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Description

The Ανθεστηρια (Anthesteria) is a three-day, combination of two festivals held on the 11th through the 13th of the month of Ανθεστηριον (Anthesterion). As a small group, we cannot sponsor the full three-day event and we ask that participants celebrate the first two days as explained below under presentation. The ritual below represents the third day of the festival where ancestral spirits are invited in their condition as μιαροι (miaroi) and cleansed to change them into a purified and honored state as καθαροι (katharoi).

Greek terms are used where an adequate term in English with the same meaning, cannot be found. These are followed by their pronunciation and a glossary follows with full definitions.

Equipment

Presentation

Gathering

The participants first make offerings (in a spot that's secluded from public view) to request the attendance of the spirits of any of their ancestors who are in a polluted state. Each participant places a cup of honey and water on the ground and turns their back on the chosen location. They then drop some mixed grain (birdseed?) over their shoulder and kick over the cup of honey water. They should then walk away without looking back. This offering is supervised by a priest(ess) of Dionysos, Hermes or Hekate as they have frequent dealings with spirits and will be less effected by what they might see. (They also gather up the empty offering cups.)

χερνιπς (chernips)

As each person enters the τεμενος (temenos - sacred space), they stop at the entrance for the chernips. They place their hands over the bowl while the υδροφορος (hydrophoros - water bearer) pours lustral water over their hands. As they wash their hands, they say in a firm voice, "Ηεκας! Ηεκας! Εστε βεβηλος!" [E kas! E kas! ES te ve VEE los!] (Far off! Far off! Even to the impure!), commanding any evil spirits to leave the area. While it is acceptable for the hydrophoros to prompt them, people should say this themselves to ward off their own κηρς, (evil spirits).

After everyone has performed the chernips, the impure water is poured on the ground, in a place where it is out of sight, as an offering to the Chthonic deities. Afterwards, no one is to look at this spot for the rest of the day. (until sunset)

Purification of the τεμενος (sacred area) and Lighting the ιστια (hearth fire)

The temenos is a piece of land marked off from common uses and dedicated to a god or goddess. It should be one where you can have an open flame burning throughout the ritual. (Please, observe all rules of fire safety and ensure there is a means to put out the fire in case of an emergency.) If it isn't practical to have a full hearth fire burning during the whole festival, a symbolic hearth fire (such as a candle) can be substituted. Once all the people are gathered around the hestia, the ιερεια, (iereia - priestess) / ιερευς (iereus - priest) says, "ευφημια 'στω!" [ee FEEM eea STO!] (Let there be solemn silence!), and then sprinkles natron in a circle around the area. The δαδοφορος (torch bearer) ignites the prepared hearth fire and says, "I conjure you sacred fire whose mother is Ιστια [EES tee a], and whose father is Ηφαιστος [EE fes tos]". (During the rest of the ritual, it is the responsibility of the dadouchos to tend the hearth fire so it doesn't go out or get out of control.)

Opening Libations

The σπονδφοροι ((spondphoroi) - libation bearer) mixes the wine or grape juice and water, about the same amount each, in a krater then ladles an equal amount into each person's drinking bowl.

For each libation, the participants repeat what the ιερος κηρυξ (hieros keryx - sacred messenger) says and pours a small amount of the libation on the side of the altar, on the ground or into the libation bowl. (In the latter case, the libations are poured on the ground after the ritual.) After the final libation, each participant drinks the rest of the libation as a sharing with the Immortals.

Σπονδη [SPOND ee] Ιστια [EES tee a], guardian of hearth's fire,
Yours is always the first and the last.
Σπονδη [SPOND ee] Ερμης Ξθονιος [Erm ees H thon ee os] and Εκατη Ξθονια [Ek a tee H thon ee a],
Ψυχοπομπος [psee ho pomp e] since times past.
Σπονδη [SPOND ee] Απολλον Αλεξικακος [Ap ol lon Alek seek a kos] and Διωνυσοςια [Deeo nees os] the γοης [GO ees],
Averter of evil and speaker to ghosts.
Σπονδη [SPOND ee] Immortal Olympians,
Come join our host.

