A Hellenic Ritual Against Fascism

[child_of_the_air]

I wrote this ritual this weekend to perform on Monday with some friends who are also really scared about the outcome of Tuesday's election.  I'd appreciate any comments or suggested changes, especially with respect to all the prayers for the libations.

 

 

 

Supplies

 

            altar table

            hearth candle

            lighter

 

            small bowl of barley groats for purification

            incense for making khernips

            bowl of salt water for making khernips

 

            large cup of honey water for making libations

            bowl for pouring libations into

            plate of food for offerings

            bowl for placing offerings in

 

 

 

Ritual Cleansing

 

Light a stick of incense and immerse it in a bowl of water, saying "xerniptosai" to make khernips.

 

Pass around the khernips for everyone to dip their hands in.

 

Light candles for illumination, and sprinkle barley on the altar table.

 

 

 

Lighting the Hearth

 

Light the hearth candle, then all join hands in a circle surrounding the altar table.

 

            As our hands are joined in this circle,

            may our hearts be joined as around one hearth.

            Hestia, first-and-last-born, who tends the hearth and guards the fire,

            please accept the first drink, and bless us as we gather here.

 

Release hands, and pour a libation of honey water to Hestia.

Libations

 

Pour a libation of honey water after each prayer.

 

(1)       Queenly Hera and Zeus, who is father of all gods and men,

            you rule us justly from high Olympus:

            And so to you we pray, that our own government can be righted,

            that the rights and needs of each shall be fulfilled.

 

(2)       Bright Phoebus Apollon, who speaks the truth,

            and wise Athena who instituted courts:

            We praise you and pray your protection

            for justice and the rule of law.

 

(3)       Hestia, who guards the hearth and home,

            you protect us in the spaces that we make our own:

            Grant us your blessing and your aid

            to keep ourselves and neighbors safe.

 

(4)       Athena Polias, of the City lord,

            who taught us to live together in piece:

            We ask your protection for freedom

            and for the cities in which we dwell.

 

(5)        Mother Demeter, whose harvests feed us,

            your glory is in all that is green and growing:

            Give us the wisdom to protect this bounty

            and to avoid destroying it with our greed.

 

(6)       Poseidon, Earth-Shaker, Lord of the Sea,

            by whose sufferance our cities are built:

            We pray for the wisdom not to upset the Earth

            nor your wrath upon our children’s heads.

 

(7)        Zeus Xenios, you bid us aid the stranger;

            Hermes, you guard all who travel far from home:

            We ask your blessing and your help, that we may protect

            the newcomers and refugees among us.

 

(8)        Hephestus the Craftsman, you labor at the forge

            and create wondrous works, both day and night:

            We ask your protection for all who work

            from those who would line their pockets with our blood.

 

(9)       Artemis of the Silver Bow, whose arrows fly true;

            huntress who guards the births of humans and beasts:

            We ask your protection for those with wombs,

            that they alone shall have claim on their bodies.

 

(10)     Glorious Apollon Paean, bearer of the golden bow,

            and rod-bearing, snake-taught Asclepius:

            We pray for all who have need of your arts,

            that they shall have access to your healing.

 

(11)      Athena of the Many Roles, all-renowned

            as weaver, warrior, maiden, and mentor:

            We ask your blessing and your aid

            for all who break free of gender’s confines.

 

(12)     Fair Aphrodite, who inspires love among us,

            and Artemis, who loves only as she wills:

            We ask your blessing and protection,

            for those whose love those of the same sex.

 

(13)     Fire-bringing Prometheus, you dared disobey

            great Zeus himself, when his wrath was unjust:

            We ask your blessing and your protection

            for all those who resist oppression and unjust laws.

 

(14)      Torch-bearing Hekate, who comforts the fearful,

            brings light in darkness, and teaches strength to the weak:

            We ask your blessings for all who need them

            and pray that we too may take part in that work.

 

(15)      Athena Sotor, of the flashing eyes,

            you hold the aegis to protect the weak:

            We pray for your protection for all of us

            who wish to live in peace with freedom.

 

(16)     Oh Deathless Gods, who look down from Heaven,

            whose whims can shape our very lives:

            We pray to you for all your children,

            that they will be free to live and not only fight.

 

Offerings and Prayers

 

Going around the circle, each person makes any additional prayers they wish to make, and then put something from the plate of food on the offerings plate

 

 

 

Extinguishing the Hearth

 

Pass the hearth candle around for each person to hold, then place it in back on the altar and join hands in a circle.

 

            As our hands are joined in this circle,

            may our hearts be joined as around one hearth.

            Hestia, first-and-last-born, who tends the hearth and guards the fire,

            please accept the first drink, and bless us as we gather here.

 

Extinguish the hearth candle, followed by the illumination candles.

 

Deposit the offerings and libations appropriately outdoors.

 

Comments

[alexseanchai]

I see some misspellings, no big deal probably

I'd add a verse to Ares of Warriors, for strength to the marginalized and that our soldiers not obey orders that would make our soldiers war criminals, and one to Hermes of the Marketplace (of ideas, in this instance, but also of money)—hell I think I will add verses and do the ritual solo—but other than that it looks great

[child_of_the_air]

Thanks for those suggestions: I'll try to come up with those. Also, it doesn't really have a good anti-racist verse; I'm thinking of writing one, maybe addressed to "Zeus, the Father of us All," but if you have any alternate ideas, let me know.

And please feel free to point out misspellings! I'm the kind of crazy who wants to know and fix them even if they don't matter.

[alexseanchai]

Hephestus -> Hephaestus or Hephaistos (since you're mixing Latinate and direct-from-Greek transliterations, idk which you want)

Sotor -> Soter (I'm pretty sure, but also since Athena, Soteria)

Athena, by some reports, was born in Libya—just saying

[child_of_the_air]

*nods* I hadn't actually realized until another friend just told me that I was mixing them. I'll probably go with "Hephaestus" as more consistent with the rest of it.