Fall Festival

Khairete!

May this autumn find you well and celebrating a bountiful harvest.

Today's Festival

Today at HTAZP we observed the Fall Festival which we celebrate in two parts. First, we honored Demeter and Kore, thanking Them for the various things we have harvested this year.

 

This portion of the festival, as you can see, was held in the main Temple space.  The main sacrificial offering was a vegetable harvest soup and apple cider was the libation.

After feasting with the Goddesses of the day and the Gods of the Temple, we moved on to the second portion of the festival, in which we celebrated the wedding of Hades and His Bride, whose name then becomes Persephone.

 Here, Hades awaits the arrival of His Bride.

 

Here, you can see the couple who have received offerings of a halved apple, pumpkin and chocolate Munchkins, and pomegranate juice. The couple are also adorned with a ribbon that essentially represents a wedding gift from Hera.

Upcoming Events

Many of the local members of the Temple will be participating in a retreat during the beginning of October, and so the next festival celebrated at the Temple will be in just about another month.

Date	Festival
22 Pyanepsion/October 27	Puanepsia and Oskhophoria
6 Panaion/November 10	Genesia
20 Panaion/November 24	Panaia
5 Kheimonion/December 8	Dendraia
19 Kheimonion/December 22	Kheimonia

Until then, may the blessings of the Gods be with you.

Peace,
Diane

Installation of the First HTAZP Seminary Graduates and Panagon

Khairete!

September has been a busy month already! So far, we've had our Installation Ceremony and celebrated the Panagon, and we've one more celebration to go before the month is out.

Installation Ceremony

On Friday, September 6, the Noumenia of Panagonion, we celebrated the installation of the first three graduates and ordinees of the HTAZP Seminary.

Pictured above are Hiereus Timotheos, founder of the Hellenic Temple of Apollon, Zeus, and Pan and our three new hiereoi: Peregrine Ursano, Draconis Pyrozale, and Scarlet Rose. These three are the first to complete the HTAZP seminary program, which culminated in their ordination at a retreat over Labor Day weekend. Installation was celebrated, as you can see, back at the Temple. Each was presented with a certificate for completing the training and a symbolic "Key to the Temple."

Timotheos founded the Hellenic Temple of Apollon, Zeus, and Pan in 2005. He has been offering classes in beginning and intermediate Hellenismos studies for several years and has been excited all year about the Temple's first group of seminarians. In thanks for his service and teaching, the graduates presented him with a new ceremonial wreath.

Panagon

On Sunday the 15th of September/9th of Panagonion, we celebrated the Panagon, a festival of games celebrating Pan's assistance on behalf of the Athenians in the Battle of Marathon.

For thusia and theoxenia, we had kielbasa with tomatoes and rice and donuts for dessert. (All thematically appropriate, if you think about it.) And for this year's game, we played cribbage, with a package of Pan Incense as the prize.

Upcoming Events

Date	Festival
23 Panagonion/September 29	Fall Festival
22 Pyanepsion/October 27	Puanepsia and Oskhophoria
6 Panaion/November 10	Genesia
20 Panaion/November 24	Panaia
5 Kheimonion/December 8	Dendraia
19 Kheimonion/December 22	Kheimonia