NEW YEARS FESTIVAL OF BABYLON
“A central religio-political “Mardukite” event marked the beginning of the annual cycle – A New Year festival, marked by the spring (equinox) observation of Akitu (or Akiti) when the sun enters Aries, the zodiacal sign of Marduk. The festival symbolized not only the fertility and renewal of the land on earth, but also a renewal or national solidification of Marduk‘s position in the universe.” (Found in New Babylon Rising Issue #3)
THE FESTIVAL DAYS
“Each of the twelve festival days begins at dawn. The ‘high priest’ of the Temple of Marduk, goes and prepares the temple and ceremonial areas prior to dawn, then makes a ‘general invocation’ to Marduk at dawn, before the image of the god in his shrine. The morning invocation to Marduk is as follows…” (From “New Babylon Rising March 2012 Issue“)
MARDUK, Almighty, Powerful One of ASURA,
Exalted, Noble-Blood, Firstborn of ENKI,
Almighty MARDUK, Who causes the ITURA to rejoice, Lord of the ESAGILA,
Aid to BABYLON, Lover of the IZIDA of NABU, Preserver of Life,
Prince of IMAHTILLA, Renewer of Life,
Shadow over the Land,
Protector of Foreign Lands, forever is
MARDUK the Sovereign of Shrines,
Forever is MARDUK the Name in the mouth of the people.
Almighty LORD MARDUK,
At your command the Earthborn remain alive,
At your command let me live, let me be perfect,
Let me behold your divinity.
What I will to be, let me obtain my wishes.
MARDUK, cause righteousness to come from my mouth,
MARDUK, cause mercy to dwell in my heart,
Return to the Earth; re-establish the
ANUNNAKI and command mercy.
May my God stand at my right hand.
May my Goddess stand at my left hand.
May my Lord who is favorable to the stars,
stand firmly at my side,
To speak the Word of Command, to hear my prayer and
Show favor, When I speak, let the words be powerful.
Almighty Lord MARDUK, come and command life.
BEL’s Fires go with you, ENKI smile upon us all.
May the Elder Gods delight in your mercy.
May the Earth Deities be favorable to thee and me.
“On the first day of the festival (presumably the fourth of Nissanu), after the morning services have been carried out by the priests, the King accompanies a procession around the city of Babylon to show that he carries the official (‘royal’) regalia of his position – the Crown of Anu, the Scepter, etc. The purpose of this is to secure the symbolism of ‘material reign’ in the consciousness of the population, showing the physical evidence for ‘divine right to rule’ are present. Portions of the Enuma Elis are read to prove that Marduk is authorized to dispense this ‘divine right‘.” (The Akiti/Akitu Babylonian New Year Spring Equinox Festival Ceremony is also found in “Mardukite Wizards of the Wastelands” edited by Joshua Free)
“The second day, the ‘high priest’ is charged to ritually cleanse the temple with consecrated waters from the rivers of Babylon. Fragrances of juniper and cypress fill the air. The physical statue of Nabu is brought from Borsippa and left just outside the Babylonian city at the “Uras Gate.” The sacred symbols of ‘material reign’ are removed from the King by the high priest, and a procession ensures to the Temple of Marduk, where the symbols are placed before the feet of the god. In essence, these symbols are being ‘returned’ to Marduk so that the Anunnaki King may dispense them ‘ceremonially’ to the Earthly King who rules Babylon and the nation in the name of Marduk. The King makes an appeal before the image/statue of Marduk, which is brought outside from the Esagila.” (“New Babylon Rising, Issue #3, March 2012“)
THE KING’S PRAYER TO MARDUK
I have not sinned, Marduk, King of all the Lands.
I have not neglected to observe your divinity.
I have caused no destruction of your city, Babylon.
I have caused no dissolution of your sacred systems.
I have not destroyed the Esagila.
I have not broken down the walls of your city.
Let me reign. Let me be pure in your divinity.
In the Name of the Sacred Covenant between thee and me,
Grant me Divine Right to Rule in your grace.
“Day three requires a re-enactment of the Enuma Elis, followed by a procession of the image of Nabu on a pathway of reeds. The Nabu statue is brought before the Temple of Ninurta where he is to ‘defeat’ two enemies (‘evil gods’) in the name of Marduk‘s reign. A dramatization is performed by destroying two statues before his image. Nabu‘s image is left at the Temple of Ninurta until the sixth day.” (Also available in alternate version to “Necronomicon Workbook“, titled “Mesopotamian Magic“.)
“On the fourth day, after the statues have been ritually ‘cleansed’ by the ‘high priest’, the image of Marduk is returned to the Esagila, where Marduk is presumed to be ‘imprisoned within the mountain’ (or ‘pyramid’). In one account, he is trapped is by ‘two evil gods’, possibly the same one’s that Nabu defeats, but a more accurate explanation in accordance with the tradition is an imprisonment as political punishment for the death of Dumuzi (or Tammuz), the consort of Inanna- Ishtar. Marduk remains ‘buried alive’, ‘dead but dreaming’ for three days. The epic cycle of Inanna-Ishtar known as the “Descent” is recited (or dramatized) on the fifth day and Nabu enters the city again on the sixth.”
CEREMONY COMPLETION
“Nabu then frees the imprisoned Marduk (image) from the Esagila “Pyramid” in Babylon city where the two are reunited, followed by a celebration in “Destiny Hall” on the eighth day. A victory procession of Marduk and Nabu commences on the ninth day and the statues of these as well as their consorts, Sarpanit and Teshmet (Tasmit), are cleaned on the tenth day before being given a fallen grand procession on the eleventh day. The priests conduct final ‘consecrations’ at dawn on the twelfth day before the statues (images) are retired and Babylonian work-a-day life returns to normal.” (Get the printed-bound version of this rite with many other fascinating related articles in this month’s (March 2012) issue of New Babylon Rising.)
New Babylon Rising: Anunnaki, Alien Gods & Spiritual Traditions
A Modern Mardukite Monthly Magazine Book Literary Journal: Issue #3, March 2012
Authored by Joshua Free
Contributions by Sortileges
Managing editor Ace
Prepared for publication by Mardukite Chamberlains
Producer M.C. Clarke
Director Khem Juergen
Just some of what’s inside:
* The Akiti Festival – Babylonian New Year at Spring Equinox
* The true story of Inanna-Ishtar – the Goddess of the Stars
* Sumerian Cuneiform Tablet Records reveal the alien nature of Anunnaki gods
* Merlyn Stone’s School of Magick, Witchcraft & Wizardry continues with Lesson 3!