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TIMING:

13-22 Boedromion, starts 3 days before the full moon.

THEME:

fruit harvest, sowing of grain, health, fertility, initiation, mysteries, Demeter (corn mother), Kore (corn maiden), Asclepius (god of health)

HISTORY / LORE:

This is the biggest, most sacred festival in the Athenian calendar.

13th Boedromion: The soldiers and priests go from Athens to Eleusis

14th Boedromion: They return with the "holy things" shielded from sight in round boxes tied with purple ribbons. When they arrive in Athens, they go in procession to the temple of Athena to announce that the "holy things" have arrived.

15th Boedromion: Agyrmos (gathering) of the initiates that were first initiated seven months before. They are examined to determine if they are ready and they pay an average of ten days pay. Just before sunset, the initiates are officially welcomed in a proclamation by a sacred herald.

16th Boedromion: "Seaward initiates" a day of purification by sea water and sprinkling of pigs blood.

17th Boedromion: Main sacrifices and feasting.

18th Boedromion: Epidauria is a day of solitary, silent meditation for the initiates and worship of Asclepius for everyone else.

19th Boedromion: The initiates return the still hidden holy things to Eleusis accompanied by the guards and priests.

20th & 21st Boedromion: More sacrifices and the revelation of the sacred mysteries and the holy things to the initiates ("things shown, things done and things seen")

22nd Boedromion: Plemochoai concludes with the closing ceremonies.

DECORATING IDEAS:

farm implements, fertility symbols, straw (similar to Thanksgiving decorations in the U.S.)

GARMENTS:

most initiation ceremonies have a symbolic death and rebirth theme included within them, so garments before the initiation should be somber and reserved funeral robes (or a long chiton). Afterwards, initiates should be nude except for a light robe or chlamyde.

RITUAL CUP:

The traditional drink was kykeon (honey, wheat and oil). I would suggest boiling wheat germ, water, butter (instead of oil), honey and nutmeg to make a watery variation of "buttered wheat".

RITUAL FOODS:

This is, in part, a harvest festival. Foods should include fruit (and other produce) that is harvested at this time. The meat dish should be pork (sacrificed to Demeter) basted in wine (libation to Dionysos).

ACTIVITIES:

I could create a festival that comes close to the mysteries but, without the insight and authority of a group, it wouldn't have the impact that this festival deserves. Also, if I broadcast my results on the Internet, it wouldn't be a mystery now would it. ;-) Therefore, as a suggestion for activities related to the more public parts of the festival, I think this would best be dedicated to the sharing of information and techniques. Also, this would be the best time to assign dedicated initiates (those that have done at least seven months of solitary work and have dedicated themselves to a patron deity) to mentors.

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