Imagine being a young girl in ancient Rome, living in a wealthy and powerful family, enjoying a privileged and comfortable life. Now imagine being chosen by the most important man in the city, the Pontifex Maximus, to serve as a priestess of Vesta, the goddess of the hearth. You would have to leave your home, your family, and your friends, and dedicate yourself to a life of chastity, purity, and devotion. You would have to wear a distinctive white robe, a veil, and a headdress, and live in a secluded temple with other women like you. You would have to tend the sacred fire that symbolized the life and strength of Rome, and perform various rituals and ceremonies to honour the goddess and protect the city.
I Changed My Mind (Introduction to a Ten Part Series)
Growing up and coming of age in a European US Christian community and culture in the 80s and 90s, I learned to see things…