| THE ORDERS |
|
| The title of druid applies to
all members, and each of them has specialisations and a level of skill. |
| There are : |
|
| THE DRUIDS |
| Priests, teachers, ambassadors,
wise men. |
| They have a complete Initiation
in theology, cosmology, mathematics . . . . . . . . . . |
| |
| Druids and Druidesses wear the
white linen robe and the oak crown (today it is replaced by a bandeau embroidered
with the sign of the Triban). |
|
| THE VATES OR OVATES |
| Soothsayers, doctors,
physicists, water diviners . . . . . . . . |
| In general they were scientists. |
| They chair the ceremonies and
wear the green robe. |
|
| THE BARDS |
| Poets, musicians, teachers,
historians . . . . . . . . |
| They know the secret traditions,
they can replace the druid or the ovates and they wear the blue robe. |
| |
 |
| |
| HISTORY |
|
| The Romans are responsible for
the disappearing of Druids. |
| They were forbidden on the pretence
that they made human sacrifices, even though it was only a political manoeuvring
against a sacerdotal class which had a huge influence over people and could
resist the invader. |
|
| Later on Christianism finished
sweeping out the "barbaric religion". |
| Note that the only text stating
human sacrifices is Christian Irish, written in Latin, in praise of St Patrick
. |
|
| The druidic religion continued
in secret in Christian monasteries (like the Benedictine ones) whose cloisters
were erected on the very places of ancient temples ! |
|
| The Druids knew how to write (Greek
and Oghamic alphabet) but they refused to write their doctrine down at the
risk of killing it. |
|
| The elements of the custom were
transcribed when they were forbidden by spreading Christianism, mainly in
Celtic Irish monasteries, but many pagan stories were censored or turned
into Christian stories. |
|
| The tradition was also perpetuated
by Bards through tales and songs. |
|
|
