February 17

Quirinalia

This was an ancient Roman celebration dedicated to the god Quirinus. He was a god of war, but unlike the god of active war, Mars, Quirinus was the god of a more peaceful war. In modern terms, he is a Cold War god.

Little is known about this god, mostly because he was worshiped before the rise of Rome. He was absorbed into the pantheon early on and aspects of him are incorporated into Mars and Romulus. The only definate proof of his existance is the hill in Rome named after him, Quirinalis.

It is known that his sacred plant was the myrtle and that he was depicted wearing both priestly clothes and military ones, again emphasising his peaceful-warlike nature.

A Way To Celebrate

As with many ancient holidays, there is little known about how the people traditionally celebrated Quirinalia. We can celebrate it in the modern world by focusing on the positive aspects of war.

Oftentimes we view war as only negative. True, it is mostly a negative state. However there are still positive sides to the military life. I have several family members overseas in the armed forces. Today is my day to contact them and make sure they are doing well. The military provides for them and their families in many ways. They are able to see the world, give back to their community and their country, as well as pay their bills and get an education.

Today, spend some time thinking about the positive aspects of war and military life. What can you do to aid our 'boys in blue' and their counterparts?