Presentation and Activities

The sacred herald explains the ritual as follows...

"The Ανθεστηρια [An the STEER eea] is a three-day, combination of two festivals. The first day, which is called πιθοιγια [pee the gee a], is a celebration of the new vintage of wine and of young people reaching the age where they can have their first wine (and make their first libations). The first of each jar of wine is offered as a first fruit offering to the αγαθος δαιμων [AGA thos DEA mon]. The second day, which is named χοες [ho EES], includes a ribald procession, drinking contests and a ηιερος γαμος [EE ros GAM os] performed by the organizer of the celebration and his wife (representing the god Διωνυσος [Deeo NEE sos] and his wife Αριαδνη [Aree AD nee]). The third day, called χυτρα [HEE tra], is an honoring and placating of ancestral spirits. This third day is what we are recreating today."

"The ancients believed that ancestral spirits were generally helpful to their descendants as long as those descendants were respectful and attended to the needs of their ancestors. When ancestors died with unresolved issues or if the descendants were disrespectful or neglectful, the ancestral spirits turned harmful to the family and those associated with the family. This ritual is a way to cleanse ancestral spirits changing them from μιαροι [MEE are] to καθαροι [KATH are]. We can tell that our ancestors are polluted or displeased when misfortunes in our lives don't appear to be a result of things we have done (especially misfortunes related to fertility or that effect the whole family)."

While the μαγειρος (mageiros) prepare the feast, the participants tell a story about their ancestor that is either humorous or noble. Divination can be performed (in private if necessary) to determine if there is anything the ancestors want their descendant to do to resolve any wrong doings. After (or during) the storytelling, games are played that are both historical and suitable for the whole family. (This last statement should be given a loose interpretation. Games should be suitable for the whole family because you're trying to welcome ancestral spirits back into the family. However, many of the games historically played during this ritual were erotic in nature to promote fertility. Use your own judgement.) Possible games include Tabula (a Hellenic form of backgammon), Ludus Latrunculorum (a Roman game similar to Go), Senet (an ancient Egyptian game), Knucklebones (a Greek and Roman version of Jacks), Pente (a modern version of an ancient Greek game) and Jactus (a Roman game of dice, dogs and Goddesses).

Announcement of Feast

When the feast is ready, the sacred herald announces it by saying, "When mirth reigns throughout the town and feasters about the house, sitting in order, listen to a minstrel; when the tables beside them are laden with bread and meat and a wine bearer draws sweet drink from the mixing bowl and fills cups; this I think in my heart to be the most delightsome."

Feast and Sacrifice

The meal consists of roast leg of lamb, pita bread, cabbage with spinach and mint, chickpeas and a sweet wine mixed with water. The wine and water mixture are served by the cup bearer to ensure that each person has the same amount.

During the feast, two portions equal to what everyone else is having, are laid out, one for the Immortals (which includes skin, bones and other uneatable parts), the other for ancestral spirits. Afterwards, these portions are completely burned or, if that isn't practical, disposed of in some other manner.

Closing Libations

After the feast, closing libations are performed the same as the opening libations only in reverse order:

Σπονδη [SPOND ee] Immortal Olympians,
We thank you for joining our host.
Σπονδη [SPOND ee] Απολλον Αλεξικακος [Ap ol lon Alek seek a kos] and Διωνυσοςια [Deeo nees os] the γοης [go ees],
Averter of evil and speaker to ghosts.
Σπονδη [SPOND ee] Ερμης Ξθονιος [Erm ees H thon ee os] and Εκατη Ξθονια [Ek ee tee H thon ee a],
Ψυχοπομπος [psee ho pomp e] since times past.
Σπονδη [SPOND ee] Ιστια [EES tee a], guardian of hearth's fire,
Yours is always the first and the last.

The sacred herald or one of the clergy announces in a loud voice, "Out of the doors! Ye κηρς [keers]; it is no longer Ανθεστηρια [An the STEER eea]."

