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Eleusinia ta megala Ritual
Please visit our page of photos from the Eleusinia ta megala on 18 Sept. 05.
To those planning to come to the ritual: Please prepare yourselves by fasting before the ritual. Preferably do not eat any breakfast or lunch that day, or if that is not possible, only eat a light breakfast of fresh fruits and/or vegetables. [We will share a meal at the end of the ritual.] Other important instructions are given here.
Prior to the start of the ritual, the priest and/or priestess will purify the ritual area with sulfur. An altar is set up facing the East, next to the sacred fire. (We are holding our ritual outside, and will use a grill.) Cult-statues and other images of Demeter and Persephone are set up on the altar. Other decorations, such as flowers, images of pigs, or other fitting things, may be placed about the area or on the altar. 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 torches, candles, and all ritual items, they process to the location. Music will be played during the procession. The order for the procession will be as follows: the priestess as dadoukhos (torch-carrier), the maiden carrying the barley and knife, the hydrophóroi (water-carriers), thumiamaphóros (incense-carrier), participants carrying the kykeon (barley drink), sacrifices (pork), offerings (flowers, votive gifts, etc.), and food for the meal, the second dadoukhos, and lastly the spondephóroi (libation-carriers), who will carry oil, milk, and water for the final libation [Note: no wine is used in this ritual!]. If there are additional dadoukhoi carrying torches or candles, they will stand in between those carrying ritual items.
Just before coming to the ritual space, the participant will be greeted with “Khaire” by the priestess, who will tie a thread around their right wrist. Then, 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 altar and nearby table, and each person is then free to stand where ever they choose. It is not necessary to stand in a circular formation. [The music is now turned off, if it has not already been.]
The priest then proclaims “Hekas o hekas este bebeloi!” [which means “profane ones depart!”] He then takes the khérnips and sprinkles the participants, sacrifice, offerings, and altar with the water, while saying, “May you be cleansed of all míasma.”
The priestess then pours out a small amount of kykeon for each participant. [Note: please don’t drink if you are pregnant!] Following the priestess’ lead, all drink. Then, the priestess proclaims, “We have fasted and we have drunk the kykeon!” All repeat, “We have fasted and we have drunk the kykeon!”
The basket of barley is then passed to each participant so they can take a small amount of barley. (Be careful when reaching into the basket as the ritual knife is buried underneath the barley!) The priestess then steps to the altar and offers the following prayer.
[Note: One or both palms should be lifted toward the cult statues during prayer.]
“Hear me, Eleusinian Goddesses Demeter and Persephone! You, bringers of the seasons, you have shown us how to plant, how to tend, and how to harvest. You also teach us that death is not the final end. We ask that you make us deserving of your blessings, that we may know the consummation of life. Make our hearts free from care while we live, and lighter when we go to the Underworld. Grant this to us, and we shall assemble in your honor again.”
She then steps back, and all participants throw a small amount of barley at the altar, sacrifices, and offerings. The priestess takes the ritual knife from the basket, cuts or scores some of the pork, and puts it in the altar fire. That is allowed to burn for a moment. The fragrance and smoke should be allowed to rise freely. Then, a plate with the rest of the sacrifices/food offerings is lifted up for Demeter and Persephone to see, and then it is put into the fire. Anything that cannot be burned can be left on the plate and placed 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.
Next, the spondephóroi step forward with the liquids for the libation. We will begin with the milk. Lifting the container up for the goddesses to see, s/he says, “Demeter & Persephone, goddesses of the grain, we offer this libation in your honor.” S/He then pours a little into the altar fire.
The oil libation is next: s/he says, “Demeter & Persephone, goddesses of Eleusis, we offer this libation in your honor.” The oil is poured into the fire.
As this point, the incense carrier steps forward with the incense, and holds it up for the goddesses to see. S/He says, “Demeter and Persephone, protectors of children, we offer this incense in your honor.” The incense is then placed on the altar and allowed to burn.
A song is played called “Kore Evohe” by the Aurora Chorus.
When that has finished, the priestess again steps forward to offer hymns to the Two Goddesses.
