Opalia

Opalia

December 19

The ancient Roman fertility goddess Ops was known by several different names—among them Rhea, Cybele, Bona Dea, Magna Mater ( see Megalesia), Thya, and Tellus. She married Saturn and was the mother of Jupiter, and was usually portrayed as a matron, with a loaf of bread in her left hand and her right hand opened as if offering assistance. There were actually two festivals in her honor. The Opalia was observed on December 19, when it is believed that a sacrifice to Ops was made in the temple of Saturn. On August 25, the Opiconsivia, the sacrifice took place in the Regia or king's house.
Not much is known about what actually took place during the Opalia. There is even some disagreement as to whether Ops was the wife of Saturn or the wife of Consus. The fact that the Opalia was held four days after the Consualia on December 15, and that the Opiconsivia was held four days after the festival in honor of Consus on August 21 has been used to support the theory that Ops was actually the wife of Consus. In any case, it appears that women played an important role in the festival. Because Ops was a fertility goddess, she was often invoked by touching the earth.

SOURCES:
ClassDict-1984, p. 424
DictFolkMyth-1984, p. 825
DictRomRel-1996, p. 169
FestRom-1981, pp. 180, 207
OxYear-1999, pp. 345, 503
RomFest-1925, pp. 212, 273

Celebration day: Dec 19