Pagans and Trees

Trees play a relevant role in the Traditional Roman Religion. Paganism recognizes trees as living beings having a soul (spirit) corresponding to their specific species: trees are worthy of respect due to any living being.

Some trees may be indicated by "supernatural signs" and for this they are worthy of a cult.

In Roman Tradition often a God/Goddess or nymphes appear close to trees or turn into trees: in brief, the myth expresses the idea that trees have a soul. In some cases a nymph doesn't attribute a soul to a tree, because she appears as the materialization of the soul of a tree.

The identification of some trees with nymphes or other divine expressions describes an interpretation of Nature (within which anything has a precise sense and meaning) and the relations of man with natural species or the best way to establish a relation with them.

Maia - she-generating
Flora - she-producing flowers
Pomona - she-generating fruits

A wood becomes a sacred site. "Sacred" means "pertinent to Gods/Goddess": a sacred wood is therefore a Gods' site.

The most important sacred wood in Traditional Roman Religion is the Nemus Dianae or simply the Nemus. Diana is the spirit of savage woods and forests.
The term Nemus indicates a sacred wood comprising some clearings. A sacred wood may become, thanks to a Pontifex intervention, a Temple. The temple is a physical and metaphysical space traced by a Pontifex with a lituus (on the ground , in the air, on the water) where a numen may manifest his/her signs.

A classic temple with its columns represents a sacred wood.

In Traditional Roman Religion celebrations are held mainly outdoor around an altar possibly in sacred woods or close to trees.

Trees and plants are mainly divided into felices o infelices plants. It is extremely difficult to translate these terms because they do not correspond to the common sense; they haven't any positive/negative meaning or lucky/unlucky sense.
In general terms a felix tree is linked to supera Gods, while an infelix is linked to infera Gods.

• Oak: felix tree dedicated to Jupiter (authority)
• Olive tree: felix tree dedicated to Ceres (she-feeding)
• Fig tree: felix tree dedicated to Mars (The Father)

Some plants and trees, for the presence of divine expressions, have a sacred name such as:

• laurel- Daphne (ecstasy)
• white poplar - Leuke (shining death)
• lime tree - Filirias (divination, recovery)
• black pine - Pitis (the tears)
• walnut tree - Carias (the head)
• almond tree - Philiades (the leaves)
• cypress - Ciparissus (inconsolable sorrow)
• mulberry tree - Piramus and Tisbe (separation)
• blackberry- Moron (misfortune)