The Orphic Hymn (#40) to Demeter Eleusinia is read:
“Deo, divine mother of all, goddess of many names,
august Demeter, nurturer of youths and giver of prosperity
and wealth. You nourish the ears of corn, O giver of all,
and you delight in peace and in toilsome labor.
Present at sowing, heaping and threshing, O spirit of the unripe fruit,
you dwell in the sacred valley of Eleusis.
Charming and lovely, you give sustenance to all mortals,
and you were the first to yoke the ploughing ox
and to send up from below a rich and lovely harvest for mortals.
Through you there is growth and blooming, O illustrious companion of Bromios
and, torch-bearing and pure one, you delight in the summer’s yield.
From beneath the earth you appear and to all you are gentle,
O holy and youth-nurturing lover of children and of fair offspring.
You yoke your chariot to bridled dragons,
and round your throne you whirl and howl in ecstasy.
Only daughter with many children and many powers over mortals,
you manifest your myriad faces to the variety of flowers and sacred blossoms;
come, blessed and pure one, and laden with the fruits of summer,
bring peace together with the welcome rule of law,
riches, too, and prosperity, and health that governs all.”
The Orphic Hymn (#29) to Persephone is read:
“Persephone, blessed daughter of great Zeus, sole offspring
of Demeter, come and accept this gracious sacrifice.
Much honored spouse of Plouton, discreet and life-giving,
you command the gates of Haides in the bowels of the earth,
Lovely-tressed Praxidike, pure bloom of Deo,
mother of the Furies, queen of the nether world,
whom Zeus sired in clandestine union.
Mother of loud-roaring and many-shaped Eubouleus,
radiant and luminous playmate of the Seasons,
august, almighty, maiden rich in fruits,
brilliant and horned, you alone are beloved of mortals.
In spring you rejoice in the meadow breezes
and you show your holy figure in shoots and green fruits.
You were made a kidnapper’s bride in the fall,
and you alone are life and death to toiling mortals,
O Persephone, for you always nourish all and kill them, too.
Hearken, O blessed goddess, and send forth the earth’s fruits.
You who blossoms in peace, in soft-handed health,
and in a life of plenty that ferries old age in comfort
to your realm, O queen, and to that of mighty Plouton.”
Participants may now step forward to make offerings, such as libations, incense, flowers, votives, etc. They may recite one of the following, or say something from the heart:
“Demeter, beauty spreads round about you and a lovely fragrance wafts from
your sweet-smelling robes.” (Homeric Hymn to Demeter)
“Persephone, you shine brightly in the darkness of Acheron and reign in the
inner Stygian depths.” (Apuleius, The Golden Ass 11.222)
“Demeter, your steps touch the earth, but your head reaches unto Olympos.” (Kallimachos
Hymn 6 to Demeter)
“Persephone, the spouse of Klymenos [Haides], host of many.” (Kallimachos,
Frag 478 )
“Demeter richly crowned may love us and fill our barns with food.” (Hesiod
Works and Days)
“Persephone you accept atonement for your ancient grief; souls in the ninth
year you send up again to the sun of this world.” (Pindar Dirges Frag.
133)
“Unto us will the great goddess of wide dominion [Demeter] come brining
white spring and white harvest and winter and autumn, and keep us to another
year.” (Kallimachos
Hymn 6 to Demeter)
“Persephone, you impair the mind of mortals
and bring them forgetfulness [after death].” (Greek Elegaic Theognis,
1.703)
After everyone has had a chance to make an offering that wishes to, the spondephóros once again steps forward to make the final libation. Two water jugs are set up, one facing East & one facing West. They are overturned as he calls out “Hye! Kye! Rain! Conceive!” All repeat “Hye! Kye! Rain! Conceive!”
The priestess then holds up a sheaf of grain for a moment. Participants are to think about the significance of the grain. Then she says “Thrice blessed of mortals are those who go to Haides after beholding these rites. To them alone it is given to live there; to others everything there is evil.” (Sophocles) Each participant is given a sheaf of grain by the priestess.
She then explains that the ritual has ended, and 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: 09/08/2006