Puanepsia-Oskhophoria 2012

Xairete!

Today was our joint celebration of Puanepsia and Oskhophoria.  The two fall side by side on the Athenian calendar, and at our oikos they appear to be merging into a new festival with elements of both as we honor the "changing of the guard" as Apollon goes to Hyperborea and Dionysos returns to Delphi.

We made eirisioni from branches taken from the backyard, decorated with ribbons, bay leaves, and other items in some cases.  One participant incorporated grapevine.  Since there actually was a child in attendance today, the child distributed the eirisioni to everyone present, a slightly more traditional method than our usual "musical eirisioni."

After the theoxenia, which included everything from a turkey-zucchini stir-fry to lentil-kale soup to sweet bread to grapes, not to mention both white grape juice and wine, there was a "fashion show" of those participants who had chosen to honor Dionysos' androgynous aspect by dressing as the opposite gender, an element we've been incorporating for the past couple of years.

That's it for now.  Next up will be the Genesia on the 28th, Panaia on November 11th, and Pompaia on November 25th.

Peace,
Diane

September 2012

Xairete!

We're about halfway through the month of Panagonion, and the secular September has been a busy month!

On the 2nd, we celebrated Therapeia, a healing festival for Apollon, Asklepios, and Pan.

As has become customary at HTAZP, we held a Reiki share as part of the festival.

The 16th was Panagon, a day of games celebrating Pan's help in the Battle of Marathon.  This year, the game was Pente.  Timotheos won for the day, and the prize (a candle) now resides on Pan's shrine.

Today, September 30, we celebrated the Fall Festival, which was a two-parter.  For the first part of the day, we offered thusia and shared theoxenia with Demeter and Kore in thanks for the bounty of the growing season that is growing to a close.  Offerings included pork, tricolor couscous, apple cider, and a rice dish with various harvest veggies and apples.

We also spent some time talking about how this time of transition is not only about the changing seasons but also about life changes as Kore matures and Demeter has to learn to let Her go, at least some of the time, and Demeter's anger that it did not happen on Her terms.  Kore's name change is part of that transition.

The second part of the feast is Persephone's wedding to Hades.  The altar for that portion of the day started off with Hades awaiting His bride.  Some discussion arose around the various  different interpretations of the tale of Kore's abduction.

A procession was made from the main temple space with Persephone's image to the place awaiting her by Hades.

Offerings included a wedding cake (top layer seen above in the offering dish), flowers, chocolate cake that arrived later, and a cocktail called peacock that included pomegranate liqueur.  

That's it for this month.  Next month's festivals include Puanepsia/Oskhophoria on the 14th and Genesia on the 28th.  Down the road, November's two festivals are anticipated to be Panaia and Pompaia.

Peace,
Diane

Founders Festival and the Year Ahead

Xairete!

Today we celebrated the Founders Festival at the Hellenic Temple of Apollon, Zeus, and Pan.  The new space has been renovated since you saw it last, and so this celebration included reopening and rededicating the space.

The entryway is guarded by Hermes and Hekate.

As you enter the Temple space, there is a shrine to the Olympians on the left

and the Agathos Daimon on the right.

Directly ahead as you proceed is a shrine to Zeus.

Immediately to the right is a Hestia's shrine

and the main shrine to the Temple Patrons.

There is also the library space (featuring left to right Peregrine, Sage, and Timotheos)

and the reading (as in divination) space.

And in the area just before the entryway is the Shrine to Foreign Gods.

In the previous issue, I mentioned that there had been divination done for the themes & Deities to be focused on for the year ahead.  Here they are:

Month	Common Calendar	Deities	Themes
Anadikion	7/19-8/18 2012	Athena, Hades & Persephone	building, working, creating
Therapeion	8/18-9/16 2012	Gaia, Heracles	decisions, actions
Panagonion	9/16-10/16 2012	Pan, Eros	reprieve from chaos, relax, healing
Pyanepsion	10/16-11/14 2012	Helios, Hekate	chaos, figthing, brings clarity
Panaion	11/14-12/14 2012	Horai, Hestia, assistance from Demeter	new growth
Kheimoneion	12/14/2012-1/12/2013	Artemis, Zeus	Listen to Zeus. Fresh start. Charge forward.
Gamelion	1/12-2/11 2013	Poseidon, Dionysos	priesthood, leadership, established structure, fluid rules
Diasion	2/11-3/12 2013	Aphrodite, Daimon	team up, retreat, group work
Eiarinion	3/12-4/11 2013	Ares, Demeter	destroy, rebirth, courage, decision on growth
Delphinion	4/11-5/10 2013	Hermes, Selene	family, growth
Thargelion	5/10-6/9 2013	Hephaestos, Hera	build strength, forge newness
Philokhorion	6/9-7/9 2013	Apollon	content
Philokhorion B	7/9-8/7 2013	Hades	more work w/Hades & ancestors

Upcoming festivals:

September 2: Therapeia, a healing festival in honor of Apollon and Asklepios

September 16: Panagon, a festival of games for Pan.

