Persephone’s Ascent – Persephone Returns
Summer Solstice – Rite of Personal Sovereignty – The word “sovereign” means to be in supreme authority over someone or something, and to be extremely effective and powerful. Therefore, it is usually applied to gods, royalty, and governments. We speak of kings and queens as sovereigns (even when they are figureheads), and of the sovereign rights of nations and States.
Personal sovereignty, then, would imply the intrinsic authority and power of an individual to determine his or her own direction and destiny. If that sounds suspiciously like free will, it is because personal sovereignty and free will are the same thing.
Hekatesia – Hekates Night is a festival of propitiation. A walk carrying torches to a lake sacred to Diana /Artemis/Hekate where petitions were offered as well as gifts. It is the season when the most scorching region of the heavens takes over the land and the keen dog-star Sirius, so often struck by Hyperion’s sun, burns the gasping fields. Diana herself garlands the deserving hunting dogs and polishes the arrowheads and allows the wild animals to go in safety, and at virtuous hearths all Italy celebrates the Hecatean Ides. Hekate Prosperina, Artemis, Diana
Persephone’s Descent Persephone taken to the Underworld
Threshold – “She Who Stands Before the Gate.” This is the gate of the Under World as Hekate descends from her summer role as Kleidoukhos, Keeper of the Keys, when all the gates of creation of flung open wide. Hekate Propylaia
Enter Her Cave – Journey Down to Meet Hekate in Her Cave. Hekate/Hermes Khthonia
Hekate Soteira Honoring Hekate Soteira as the World Soul – Vigil with Sunrise Ritual
Blessing of Mothers and their Children. 27 Gamelion, January to February. 2016, February 6th.
Sacrifice to Kourotrophos, Goddess of raising children. Hekate and Artemis hold the epithet of Kourotrophos, and thus are also honoured on these days. Offerings and/or sacrifice to the aforementioned three Goddesses, hymns and libations and everything. Processions were apparently one aspect, of children and perhaps their mothers, probably pregnant women. Hekate Kourotropos
Date TBA – for dedicants only – the Hidden Face of Hekate – her secret name