Opalia

• a festival celebrated on the 19th of December, in honor of the goddess Ops, Varr. L. L. 6, § 22 Müll.; cf.: Opalia dies festi, quibus supplicatur Opi, Paul. ex Fest. p. 185 Müll.; Macr. S. 1, 10.

OPA´LIAa Roman festival in honour of Ops (or Opis), which was celebrated on the 14th day before the Kalends of January (Dec. 19), being the third day of the Saturnalia, which in popular usage as a time of holiday extended from the 17th to 23rd December. From the time of Augustus onwards the 17th belonged especially to Saturn, the 19th to Ops, the wife of Saturn. (Macrob. Sat. 1.12; Varr. L. L. 6.22, ed. Müller; Festus, s. v. Opalia.) The worshippers of Ops paid their vows sitting, and touched the earth, of which she was the goddess (Macrob. l. c.), with which may be compared Il. 9.565, Γαῖαν χερσὶν ἀλοία... πρόχνυ καθεζομένη· the method of addressing supplications alike to the Earth and to ϝἐρτεροι θεοί. (See Preller, Rüm. Myth. pp. 416, 417.)

and Opeconsīva. Feasts of the Roman goddess Ops (q.v.).