Hello everyone, my name is Henrique Lins, popularly known as Henrique, the Roman, and the reason for this will become clear below hehehe.

I am a resident of Rio de Janeiro, one of the states in Brazil, and one of the few people who publicly shares clear information about paganism, specifically Roman Paganism.

As is probably already clear from my nickname, profile picture, and cover photo, I am connected to Roman paganism as a practitioner, reconstructionist, and deep scholar of Roman arts, literature, and religion, so that we can base ourselves on the central pillars of the ancient Italic faith. It’s also worth noting that I maintain a certain revival of Roman religious practices without the presence of Greco-Roman syncretism, but rather something more native and related to the Latin, Sabine, and Etruscan peoples, who were the main founders of the Roman people in antiquity.

I tirelessly study the works of ancient scholars such as Cato the Elder, Cicero, Varro, Horace, Catullus, Juvenal, among others, who for me are clear bridges to the revival of historical paganism in modern times. Additionally, during my journey in Roman paganism, I was responsible for a Portuguese translation of Ovid’s Fasti.

I am also the founder of an order called the Circle of the Augustal Fraternity, created to promote and disseminate the Roman imperial cult, a branch of Roman paganism focused on the worship of the imperial family and the emperors themselves. I am also a key member of Brazil’s Roman pagan community, called Cultus Deorum Brasilis, as a member of the priestly current and one of the main people responsible for organizing the library that, together with other members of the current, we are building, both structurally and in terms of content. It’s worth mentioning that there are works I translate exclusively for the community, as I did with Cicero’s De Natura Deorum.

It is an immense pleasure to be part of this community!

Special thanks to Instructor James Maloney for putting our outdoor classroom back together after it was destroyed by a windstorm. #barefootbushcraft #construction #reconstruction #bushcraft #outdoorclassroom

Goðpjórð is a pure Sedian practice in Wisconsin. Backed by the lore and theological, archeology evidence.

We are an Orthodox/orthopraxy practice, we do pure as well as theological reconstruction.

Ludwig Fahrenkrog,Germania in Chains

Grimm Tuetonic mythology Volume one page .4

Christianity was not popular. It came from abroad, it aimed at supplanting the time-honored indigenous Gol the country revered and loved. These Gods and their worship were part and parcel of the people's traditions, and constitution. Their names had their roots in the people's language, and were hallowed by antiquity, king princes traced their lineage back to individual Gods, forests, mountains, lakes had received a living consecrationi their presence. All this the people was now to renounce, and what is elsewhere commended as truth and loyalty denounced and persecuted by the heralds of the new faith as a sin and a crime. The source and seat of all sacredi was shifted away to far-off regions forever, and only a fainter borrowed glory could henceforth be shed on plas one's native land.

Mummering is one of the best and most forgotten traditions in Norse-Germanic Heathenry.

It is very sad to see how little interest there is in the research, reconstruction, and practice of mummering in our faith.

My ''hot take'' on historical authenticity.

After seeing the results of the survey I conducted earlier (here and elsewhere), I can say that there is a strong inclination to certify historical authenticity regardless of whether it is applied in practice or not.
Personally, I think the problem with the search for this lies in whether people are capable of accepting the truth or not, as well as whether they will hide that truth or embrace it, which leads me to ask:
"Why do you need historical authenticity? Will you use it only to satisfy curiosity or to apply it in your practice?"

It is a big mistake to believe that our faith or spirituality lacks content and organization. The wealth of traditions and culture we have at our fingertips is on par with the great religions. However, when it comes to playing the card of historical authenticity to fill the gaps and rebuild the spiritual culture that was destroyed, many take a step back because they encounter a reality that doesn't fit with their preconceived idea of ​​Heathenry and/or out of fear of having to leave their comfort zone and adopt another way of life, which may be very different from the Christian way of life to which many are accustomed... Yes, most continue to live as Christians even though they worship other gods, even if they deny it or are unaware of it.
As a result, many sweep historical authenticity under the rug or simply change it, adapting it to their personal preferences (whether out of selfishness or laziness) and creating something totally different as if it were something normal and valid, when it never was.
This not only complicates the reconstruction of our faith, but it also completely contradicts and undermines it.

