the pocket mice will be introduced back into the wild this year.
While the species is not well-known, they are primary seed dispersers, and their digging helps to aerate the soil and provide additional nutrients and water to plants. Unfortunately, much of its coastal habitat has been eradicated due to development in those areas.
The average lifespan for these mice in the wild is one to two years, while in captivity they can live anywhere from four to six years. Patrick the pocket mouse’s longevity not only earned him a place in the record books but has drawn international press attention to the plight of a species of tiny critters that might otherwise have gone unnoticed. Well done, Patrick!
Tarot of the week by Star Bustamonte
Deck: Afro-Brazilian Tarot, by Alice Santana, artwork by Giuseppe Palumbo, published by Lo Scarabeo.
Card: Major arcana, The Sun (XIX) Olorun
The potential for the week to hold positive news, success, and a renewed sense of vitality and energy is high. There is also likely to be an effect of radiance to the point that one person’s good fortune transfers and helps others.
Conversely, if things seem overly gloomy tweaking thinking or perspective can help. There is also the risk of enthusiasm turning into arrogance and overconfidence which can undermine plans and success.
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