Small Shrine at Cermes by sandra46
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Description
This is a small shrine or votive aedicula at Cermes, along the leg of the provincial road cutting through the hamlet. Usually these small shrines (we call capitéi in Veneto) are built at the crossroads, either to Jesus, the Virgin, or a local saint as it is in this case. They are usually connected to a local legend concerning an apparition or a miraculous event in the past, for example when the area was Christianized, when a local saint protected the fields, the village, some people from a catastrophic occurrence, etc.
In villages and hamlets, and in the countryside in general, they often substitute previous shrines to pagan gods and spirits. Similar small shrines, called naiskoi, are found in Greek religion, but there were also the herms. In the earliest times Greek divinities were worshipped in the form of a heap of stones or a shapeless column of stone or wood. There were in many parts of Greece piles of stones by the sides of roads, especially at their crossings, and on the boundaries of lands. The name comes from Hermes (Mercury) god, associated with fertility, luck, roads and borders. In ancient Roman religion, the aediculae were household shrines that held small altars or statues of the Lares and Penates, household protectors. In this area the temples were in the open, with no or flimsy buildings.
The area here was inhabited by the Reti, a people who was later Celticized, Romanized, and Germanized, but some shreds of the old religion, however Christianized, can be seen in this small shrine: it is an elaborated form of the so-called 'green shrines' you can also find in Veneto. That is a plant (a bush or a tree) reputed 'saint/sacred' because of some miraculous presence, was later Christianized simply by trasforming the pagan god into a Christian one.
Thanks for your kind comments.
Comments (44)
0rest4wicked
The roof trusses above and behind almost look like a star of David. Great find and image!
Faemike55
Very cool photo and excellent description of the evolution of the shrines
durleybeachbum
Fascinating info and I LOVE the postwork!
alanwilliams
i love these wayside shrines, a lovely picture and interesting info
magnus073
What are wonderful capture of this beautiful little shrine Sandra. Thank you also for providing such a detailed history on these shrines
Jean_C
Interesting info and beautiful capture!
UteBigSmile
Very nice capture here and well seen!
Leije
Peaceful shot and interesting infos !
Umbetro38
For today, a short comment but I like it - have a nice evening
bakapo
nice. this is a pretty point of view.
drifterlee
Very interesting and beautiful shot, Sandra!
renecyberdoc
nice shot and info bit.
Radar_rad-dude
A wonderfully imformative descriptive and a most excellent capture, Sandra! Most excellent! Thank you!
wysiwig
A wonderful image and history. You will find these roadside shrines all throughout Southeast Asia. Of course the figures there are of Hindu or Buddhist dieties.
eekdog
cool shot and description my friend.
jayfar
Thanks for the info Sandra, I always thought that these shrines were placed near the spot where someone had died!! Lovely image.
bebert
quel bel endroit !!!
virginiese
Beautiful shrine. I often see some of them in Austria
mgtcs
Adorable and cozy place my friend, superb effects!
rockstrider
Wonderful capture with effective postworking effect Sandra!
psyoshida
Really lovely shrine. Wonderful narrative as well. Thanks.
clbsmiley
Great info!! And I love all the colors in this!! :)
brycek
Wonderful capture and information!!
jocko500
cool
claude19
merci pour les informations que tu nous transmets ici...une bien belle photo, mais était-il nécessaire de coloriser ici ? je me pose la question !
bazza
Lovely capture Sandra!
blondeblurr
When I was visiting Poland in 1999 (formerly known as Germany's East Prussia) I had seen many similar shrines and I am not surprised, to see them also in Italy and many other European countries - great info Sandra, BB
erlandpil
Very nice capture erland
artistheat
Awesome Image and Capture
dakotabluemoon
A fascinating view here hon.