 |
||
Thargélia Ritual
On the day previous to the ritual, the pharmakos (scapegoat) is ritually expunged. This may be done in a variety of ways. One example is to make a paper doll, transfer all of the ills of the city onto it, and ritually dispose of it. For our ritual, this will be done by the priestess.
Before the ritual begins the ritual area will have been purified with sulfur. Additionally, the altar is set up facing East. It should be placed in the center of the area if possible. Statues, photographs, paintings, etc. of Apollon should be placed upon the altar. Just outside the ritual space, water fonts (perirrantéria) will be set up for participants to wash their hands. In the font is khérnips, or lustral water, which serves as a purification.
Participants assemble in a location away from the ritual space, and carrying all ritual items, they process to the ritual space. Music should be played during the procession (live or pre-recorded). The order for the procession will be as follows: the maiden carrying the barley and knife, the hydrophóros (water-carrier), thumiamaphóros (incense-carrier), participants carrying the sacrifices, offerings, and food for the meal, and lastly the spondephóros (libation-carrier). Participants who are not carrying anything will follow the spondephóros.
Upon 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. If a purification is needed, such as for one who has recently given birth or who is in mourning, please have these rituals done before the Thargélia.
Participants then enter the space, and moving in a counter-clockwise direction, circle the ritual area one or more times. This serves as an additional purification of the space. In ancient times, this would have been a dance, and we will do a simple circle-dance step, leading with the right foot. All ritual items will then be placed on a table next to the altar, 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 khernips 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. (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: Apollon is an Olympian deity, and thus one or both palms should be lifted up during prayer.]
“Hear me, Apollon Apotrópaios [averter of evil], Paián [physician], Apollon Kourotróphos [protector of youth], Phoîbos [bright], Apollon Ákesios [healer], or by which ever name you wish to be called. For everywhere, O Phoibos, the whole range of song is fallen to you, both over the mainland that rears heifers and over the isles. All mountain-peaks and high headlands of lofty hills and rivers flowing out to the deep and beaches sloping seawards and havens of the sea are your delight. We sing your praises on this sacred holiday. We have prepared a special offering for you, the thargelos. We ask that you bless our crops, and remove all harmful influences from our towns and ourselves. Keep us under your protection. 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 and cuts off a small portion of the thargelos and puts it in the altar fire. The priestess says, “Come, Apollon, and receive your offering.” That is allowed to burn for a moment. The fragrance and smoke should be allowed to rise freely. Then, the rest of the food offerings (if any) are lifted up for Apollon to see, and then it is divided up (if it has not already been divided). The first portion is given to the god by placing the plate of food on the altar. (It will be ritually disposed of later.) The rest is set aside as the human portion.
Next, the spondephóros steps forward with the wine for the libation. Lifting the jug up for the god to see, he says, “Apollon, we offer this spondé in your honor.” He then pours a little into the altar fire. (If that is not possible, it may be poured into a bowl that is held over the fire, to be deposited with the food after the ritual.) The god will signal that he has accepted the offerings by making the fire flare up.
As this point, the incense carrier steps forward with the incense, and holds it up for the god to see. S/He says, “Apollon, we offer this incense in your honor.” The incense is then placed on the altar.
After the incense has risen for a few minutes, another participant declares, “The offerings have been made; call the god!”
The priestess again steps forward to offer hymns to Apollon. She recites the Orphic Hymn to Apollon.
Come, O blessed Paian, O slayer of Titanos, O Phoibos, O Lykoreus;
At this point, other participants may step forward to offer libations (wine, water, oil), incense, flowers, etc. They may choose to say one of the following:
· An offering to you, Apollon Apotrópaios, averter of evil!Participants may also choose to say a few words from the heart while making their offering. This is especially appropriate when referring to past offerings or to special requests.
(An option at this point in the ritual would be to read myths about Apollon. In the past we have read selections from Kerényi’s Gods of the Greeks, pp. 135-139. We have also used an ancient Greek form of divination. Anyone wishing to consult the oracle may step forward with his or her question. Continue to do this until everyone who wishes to has had the chance to ask a question, or until the priestess feels the oracular portion should come to an end.)
Lastly, the spondephóros once again steps forward and makes a final libation. He says, “Hail to you, child of Zeus and rich-haired Leto. We shall assemble in your honor again!”
This signals the end of the ritual. Everyone is invited to participate in any games that will follow (darts, etc.) and to enjoy the meal.
Photos of our 2005 ritual are here. Recent ones coming soon.