Herodias and an Early Dianic Cult

After emperor Constantine converted into Christianity and established it as the state religion of the Roman Empire, not all people accepted willingly this new law. There were still Pagans following the original pre-Christian religion at least for one more century, but soon a new cult based on the ancient belief appeared.

Christianity had forbidden non-heterosexual practices and orgies (being homosexuality, bisexuality and orgies common among Romans), and a group of women started in Italy a cult centred in the goddess Diana. This cult was mainly intended for women, preferably lesbian, as many considered Diana a lesbian goddess. But soon this cult became syncretic, incorporating some anti-Christian (the oppressing new religion) characters: Lucifer (Satan as bearer of light), God's adversary, and Herodias (the Jewish princess who asked for the death of John the Baptist), who was deified (as it happened with other historical characters in other cultures, i.e. Imhotep).

The virgin goddess became Lucifer's partner and by him Herodias' mother. In early times this cult had as main deity Diana. The church was already aware of it, and in this sense in the 10th century the Catholic Canon (law) made mention to it as "a perversion of the mind originated by Satan", but considering a "fantasy experienced while dreaming" the fact of the flying women accompanied by Diana.

As it is common, soon the daughter became the intermediary between people and the supreme gods (Diana, principally, and Lucifer). In Christianity was the son the intermediary between people and God; in a lesbian sect, the daughter. So Herodias became more important than her mother.

By the 12th century this cult had expanded to other places of Europe, and was considered witchcraft by the Catholic church. Herodias was said to be the Queen of the Sabbath, who demanded human sacrifices, and the lesbian practices made during the reunions were said to be diabolical night meetings commencing with a banquet and ending with an orgy. It was said that a woman represented Herodias during those reunions.

Jean de Salisbury, bishop of Chartres, France, made a comment on this cult in his book Policraticus, naming the goddess Herodias and Noctiluca, queen of the night (12th century). He mentioned the participation of women and men in these meetings.

The reality about the demonic nature of the reunions in mediaeval times is only known through the testimonies given in the witch trials[?], what means that it is actually unknown, and what we know on this cult in early times are only some comments from Christian acts, what is very little, but Herodias and the Dianic cult had survived.

Herodias is today named Aradia, a corruption of the original name, due principally to the fact that in Late Latin and Italian the "h" is mute.

See also Neopagan views of homosexuality, skyclad, Wicca.