Athenaea
A Festival in Honor of the Goddess Athena
The First Festival of Our Liturgical Year
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The Gathering
The People should gather with the Sacra necessary for the ritual. The Barley, the Knife, the Fire, the Cup, the Water, the Wine, the Incense, and the Food. Also a Book or Scroll, if necessary, and equipment for the Games: a discus, a javelin, oil, dust; and torches.
This should also be a festival with athletic competitions,particularly a Lampededromia, or torch race, conducted after dark. Competitions in the Arts and Crafts are also appropriate. Performing arts such as song and poetry may be featured. Those Crafts which Athena taught, such as weaving and goldsmithing,might well be honored.
The Stephanoi (victory wreaths) should be of Olive branches, just as at the Olympics.
The Sacrifice is, of course, to Athena, so the appropriate flesh for the feast is lamb or beef. Warriors may wish to make special prayer and offering to the Goddess for strategy and wisdom in warcraft at this time. Requests for success in commerce and craft are appropriate, and above all requests for Wisdom is all things.
The Pompe, or Procession
The Incense is lit, then, in the order dictated by the order of the Sacra, as listed above, the People are lead by the Priest or Priestess to the Temenos, or Sacred Precinct, containing the altar of sacrifice. At the entrance to the Temenos, each person performs the khernips, or hand-washing, then moves in a counterclockwise direction to form a circle around the bomos, or altar.
After the khernips, everyone remains silent until the Priest or Priestess cries out:
"Hekas, o hekas, este bebeloi!"
The People Reply:
"Let All That Is Profane Be Far From Here!"
The Lighting
The Priest or Priestess cries out:
"Paresmen time, sonta tas theas kai tous theous."
The People Reply:
"We Are Here To Honor the Gods and Goddesses."
The Priest or Priestess then lights the fire on the altar, which should have been laid out beforehand. Most properly this would be done with a pure flame brought from the altar of Hestia, but this may not always be practical; and there are specific rituals in which the fire should be lit otherwise.
The Scattering
The Barley is passed counterclockwise and each person takes some and tosses it upon the altar. The remaining barley is placed near bye.
The Mixing
The Libation bearers move to either side of the Priest or Priestess and the Wine and Water is mixed.
The Priest or Priestess says:
"Theasthe ta hudata biou."
The People Reply:
"Behold the Waters of Life!"
The First Libation
The Priest or Priestess says:
"Hestia, Thine is always the first and the last."
Some of the mixture in the cup is poured out on the altar, then the cup is passed around counterclockwise, each person taking a sip in offering to Hestia, or touching a drop to his or her forehead in offering, and repeating the above formula of offering to Hestia, or saying simply "Sponde!." The Priest or Priestess takes a last sip, and the remaining part is poured out on the altar.
Hymnodia
The Priest cries out:
"Koimeson stoma!"
The People Reply:
"We will stop up our mouthes!"
(The People then maintain silence through the Hymn)
Here should be recited or sung the First Homeric Hymn to Athena in the order set by Athanassakis, Homeric Hymn #11.
The Second Libation
The Libation Bearers again mix water and wine. The Priest or
Priestess offers up the cup and says:
"Hear, Oh Athena, Goddess of Wisdom, conceived in Mother Metis but born out of the head of Father Zeus; Goddess of Battles, Goddess of Strategies, Goddess of Cities and Strong Citadels, Parthenos; Bearer of Victory, Nike; Councilor, Weaver,Goldsmith Goddess of Olives and Oils, Goddess of Competitions, of Commerce, Strong Advocate of Just Laws, Tritogenia: we call upon You with whatever name it pleases You to be called! If ever we have made offering to You, or honored You in word or deed, grant us that Arete which is the goal of mortal life."
The Priest or Priestess pours some of the mixture on the altar,then passes the cup counterclockwise. When the libation returns to the Priest or Priestess he or she takes a last sip, and the remaining part is poured out on the altar.
The Sacrifice.
The Sacred Victims (To Hierion) are brought forward. The Priestor Priestess touches each thing to be offered with the sacrificial knife.
Each one who is making an offering may say, as it is offered:
"Lambane kai heydou anathema mou."
or simply:
"Accept and Delight in my Offering."
Each one may also add any particulars he or she feels necessary, such as requests or thanksgivings.
When all offerings have been made, the Priest or Priestess says:
"Lambane kai heydou anathemata heymown."
Response: "Accept and Delight in Our Offerings."
In Ancient Times we are told that at "The Blow," that is, when the sacrificial knife stuck the victim, the women ululated. It is appropriate in our own times for the women to do so after this last response, this having the effect of a kind of cheer.
The Ritual Reply
Here should be recited or sung the Second Homeric Hymn to Athena in the order set by Athanassakis, Homeric Hymn #28.
The Agon
This is the part of the ritual where the most variables occur. In Ancient Times this would be the place for the Sacrificial Dances, such dances filling the time while the priests cut up the sacrificial bull and put the appropriate choice parts upon the sacrificial fire; the Blow itself was the sacral moment.
Music and Dancing, immediately following the ritual response, are most appropriate. So are Sacred Games: for this ritual, particularly, the Lampededromia should be included. For this reason, this dromena may be scheduled late in the day, so that the spectacle of the torch race occurs after dark. As it occurs near midsummer, the mild night should be conducive to night time festivities.
The Sacral Feast
There was a time when Men and Gods supped together. In making Sacrifice and in the exercises of the Agon we have called upon the Deity to join us. When the Agon is done, the Sacral Feast is set and everyone eats. This can be something as simple as bread and wine, or as elaborate as a many course banquet. The important thing to remember is that this is a communion not only between mortal and Deity but between the mortals who share the feast as well. We are all joined in communion, in community, in koinonia, by the sharing of the Sacral Feast.
Everybody eats.
The Libation of Thanks
The Libation Bearers mix wine and water again. The Priest or Priestess leads the people in giving thanks to the Goddess, letting individuals speak at will. Then the Priest or Priestess offers up the cup, saying:
"Athena Kharin ekhomen soi."
Some of the mixture in the cup is poured out on the altar, then the cup is passed around counterclockwise, each person taking a sip in offering to Athena, or touching a drop to his or her forehead in offering, and saying:
"Athena, Hilathi!"
(Athena Be Propitious!)
or
"Athena, Sponde!"
or simply
"Athena, we thank You."
The Priest or Priestess takes a last sip, and the remaining partis poured out on the altar.
The Final Libation
The Libation Bearers mix wine and water one final time.
The Final Libation is offered to Hestia, with the words:
"Hestia, Thine is always the first and the last."
It is offered in the same manner as the first, but when the Priest or Priestess pours out the last of it upon the altar, he or she cries out:
"Houtos heksoi!"
The Response is:
"Houtos heksoi,"
or simply:
"So Be It!"
This is the End of the Ritual.
--Pyrocanthus,
16 June 1999
Thiasos Olympikos 9
Revised Slightly and Fine Tuned,
1 July 2001.
Thiasos Olympikos 12
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Those wishing to pursue further the worship of the Hellenic Gods may contact Thiasos Olympikos, c/o Rhinoceros Lodge, Post Office˙Box 1140, Cobb, CA., 95426-1140.
We recommend the translation of The Homeric Hymns by Apostolos N. Athanassakis, published by the Johns Hopkins University Press, ISBN 0-8018-1792-7
It can be ordered through our website by going to the bottom of the menu page, to the Books of Interest to Hellene Hearts section.
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