Aradia's life

Aradia was born in Volterra, Italy in the early 14th century. Even as a child, she was very spiritually oriented and her parents believed that she could become a Catholic Sister, being Catholics themselves. But her aunt had other plans: she was of the Old Religion.

Aradia

In the course of time, Aradia's aunt was rightly responsible for his education and his well-being, and thus became his tutor, accompanying him on the path of ancient pagan spirituality. Aradia listened with great interest to the legends about forgotten gods and ancient spirits. Her soul was maturing and she saw the truth in these stories. So, on her thirteenth birthday, she was initiated into the Old Religion. Something inside her changed then, awakened and she suddenly remembered other realities.

High up in the hills of Nemi, near the lake where the ancient temple of Diana stands, Aradia had sat and listened to the voice of her heart. This voice spoke to him, telling him to open his eyes and look up into the sky. Then she noticed that the sky had darkened as the afternoon was not yet over. The voice spoke again and whispered the words: Moon shadow.

Looking then around her, Aradia saw the beauty in all things and the equality of all living beings, the balance in the cycle of life. She understood, with the enlightenment that had come to her, she opened her heart and mind to these perceptions.

She decided not to go home and discovered outlaw camps in the woods. She learned from them of the pain of those who live in slavery, hearing each other's stories of the cruelty and evil of their former masters. She also learned of the hypocrisy of the Church, which helped the nobles to control the peasants. She made herself aware of this difficult situation and was taken with compassion for those she discovered, toiling, plowing for the rich lords.

She understood their pain and over the next few months she began to travel from village to village offering care, healing and counseling the people, giving them comfort and hope. The people immediately loved him and nicknamed him “La Bella Pellegrina” (the beautiful pilgrim). Her fame was proclaimed in all towns and villages, and from then on she began to teach the old religion to the people.

It wasn't long after that the Church became aware of her existence and priests accompanied by soldiers came and confronted her. Aradia blamed them for all the hypocrisy of the Church and she was arrested for heresy. When it was learned that she wanted to free the peasants from their bondage, she was also tried for treason against the kingdom.

While awaiting execution in prison, an earthquake toppled the structure and it was rumored throughout the city that Aradia had died. Later, she appeared in the camp of outlaws and chose a small group of followers there to accompany her on her quest. In the months that followed, Aradia initiated them and taught them all the secrets of the Old Religion. One day, she announced to them that she had to leave them and presented them with a set of nine scrolls. Then she went east and was never seen again.

His followers then began to form pagan groups, a sort of coven, across the kingdom of Naples, and the Church became deeply concerned about the revival of the Old Religion. But, the disciples of Aradia were chased away by the soldiers and the scrolls of Aradia were taken from them to be given to the Church. The surviving followers of Aradia took refuge in the city of Benevento and once again taught the Old Religion there. Benevento was once the gathering place of the Streghe and a sanctuary for all followers of the Old Religion.

One of Aradia's disciples, having learned to read and write in a noble family, transcribed all that she could remember of Aradia's teaching. What she wrote and which has remained preserved has been named: “The Words of Aradia”.