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Libation to Hermes
Members of Hellenion offer libations to certain gods in specific months. August is the month to honor Hermes.
All participating will come to the ritual clean and pure from míasma. Each stops to wash their hands in the khérnips before entering the ritual area. However, there will be no further purifications for this short ritual.
The priestess (or priest or other participant) says the following prayer to the god, while all lift their hands upward:
“Hear me, Hermes Lógios [of speech], Hermes Khthónios [khthonic], Hermes Enódios [of the road], or by whichever name you wish to be called. The son of Zeus and Maia, you were born at the dawn, at mid-day played the lyre, and in the evening you stole the cattle of far-shooting Apollon on the fourth day of the month. You are the lord over all birds of omen and grim-eyed lions, and boars with gleaming tusks, and over dogs and all flocks that the wide earth nourishes, and over all sheep. Hail, Hermes, giver of grace, guide, and giver of good things! Be present, Hermes, assist our works, grant us eloquence and flawless memories, and conclude our lives with peace.”
At this point participants come forth with various libations of wine, water, milk, honey, olive oil, etc. As they pour their libation, they recite one of the following lines:
A libation in your honor, Hermes Propúlaios, “before the gates”
A libation in your honor, Hermes Dioktóros, “messenger”
A libation in your honor, Hermes Kriophóros, “ram-bearer”
A libation in your honor, Hermes Erioúnios, “bringer of luck”
A libation in your honor, Hermes Psukhopompós, “guide of souls”
A libation in your honor, Hermes Nómios, “protector of flocks”
A libation in your honor, Hermes Kourotróphos, “protector of youth”
[The following is optional, although we did this] Frankincense is lit and offered to the god, while the Orphic Hymn to Hermes (#28) is read.**
“Hear me, Hermes, messenger of Zeus, son of Maia;
almighty is your heart, O lord of the deceased and judge of contests;
gentle and clever, O Argeiphontes, you are a guide
whose sandals fly, and a man-loving prophet to mortals.
You are vigorous and you delight in exercise and in deceit;
interpreter of all, you are a profiteer who frees us of cares
and who holds in his hands the blameless tool of peace.
Lord of Koykos, blessed, helpful and skilled in words,
you assist in work, you are a friend of mortals in need,
and you wield the dreaded and respected weapon of speech.
Hear my prayer and grant a good end to a life
of industry, gracious talk, and mindfulness.”
Any special requests or personal devotions are made at this time.
To conclude the ritual, a final libation is poured, while saying “And so Farewell to you, Son of Zeus and Maia. We shall assemble in your honor again.”
** In 2005 we opted to read Hymn #57 to Khthonic Hermes instead, asking that he guide the souls of the 121 people killed in an airplane crash outside Athens that happened a few days before our libation. You might consider that substitution if you’d like his help for the deceased.