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Anthestería Ritual
We held our ritual on Feb. 12, 2006.
Photos from the ritual are posted here.
To prepare for the ritual, all participants should be showered, wearing clean clothes, and free from míasma. They also should be wearing stephanoi. More information about how to prepare is available here.
Please be aware that we will be drinking wine during the ritual. Anyone who cannot, or does not, wish to drink wine should let the priestess know beforehand, and grape juice will be substituted.
Prior to the start of the ritual, the priest and/or priestess will purify the ritual area with sulfur. A high altar is set up facing the East, with a sacred fire on it. (We are holding our ritual indoors, and will use sterno.) Cult-statues and other images of Dionysos, other decorations, such as ivy, grape vines, flowers, or other things associated with Dionysos may be placed about the area or on the altar. A smaller altar, just a few inches above the floor (eskhára) is prepared for Khthonic Hermes. (It may also simply be a cloth placed directly on the floor.) A small image of Hermes is placed there, as are photos of any deceased relatives or friends that participants wish to honor. A water bowl (perirrantéria) will also be set up beforehand, which contains khérnips (lustral water) in which participants will wash their hands upon entering the ritual space.
Participants assemble in a location away from the ritual space, and carrying all ritual items, they process to the location. Music will be played during the procession. Participants should be in the following order: the maiden carrying the barley and knife, the hydrophóros (water-carrier), thumiamaphóros (incense-carrier), participants carrying the food offerings, other offerings (flowers, votive gifts, photos, etc.), and food for the meal, and lastly the spondephóros (libation-carrier), who will carry the unopened wine. Any other participants not carrying anything will follow the spondephóros.
Just before coming to the ritual space, each person will stop to wash their hands in the khernips before entering the space. Anyone who is not ritually clean from miasma will not be permitted to enter.
Participants then enter the space, and “dance” around the ritual area a few times in a counter-clockwise direction. This serves as an additional purification of the space. All ritual items will then be placed on the altars and/or nearby table (as instructed), and each person is then free to stand where ever they choose. It is not necessary to stand in a circular formation.
The priest takes the khérnips and sprinkles the participants, sacrifice, offerings, and altar with the water. He says, “As the khérnips is pure, so you are pure. May you be cleansed of all míasma.”
The basket of barley is then passed to each participant so they can take a small amount of barley. The priestess then steps to the altar and offers the following prayer.
[Note: One or both palms should be lifted toward the sky or toward the altar, as Dionysos is an Olympian deity.]
“Hear me, Dionysos en límnais [in the marshes], Dionysos Omphakítes [of unripe grapes], Dionysos Dithúrambos [dithyramb], or by whichever names you wish to be called. The Father of men and gods gave you birth remote from men. The rich-haired Nymphs received you in their bosoms from the lord your father and fostered and nurtured you carefully. By the will of your father you grew up in a sweet-smelling cave, and named one of the immortals. Once grown, you began to wander continually through the woods, thickly wreathed with ivy and laurel. And the Nymphs followed in your train with you for their leader; and the boundless forest was filled with their outcry. [Adapted from both Homeric Hymns to Dionysos] We celebrate you with the new wine, and ask that you liberate us from what binds us, and give us your many blessings in this season of spring and throughout the year.”
She then steps back, and all participants throw a small amount of barley at the altar, sacrifices, and offerings.
Next, the spondephóros step forward with the wine bottle. He uncorks it, and lifts the bottle up for the god to see. He says, “Before the rains we set aside the newly pressed gifts of Dionysos, hidden in dark caves like a child in the womb. Today we offer the first fruits of our labors to the god. We offer this spondé in your honor.” [adapted from Campbell’s Old Stones, New Temples p. 268] He then pours a little into the bowl on the altar fire. That is allowed to burn for a moment. The fragrance and should be allowed to rise freely.
Then, participants with other food offerings (grapes, food for the meal, etc.) take turns stepping forward. Each raises the offering up for Dionysos to see and says “I bring you this offering of (name gift) that you may remember me always”. The offering is then put on the altar. [This will be deposited in a wooded area after the ritual.] The rest of the food is set aside as the human portion.
The priestess reads the following poem by Alkaios, while the spondephóros mixes and pours the wine into cups.
Drink.Why wait for the lamps?
There's only a finger of daylight left.
Get the big cups, the ones with pictures.
Bakkhos gave wine to drown our sorrows.
Mix one of water to two of wine,
Fill them to the brim,
And let one cup quickly follow the other.
[Optional] 3 and 4 year old children are presented with their first wine cups/jugs. Each steps forward and the priestess presents them with their cup. As she does, she says, “(name of child) you are a precious gift from the gods. Receive your jug of mixed wine. Offer a libation to Dionysos, and then take a drink yourself.” The child offers a libation, either silently or saying whatever words they wish to. Then they take a sip. [Note: you may want to mix extra water or grape juice with the children's portions.]
Participants may now step forward to take a cup of the wine. All together they drink their wine in silence. [Wine may be substituted with grape juice for those who do not or cannot drink wine.]
If anyone has anything else to offer to Dionysos, such as flowers, votives, etc., they may step forward and offer it now, saying something from the heart as they place it on the altar.
At this time, everyone directs their attention to the eskhára of Hermes. [If anyone has not placed their photos of the deceased here yet, do so now.]
The priestess recites the Orphic Hymn to Khthonic Hermes (#57)
“You dwell in the compelling road of no return, by the
Kokytos,
and you guide the souls of mortals to the nether gloom.
Hermes, offspring of Dionysos who revels in the dance
and of Aphrodite, the Paphian maiden of the fluttering eyelids,
you frequent the sacred house of Persephone
as guide throughout the earth of ill-fated souls
which you bring to their haven when their time has come,
charming them with your sacred wand and giving them sleep
from which you rouse them again. To you indeed
Persephone gave the office, throughout wide Tartaros,
to lead the way for the eternal souls of men.
But, blessed one, grant a good end for the initiate’s work.”
A dish of grains and honey and a bowl of water is placed down for Hermes and the souls of the deceased. Anyone who wishes to say a personal dedication may do so now.
After everyone has had a chance to make an offering that wishes to, all return to the altar of Dionysos. The spondephóros once steps forward to make the final libation. “And so hail to you, Dionysos, god of abundant clusters! Hail, Hermes, giver of grace, guide, and giver of good things! Grant that we may come again rejoicing to this season, and from that season onwards for many a year.” [Homeric Hymns to Dionysos and to Hermes] He pours a wine libation.
The priestess signals the end of the ritual by saying, “Out you Keres, the Anthestería are over!” [With this, any of the souls of the dead return with Hermes to the Underworld.] She then invites everyone to the meal and games that will follow.
Thank you for participating! Be sure to sign the form allowing your picture to be taken!
Last updated: 02/24/2006