The Sanguem was a Roman holiday, connected with the myth of Cybele and Attis. It was celebrated between March 15th and 28th. The celebration was of Phrygian origin, as the cult of Cybele had been imported from that land in 204 BC, and was officiated by foreign priests, called roosters.

Cane intrat

The celebrations began on March 15, when a procession, called Canna intrat ("Entra la cane"), reached the temple of Cibele on the Palatine Hill. The participants were the "cannofori", who brought to the temple stems of reeds, in order to commemorate the exposition of the child Attis in a reed bed. It is believed that this ceremony is connected to ancient rituals propitiatory to the rain of an agricultural area.

Arbor intrat

The seven days following Canna intrat were considered expiation, and were known as Castus Matris ("Mother's Digest").

On March 22nd there was the procession of the Arbor intrat ("Entra l'albero"), celebrating the death of Attis. On that day the pine was cut, a symbol of the god, the trunk was wrapped with sacred red woolen bandages, decorated with violets and musical instruments, and the effigies of the young god stood on its top. The tree was brought by the "dendrofori" up to the temple of Cibele, where the funeral commemoration of Attis took place.

Sanguem

March 24 was the Sanguem, or even Dies Sanguinis: funeral ceremonies began and the faithful culminated the late for the death of Attis.

The arcgallo, the high priest, cut his flesh with pieces of dirt and tore his skin with daggers to scatter the blood that came out of the wounds on the sacred tree, in memory of the blood shed by the god from which the violets were born. The gesture was imitated by the other priests, then the men who followed the scene began a frenetic dance and excitement drew their swords to hurt themselves.

The decorated pine was closed in the basement of the temple, from which it would be removed the following year. The night had then passed in the wake.

Hilaria, Requetio and Lavatio

The following day, March 25, the god was resurrected: the festivals called Hilaria were celebrated then and there were joyful parades on the streets. In the Imperial era, the celebrations included a procession of the statue of Cybele.

After a day of rest, Requetio, on March 27th, arrived the moment of Lavatio ("Ablution") of the statue of Cybele. The statue of the goddess, which had embedded the stone from Megalesia in 204 BC, was placed on a cart and taken to the river Almone and pushed into the river: here the arcade washed the statue, drying it and sprinkling it with ashes. Songs and dances accompanied the statue to the Palatine.

Initium Caiani

The Initium Caiani was the initiation ceremony to the mysteries of Attis, which was practiced on March 28th.

The initiation was practiced in a Phrygian sanctuary located on the Vatican hill, outside the city walls. The initiates consumed a meal in musical instruments, cymbals and timpani. Then came a procession, where the "kernos" was brought, a crater containing lights. Finally there was a hierogamy, in which the initiates, identifying themselves with Attis, celebrated the mystical wedding with the goddess Cybele.