Liberalia a festival observed annually by the ancient Romans on March 17, in honor of Liber or Bacchus. A procession of priests and priestesses, wearing ivy garlands, marched through the city, bearing wine, honey, cakes, and sweetmeats, along with a portable altar, having in the middle of it a fire- pan, ill which the sacrifices were burned. On this occasion the Roman youths who had reached the age of sixteen were invested with the toga virilis or dress of manhood. The Liberalia were much more innocent in their character than the Bacchanalia (q.v.), and continued to be celebrated in Rome after that festival was suppressed.
The Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature was edited by John McClintock and James Strong. It contains nearly 50,000 articles pertaining to Biblical and other religious literature, people, creeds, etc. It is a fantastic research tool for broad Christian study.
John McClintock was born October 27, 1814 in Philadelphia to Irish immigrants, John and Martha McClintock. He began as a clerk in his father's store, and then became a bookkeeper in the Methodist Book Concern in New York. Here he converted to Methodism and considered joining the ministry. McClintock entered the University of Pennsylvania in 1832 and graduated with high honors three years later. Subsequently, he was awarded a doctorate of divinity degree from the same institution in 1848.WikipediaRead More