SERIES: JANUS: The Return Of The "God" Of New Beginnings Part 6: JANUS: Miscellaneous Facts Concerning Janus By Ed Tarkowski Pope John Paul II took the lead in the religious world in initiating millennium 2000 celebrations and events. With his initiatives and efforts to bring about the desired unity through such events, the Pope takes on another aspect of Janus: JANUS: God Of Initiatives "Janus was also the god of 'beginnings'. As a solar god he presided over daybreak. He was soon considered as the promoter of ALL INITIATIVE and, in a general way, he was placed at the head of all human enterprises." (Ev Butterworth, Rome Around, http://www.science.mcmaster.ca/HAA/Events/EH337.html; caps mine). "The splendid era of peace, with which 'the first prophecy' ends refers to the era of peace promised by Our Lady at Fatima, and which is being gradually PREPARED BY THE PAPAL INITIATIVES for the third millennium (The 200 Day March - Don Bosco and the Millennium By Rev. Frank Klauder, S.D.B. http://www.flash.net/~timothyc/db_mil.htm; caps mine). "Special tasks and responsibilities with regard to the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000 BELONG TO THE MINISTRY OF THE BISHOP OF ROME. In a certain sense, all the popes of the past century have prepared for this jubilee" (As the Third Millennium Draws Near, Tertio Mellennio Adveniente, Apostolic Letter of Pope John Paul II released on November 14, 1994; caps mine). JANUS: The God Of All Communication "Being god of the gates he was naturally the god of departure and return and, by extension, the god of all means of communication" (GODS OF THE STATE: PRINCIPAL DIVINITIES, Janus, New Larousse Encyclopedia Of Mythology, Introduction By Robert Graves, Roman, pp. 200-202). Pope John Paul II was always known, praised and admired as a powerful communicator, and with his eager use of today's technology, he is even more powerful and effective: "John Paul II spoke later on the need to proclaim Jesus Christ as the only Savior, through personal dialogue and taking advantage of 'the potential of the communications media. . . It is necessary to consider with wise discernment the new multimedia technologies, which have a determinant influence on people's ways of thinking and acting, as well as on the formation of the new generations.' "'The role that these instruments can play in the preparation and celebration of the next Jubilee, the first of the telematic age, eludes no one. . . Putting every modern instrument of communication at the service of the Gospel,' he concluded, 'believers will keep up with the times and will not cease to donate their specific contributions to build the civilization of love'" (Jubilee Preparation: Opportunity For Conversion, Pastoral Commitment, News from the Holy See, Christus Rex Information Service V.I.S. - Friday 16 February 1996). JANUS: Teacher Of Youth The Pope's initiating and communication efforts also pertain to today's youth, who he and leaders of the Revival all strive to reach. Again, we find strong similarities to Janus, the primary god of Rome: "Janus also represents the transition between primitive life and civilization, between the countryside and the city, peace and war, and the growing-up of young people" (http://www.pantheon.org/mythica/articles/j/janus.html). "You know, in Roman mythology, it was the god Janus who had a temple open in Rome with two doors open, one backward . . . with a face of wisdom and old age, looking with wisdom to the past, and one face of younger, a youth with idealism in the future. Janus will come into play as we end this decade" (Jay Gary, "The Star of 2000"). Pope John Paul II has put a great emphasis on the youth of today and wherever he goes, "he insists on meeting with youth" ("The Pope Loves Young People": A Message For Youth, http://www.ad2000stl.org/MillYouth/youth.html). The Pope desires to be one who teaches youth and who is there to answer their questions. Just as Janus was concerned with the growing-up of young people, John Paul works with them as the "future of the world," the transition from this civilization to a new one: "The future of the world and the Church belongs to the younger generation, to those who, born in this century, will reach maturity in the next, the first century of the new millennium. Christ expects great things from young people, as he did from the young man who asked him: 'What good deed must I do, to have eternal life?' (Mt 19:16). I have referred to the remarkable answer which Jesus gave to him, in the recent Encyclical Veritatis Splendor, as I did earlier, in 1985, in my Apostolic Letter to the Youth of the World. Young people, in every situation, in every region of the world, do not cease to put questions to Christ: they meet him and they keep searching for him in order to question him further. If they succeed in following the road which he points out to them, they will have the joy of making their own contribution to his presence in the next century and in the centuries to come, until the end of time: 'Jesus is the same yesterday, today and for ever'" (Pope John Paul II's Proposal Of A Great Jubilee For The Year 2000: Apostolic Letter of Pope John Paul II released on November 14, 1994). JANUS: His Deification Brought Him A Wife And Son Who Were Goddess And God Of Wells, Springs And Fountains I'm not going to spend a lot of time on this because I am not even sure it is applicable, but I thought it interesting that water and drinking from the "wells" of "salvation" are two of the main themes in the Revival. Just for the record: In his human state, Janus had one son named Tiberinus, who became the river god Tiberinus and after whom the river Tiber is named (http://www.pantheon.org/mythica/articles/j/janus.html). Even after being deified, the connections with water continued: "Janus. . . . Janus was also said to have married the Nymph Juturna and to have had a son by her, the god FONS or Fontus" (Ev Butterworth, Rome Around, http://www.science.mcmaster.ca/HAA/Events/EH337.html). "Juturna - The Roman goddess of wells and springs, sister of Turnus (the king of Rutuli) whom she supported in his battle against Aeneas. Jupiter turned her into a nymph and gave her a well near Lavinium in Latium. She also gave her name to a well near the Vesta-temple of the Forum Romanum, called the Lacus Juturnae. The water from this well was used for the state-offerings. Also, the Dioscuri were thought to have watered their horses here. She is the mother of Fontus (Fons) and wife of Janus" (http://www.pantheon.org/mythica/articles/j/juturna.html). FONTUS: "The Roman god of wells and springs, son of Janus and Juturna. The festival of Fontus took place on October 13. He is also called Fons" (http://www.pantheon.org/mythica/articles/f/fontus.html). Janus, as well as his nymph wife (who he married after he died) and his son from that union were all associated with water as found in wells, springs and fountains. As well as being the guardian of all waterways, Janus made boiling water spring up from the ground to stop those who came against the people of his city. Continued in Part 7.