| This article will explore areas of the Villa of the | | | | Freemasonry and the Mystery Religions. |
| Mysteries in Pompeii. The ownership of the Villa is | | | | Initiation Rites |
| unknown, as is the case with many private homes in | | | | A vast number of rites of social transformation, such |
| the city of Pompeii. The villa is outside the main town, | | | | as rites of initiation into common-interest societies, have |
| separated from it by a road with funerary monuments | | | | no direct or primary connection with biological changes. |
| on either side (a necropolis) as well as the city walls. | | | | Rites of passage are often ceremonies surrounding |
| As in other areas of Pompeii and Herculaneum, a | | | | events such as other milestones within puberty, coming |
| number of bodies were located in this villa, and | | | | of age, marriage and death. A rite of passage is a |
| plaster-of-paris casts were made of them. This villa, | | | | ritual event that marks a person's progress from one |
| built around a central peristyle court and surrounded by | | | | status to another. Rites of passage are diverse, and |
| terraces, is much like other large villas of Pompeii. The | | | | are habitually not recognized as such in the culture in |
| Villa of the Mysteries or Villa dei Misteri is a well | | | | which they occur. |
| preserved ruin of a Roman Villa which lies some 800 | | | | Rites Of Passage |
| meters north-west of Pompeii, southern Italy. This is | | | | Most rites of passage are religious ceremonies. Rites |
| the most famed country villa in the whole area around | | | | of passage are day after day ceremonies surrounding |
| Mount Vesuvius. | | | | events such as other milestones within puberty, coming |
| House Mysteries Pompeii | | | | of age, marriage and death. To recognize these |
| Mt Vesuvius The crater of Vesuvius stands 1,282 | | | | significant times in our lives, societies typically hold |
| meters above sea level, 230 meters deep, and has a | | | | elaborate ceremonies. Marriage is an important rite of |
| diameter of about 650 meters. Located in Italy, it is the | | | | passage in all cultures. |
| only volcano in Europe that has erupted within the last | | | | Cult of Dionysus |
| hundred years. Mt Vesuvius (in Italian Monte Vesuvio | | | | Dionysus was the god of fertility and wine. His was |
| and in Latin Mons Vesuvius) is a volcano east of the | | | | furthermore an orgiastic cult. Dionysus is the god of |
| bay of Naples, Italy. Named after the naturalist Pliny, | | | | ecstasy and possession and might be called the |
| the type of eruption of Mt. Vesuvius is referred to as | | | | patron saint of the drama as well. Dionysus did not |
| "Plinian." Mt Vesuvius is the only volcano on mainland | | | | start out as a Greek god. His cult had its roots in |
| Europe to have erupted within the last hundred years. | | | | Thrace. The relation of these two mystery cults is |
| Mount Vesuvius is on the coast of the Bay of Naples, | | | | furthermore seen in the Bacchic myth in which |
| about nine kilometres (six miles) east of Naples and a | | | | Persephone gives birth to Dionysus, who is soon |
| short distance from the shore. It is conspicuous in the | | | | murdered and reborn. |
| beautiful landscape presented by that bay, when seen | | | | Frescoes |
| from the sea, with Naples in the foreground. | | | | In France, during AD 1100 to 1300 there was fresco |
| Mystery Religions | | | | painting of Gothic inspiration. Naturally, the richness of |
| Several mystery religions existed before the Hellenistic | | | | the decorations was habitually a function of the wealth |
| era. Their better organized period began when the | | | | of the commissioner of the fresco paintings, and one |
| Romans imposed peace upon the Mediterranean | | | | aspect of the decorations was thus their Baroque |
| world. The mysteries at Eleusis near Athens lasted for | | | | flavor. The history of fresco painting is closely related |
| a thousand years; and there is reason to believe that | | | | to, and a reflection of, the history of art generally. A |
| they changed little during that long period. The Eleusian | | | | different spirit permeates the frescoes painted by |
| Mysteries persisted for more than a millennium, more | | | | early Christians living in Rome during the late second |
| likely close to two millennia, during which period the | | | | and third many years AD. The early Christians |
| ritual of public religion changed significantly. The most | | | | frescoed the walls and vaults of their underground |
| known worldwide Mysteries of Greco-Roman antiquity | | | | tombs, or catacombs, with Christian symbols and |
| were the Eleusinian Mysteries, which were of | | | | scenes from the Bible. |
| considerable antiquity and predated the Greek Dark | | | | This is the most famous country villa in the whole area |
| Ages. There is certainly no shortage of testimonies by | | | | around Mount Vesuvius. |
| Masonic authorities as to the relationship of | | | | |