While there were some differences between similar traditions, they followed patterns and shared foundations that didn't distance them too much from each other and kept them traditionally viable. Our faith wasn't a fully organized religion (mainly due to the difficulties of the time), but this doesn't mean it wasn't organized. Our spiritual traditions were strictly followed, so much so that not even kings could disregard them without consequences. Religious hierarchies existed, the use of money as offerings and to support temples (and their priests) was normal, we knelt before the gods and avoided making circular movements during important dates so as not to anger them. Fear of the gods, superstition, respect, traditions, consequences, rules, organization—all of these exist within our faith and are what helps us rebuild and create solid foundations that can change over time, naturally, and not just from one day to the next because it's more convenient for us. Historical authenticity is not for those seeking a place to belong or a mental placebo, but for those who strive to restore our worldview to its former glory—not for ourselves, but for the gods, the giants, the ancestors, and those who will inherit everything after us.

What do you think is the most important point to improve in the reconstruction of Heathenry in these days?

Discussion Post:

Do you think only following Norse spirituality from a reconstructionist stand point goes against the organic sate of being that Norse Spirituality is?

I am personally a fan of Reconstructionism. But only to a point. I believe learning tradition and history is important before delving into modern things that have grown and become established. I'm not against modern practices in the spirituality, as from what we have reconstructed, we can see the natural flow of the spirituality, how it has evolved and grown from indo Europeans to today. I think retaining knowledge of tradition, teaching it and passing it down as we continue to grow and adapt modern practices like, bindrunes and runic divination. We should revere, honor and continue the ways of old, while also organically growing this spirituality.

An incredibly important article.
Understanding the details of Jól can be a turning point for Heathenry as it is today and a turning point for the reconstruction of our spirituality.

The past of my country is nearly closed. We have extreme lack of information. Currently there is a huge stream of history reconstruction. And we are like children with lost parts of puzzle, who even don"t have enough money for pencils to fix
hypotheses. The main obstacle is the absence of key artifacts.. we couldn"t manage to keep in safe any grave of our ancient leaders.
Here is the new expositions in Nation museum of History - "Ancient belief" and "Kyiv in 10-12th century".
First presents artifacts of Scythians - their dishes, weapons, jewellery and second - artifacts concerning to the first huge christian church in Kyiv - Desyatynna(Tithe). As it was told in our "Povist vremenyh lit"(The Tale of Time) written by monks, this church was built on the place of some Warrior-Northman, who became a christian and who refused to sacrifice his son for the Ukrainian pagan god of thunder Perun. He was killed by anry pagans and then.. christians admitted him as saint and chose the place of his house for the church.. Several Princes including Volodymyr Velykyj were buried there according to the Tale. But there are no archeological proofs. In the end of 20th century there was found one origin wood sarcophagus with skeleton and weapon..
Very massive teeth.. Hope it could be studied thoroughly and may be reconstructed with scanning

Post about Vikings the tv show and how I think it is an important part of heathen / asatru circles whether we like it or not

Vikings the TV show stands as a point of debate and contention in heathen circles but one thing everyone can agree on it was a great catalyst for bringing people to Nordic polytheism it is also not historical but I have some arguments for why that doesn’t matter

One
Sagas and telling of great hero’s were changed even before the written record for entertainment purposes and they were added onto by the speaker so technically even in that period it wasn’t accurate to the original happening

Two
This is the same thing pre Christian Scandinavians did only it’s on a screen not being told to you by word of mouth but through acting and cinema

Three
The positives it has done in terms of numbers and converts and people coming to the belief system has been huge and how it has in terms of ritual informed some reconstructionist practices

Four
Why is it okay for someone to come to the Greek pantheon through the movie Percy Jackson or to the Hellenic path through the movie 300 or to Christianity through the passion but the minute it is someone coming to Nordic polytheism through Vikings it is wrong and they should be laughed at even by their own community

Tell me what you think in the comments