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The ceremonies of initiation in the Adonia began with lamentation for his loss, or, as the prophet Ezekiel expresses it, "Behold, there sat women weeping for Thammuz," for such was the name under which his worship was introduced among the Jews; and they ended with the most extravagant demonstrations of joy at the representation of his return to life, while the hierophant exclaimed, in a congratulatory strain,
It would doubtless have been so interpreted, had it been a mere undesigned accident happening to any venerated religious object just as we are told that similar misgivings were occasioned by the occurrence, about this same time, of the melancholy festival of the Adonia, wherein the women loudly bewailed the untimely death of Adonis.
This symbolism is derived from the fact that it is the sacred plant of Masonry; and in all the ancient rites there were sacred plants, which became in each rite the respective symbol of initiation into its Mysteries; hence the idea was borrowed by Freemasonry. ADONIA. The Mysteries of Adonis, principally celebrated in Phoenicia and Syria.
Hence the lettuce became the sacred plant of the Adonia, or Adonisian Mysteries.
It was during the celebration of the Adonia, or mourning for the death of Adonis, and in all parts of the city were to be seen images of Adonis carried along with funeral rites, and women beating their breasts, so that those who were superstitious enough to notice such matters became alarmed for the fate of the armament, and foretold that it would start forth gloriously, but would wither untimely away.
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