September 30:  Fall Festival in honor of Demeter and Persephone

Peace,
Diane

July-August 2012

Xairete!

Since the last update, the Temple has been undergoing major renovations, and has thus been quiet on the festival front.

We did celebrate the Anadikia or Athenian New Year on July 22, just in a different area. 

Next up will be the Founder's Festival/reopening of the renovated Temple on August 26th.  More details of the plans for the year ahead to follow!

For this weekend, have a blessed Deipnon/Noumenia/Agathos Daimon.

Peace,
Diane

Addendum: Here are the upcoming festivals for September:


September 2: Therapeia, a healing festival in honor of Apollon and Asklepios

September 16: Panagon, a festival of games for Pan.

September 30:  Fall Festival in honor of Demeter and Persephone

May-June 2012

Xairete!

It's been a busy month and a half or so since the last newsletter. 

On May 6, we celebrated Thargelia, the birthday of Apollon and Artemis.

As is traditional at HTAZP, this included a pharmakos (or symbolic scapegoat) cleansing ritual and divination as well as thusia and theoxenia.

On the 20th, we offered libations to Athena and Ares for the Ganesia.

Additionally, we honored our personal heroes and those ancestors who have served in the military.

The biggest news, however, is that the Hellenic Temple of Apollon, Zeus, and Pan has moved into a much larger space.  This past weekend, June 2-3, there was a formal closing of the old space and consecration of the new.

Here, we have the new shrine to the Temple Patrons, Apollon, Zeus, and Pan:

The shrine to all the Olympians:

The divination area:

And the library/study area:

We also held the first ritual in the new space, which was an Amphidekate or Naming Ceremony. 

Coming up, the next couple of observances will be the Philokhoria and the Athenian New Year/Great Noumenia/Anadikia.

April 2012

Xairete!

Sorry for the delay, folks.  Technical difficulties intervened, but finally, a bit of a catch-up on the happenings of March and April, not to mention plans for May.

March included the Diasia and Spring Festival, and April the Delphinia and Olympieia/Earth Day.  All festivals, of course, include thusia and theoxenia, but here are some of the highlights particular to each.

Diasia

As has become the custom for Diasia at HTAZP, our offerings included stuffed animals for a children's charity and Ktesios Jars.

There are various ways you can make these jars.  As you can see, we used a fairly wide range of sizes and shapes, filled with olive oil and individually selected herbs that are sacred to Zeus and/or represent the blessings requested from Him for our homes.  They were then decorated with snakes made from polymer clay.

Spring Festival

The Spring Festival was less "Pagan Arts and Crafts"-y, as the offerings made in addition to the usual foods, incenses, and candles were flowers, both store-bought and wild-gathered, to honor Persephone's return and Demeter's rejoicing.

 

Delphinia

The Delphinia celebrates Apollon Delphinios, Apollo of the Dolphins.  Alas, the technical difficulties of retrieving those pictures have not yet been resolved, but what I would be showing you would be pictures of an altar surrounded by various dolphin decorations.  Trust me, it was a sight to see.

Olympeia/Earth Day

These are actually two festivals that, because of when they fall, are becoming a joint festival of Zeus and Gaia at HTAZP, which may or may not eventually end up named some variant of Zeus-Gaia Game Day, as has been suggested.

After the main ritual and feast, games followed with From Cave to Sky: A Devotional Anthology in Honor of Zeus as the coveted prize.  (Which I won. Yay!)

Coming up in May

On May 6, we will be celebrating Thargelia, and on May 20 there may be a ritual to Ares, as this is near Armed Forces Day. 

That's all the news for now.  Feel free to comment with your own ideas or experiences related to these or other holidays, or any comments or questions you may have, as we'd love to hear from you!

Peace,
Diane

Hermathlon

The Hermathlon is a festival of Hermes Agonios (Lord of the Games) and Hermes Eriounios (Luck-Bringer).  In ancient times there were "hermathlons" celebrated with athletic games in His honor, but it was not a regularly scheduled festival.  As He had few "official" festivals, some now celebrate this as a recurring festival to Him. This modernized festival can be celebrated with playing any sort of games in His honor, particularly athletic games, word games, or games involving speed. 

Hermathlon 2015

Hermathlon 2020