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Reconstruction of an Ancient Greek Ritual for Modern Pagans This is a basic outline of a Greek ritual:
1. Procession
2. Purification
3. Circumambulation
4. Sacrifice
a. Prayer
b. Offering
5. Libations, Hymns, Votive offerings, etc.
6. Feast
The procession begins at a location away from where the ritual will be held. In ancient times, this would go throughout the city, but for us we can simply process down a hallway, or from one room to another, to the ritual space. All participants, some of whom carry the ritual items (1), process toward the site of the ritual. The order should be: the maiden carrying the barley and knife, the hydrophóros (water-carrier), thumiamaphóros (incense-carrier), participants carrying the sacrifices, offerings, and food for the meal, flute player (if more than one, they are spread out in the procession), and lastly the spondephóros (libation-carrier). Participants who are not carrying anything will follow the spondephóros. The character of the procession can be either joyous or solemn, depending on the particular rite being celebrated. Music was usually played on flutes or lyres. Recorded music may be used instead.
Once the participants reach the ritual site, they are asked to wash their hands (and sometimes face) in the khernips, or lustral water (2). Often a bowl of khernips (called perirranteria) is set up at the entrance to the ritual space. In addition, or if it is not appropriate to wash hands, the priest or other designated person will sprinkle the khernips over the participants before the start of the ritual. One must purify themselves before entering the sacred space. Anyone who is not ritually clean from miasma (pollution) will not be permitted to enter.
Now everyone may move into and circle the ritual space. This circumambulation is the subject of some debate. As many neo-pagans have a habit of moving in a clockwise direction, they feel that it is appropriate for the Hellenic rituals as well. However, there is a fair amount of evidence to suggest that the ancient Greeks would have moved counterclockwise about the space. This evidence comes mostly from folk dancing, which was also part of the ancient rituals. If possible, try to do a circle-dance step, facing inward and leading with the right foot. This designates the ritual space, and gives one last purification to the space (other purifications have taken place before the ritual). Items carried during the procession may be placed on a table or as otherwise instructed. Each person is then free to stand where ever they choose. It is not necessary to stand in a circular formation.
The altar is most often set up beforehand in
the middle of the space, and always faces east. If the ritual is honoring an
Olympian deity, the altar is called a bomós, and is about 2½ to 4 feet
high. Rituals honoring Khthonic deities may use a low altar called an
eskhara or a pit called a bothros. You may also place your
offerings directly on the ground. Participants may stand anywhere
they would like, but most choose a spot with an unobstructed view of the altar.
For the sacrifice (3), the offering is sprinkled with khernips. Everyone takes some
barley (4) and holds it ready. The officiating priest (or other designated person)
says the prayer, which consists of an invocation, a request, and mentions the
offering about to be made. He steps back, and then the people throw the barley
at the offering and the altar. The ritual knife is taken from the basket and a
very small portion of the sacrifice is cut off and tossed into the fire. The
sacrifice is raised up for a moment for the deity to see, and then cut and divided accordingly. The
first portions are burned in the altar fire as an offering to the god honored at
this celebration. The rest is set aside as the human portion. Then, a libation of wine is poured on the fire.
The gods signal that they have received the offering by making the fire flare
up.
At this point, hymns may be sung or recited, and additional libations made be made. Individuals may also step forward to say individual prayers and offer symbolic sacrifices from the human portion of the food, votive offerings, flowers, or anything else they wish to offer to the gods. However, a libation is always the final offering to be made.
Following this, the food remaining is for the feast. All take part in this, and it is always a joyous occasion. In ancient times, the food was not to be removed from the sanctuary, but today we may need to move the feast elsewhere, in order to accommodate everyone. Since we do not have physical temples that are designed for our purposes, we must improvise a little. The first plate is offered to the priest/ess, the second to the person or family that sponsored the sacrifice, then to the other participants. (A bit of trivia here: the priest/ess was “paid” for their services with large portions of the meat from the sacrifice, and also with the pelt, and very rarely with money. However, it was the understanding that the priest/ess would bring the meat to the market to be sold for money.) It is to be a fun and relaxed atmosphere. There would also be competitions held during this time, which may include singing, races, archery, or any other activity which would please the gods to watch. Prepare an extra stefanos to award to the winner.
Endnotes:
1. These items may include the khernips, knife, barley, food, wine, incense, and
anything else that will be used during the ritual. For more info, see the
essay on
paraphernalia.
2. Before even arriving for the ritual, it is expected that one has bathed and
dressed in clean clothing. For more info, see the essay on
ritual preparations.
3. I am writing about a “bloodless” sacrifice, that is one in which an animal is
not killed as part of the ritual. However, the ancients did practice animal
sacrifice, and some modern pagans do as well.
4. If you do not have barley, you may substitute with oats, rice, wheat, or millet,
as they are all grains.
You may also be interested to see the page on
prayer,
sacrifice, and
libations.