The Phygianum
We call our home the Phrygianum
after the Phrygianum on the Vatican hill just outside Rome during the
classical period. Literally it means the home of the Phrygians.
The property is also the home of the Maetreum, or Home of the
Great Mother.. That was the name of the primary temples, most
specifically, the Temple on the Palatine hill within Rome itself.
Our Phrygianum was formally dedicated as such in the fall of 2003
with the transfer of interest in the property from the sole non-Cybelne
owner to a priestess. At that time we adopted formally our primary organizational model.
Basically, we are a consensus based group and all our elevated
priestesses are equals with equal say in all but the basic theology.
We hold one or more Conclaves (meetings) during a year, the
primary one being in the spring. The Battakes of a Phrygianum
calls the other Conclaves as needed and acts as the facilator of the
meeting. Our Conclaves are normally open to all who attended
services, the consensus is arrived among the elevated priestesses.
Future Phrygianae can be started by an elevated priestess who
becomes a Battakes in her own right by doing the work of establishing
one. The various Battakes or their representatives meet every few
years in a Conclave of Phygianae. In those Conclaves the Battakes of the original Phrygianum in the Catskills acts as facilator.
Each Phrygianum has it's own priestesses under it's own Battakes. All are expected to organize according to the Rule of the Women of Cybele.
This document represented a major leap forward as it is the
outline for women living together in a spiritual community (Convent)
complete with internal conflict resolution, which is separate from the
Conclaves and not to be confused with them. It was recovered from
the Rule of the Women of St. Benedict, the model for living in a
Benedictine Convent and which predated the Rule of St. Benedict (the
model used for men) by several centuries having been directly adopted
from the Montaist heresy. The Montaist heresy was a christianized
version of Cybeline religion as it was practiced in the time of the
Romans. Unlike many neo-Pagan groups, our priestesses are
expected to contribute to the running and maintainace of the Phrgyianum
they belong to, live a life dedicated to charitable service to others
and minister to the congregants of the faith. The congregants are
the reason the priestesses are elevated. Goddess oriented women
not specifically Cybeline are permitted to live in residence at the
Phrygianum.
A Phrygianum normally would include a Maetreum (Temple). The
Catskill Phrygianum is the first one in approximately 1600 years, the
last known one being the Phrygianum on the Vatican which was destroyed
by the Catholics at the beginning of the 5'th century and all the
priestesses murdered in their sleep. Interestingly enough, that
Phrygianum was rebuild by Pius the IV.
The Catskill Phrygianum
is a former 150+ Catskill Mountain Resort Inn on a little over three
acres tucked into the base of the Kaaterskill Clove. The primary
Maetreum is in the back of the property at the natural junction of
three pathways. The entire Phrygianum property is located at the
junction of three roads. In the ancient world it was the
crossroads of three that were sacred, not four as commonly believed
today. Currently it serves as the worldwide home of the Cybeline
religion, the home of the Cybeline Priestesses around the world and a
sacred place all those who follow our religion are encouraged to visit.
Men are just as welcome as women to participate in all but the
special rituals reversed for women only. Male guests are welcome
to stay briefly at the Phrygianum but only women, primarily Priestesses
and Novitiates are to be in residence. Those who join us are
expected to participate in Evening Praise, our daily "checking in" with
the Goddess at a minimum, all are encouraged to use the Temple/Grove
for private meditations.
Due to the secular requirements of the US, we have elected officers
from our priestesses. These positions carry no extra weight in
Conclave, only the responsibilities imbued in the offices.
Our current officers are:
Rev. Mother Battakes Cathryn Platine --Battakes, First Battakes, duration of her natural life.
Rev. Mother Battakes Cathryn Platine --President and CEO, term from 3/24/20 thru 3/24/25
Current Fully Ordained Priestesses, Catskill Phrygianum:
Cathryn Platine - Battakes, Catskill Phrygianum --permanent residence at Phrygianum
Caillean McMahon - Advisor to Battakes --maintains residence at Phrygianum
Laura Seabrook -- lives in Australia
Susan Davis --lives in Canada, maintains residence as well at Phrygianum
Rachel Phyllis McBee (deceased, ashes buried at Temple entrance)
Francesca Tronetti -- maintains residence at Phrygianum
Novices (in Priestess training)
Danielle (Simpson) Rhodes
Priestesses at Large: (not formally connected at this time to the Catskill Phrygianum)
Cathie Watson
Laura DeGrey
Kiara Lama
Marina Brown
Mailing address:
Maetreum of Cybele, Magna Mater
3312 Route 23A
Palenville, New York 12463
copyright 2010-2020, Cathryn Platine Maetreum
of Cybele, Magna
Mater.
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