Closing

After the closing libations, all participants help clean the festival area to be the same as it was when they arrived. After the cleanup, when everyone is ready to leave, the sacred herald leads everyone in saying, "Θαρσεω πανταγαθα πεπραγαμεν. [thar EE PANT AGA tha PEP ra GAM en], (take courage for good times have come to pass)

Glossary

αγαθος δαιμων [AGA thos DEA mon]
good spirit, a guardian spirit, in the form of a snake, that protects the home and the community.
Ανθεστηρια [An the STEER eea]
Feast of Flowers, three-day festival of Dionysus at Athens in the month Anthesterion, celebrating the new vintage of wine and honoring ancestral spirits.
Ανθεστηριον [An the STEER eeon]
eighth month of the Attic year falling from mid February to mid March.
γοης [GO es]
one who howls out enchantments or one who speaks with spirits.
Απολλον Αλεξικακος [Ap ol lon Alek seek a kos]
Apollon who wards off evil.
Αριαδνη [Aree AD nee]
wife of the god Dionysos.
δαδοφορος [DA doe FOR os]
torch bearer.
Διωνυσος [Deeo NEE sos]
Dionysos, god of wine, masks and chaos.
Ηεκας! Ηεκας! Εστε βεβηλος! [E kas! E kas! ES te ve VEE los!]
Far off! Far off! Even to the impure!, commanding any evil spirits to leave the area.
ευφημια 'στω! [ee FEEM eea STO!]
Let there be solemn silence!, a proclamation of silence before a prayer.
Εκητι Ξθονια [Ek ee tee H thon ee a]
Hekate of the earth, guide of spirits on the earth.
Ερμης Ξθονιος [Erm ees H thon ee os]
Hermes of the earth, guide of spirits in the underworld.
ηιερος γαμος [EE ros GAM os]
sacred marriage, ritual sex, used to promote fertility.
Ηφαιστοσ [Ee fes tos]
Hephistos, God of forge and industry.
Θαρσεω πανταγαθα πεπραγαμεν [thar EE PANT AGA tha PEP ra GAM en]
take courage for good times have come to pass.
ιερεια [EE reea]
priestess, keeper of the sacred items.
ιερευς [EE rees]
priest, in charge of the sacrifices to some special god.
ιερος κηρυξ [EE ros kee REEKS]
sacred messenger, person that leads the participants in any verbal parts of the ritual.
ιστια [EES tee a]
hearth fire, hearth.
καθαροι [kath are]
pure spirit.
κηρς [keers]
evil spirits, doom, bane, ruin, calamity.
κρατηρ [kra teer]
mixing bowl for wine, urn with two handles.
μαγεια [may EE a]
magic.
μαγειρος [may eer os]
cook, sacrificing priest.
μιαροι [mee are]
defiled, unclean or polluted spirit.
περιρραντηριον [per eer rant EER ee on]
vessel for lustral water, large stone bowl.
πιθοιγια [pee the gee a]
jar opening, festival at the opening of casks of new wine, held as first day of Anthesteria, a celebration of the new vintage of wine and of young people reaching the age where they can have their first wine and join the symposia.
πομπη [POMP ee]
solemn procession, at beginning of ritual or festival.
ψυχοπομπος [psee ho pomp e]
conductor of souls.
σπονδη [SPOND ee]
drink-offering, of wine poured out to the gods before drinking.
σπονδφοροι [SPOND fore]
libation bearer.
τεμενος [TEM en os]
a piece of land marked off from common uses and dedicated to a god.
χερνιπς [hern EEPS]
holy water, water for washing the hands, purification with lustral water.
χοες [ho ees]
funeral libations, second day of Anthesteria, including many drinking contests and fertility rituals.
χυτρα [hee tra]
pots of pulse offered to inferior deities, third day of Anthesteria, honoring and placating ancestral spirits.
υδροφορος [EEDRO foros]
water bearer.

Works Cited