alexandroslocaldevotee

[alexandroslocaldevotee]

Ares Ludovisi

Roman copy after a Greek original from ca. 320 BC

Restored in 1622 by Gian Lorenzo Bernini (1598–1680)

Pentelic marble

Museo Nazionale Romano di Palazzo Altemps

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[alexandroslocaldevotee]

How do you consistently worship??? I'm struggling haha

Hello! Ah, the dreaded question. I’m always asking myself this.

I have made a post on this before here, and someone else reblogged one of my other posts with some advice here. They might help, but those (the first one especially) are also targeted at ADHD worshippers specifically. While I’m sure some of it could still be applicable even if you don’t have ADHD, who knows.

I think an important thing to remember is that our deities understand our situation and they know humans can be forgetful sometimes. It’s okay and they won’t be mad at you. Worship when you have time and when you remember.

But! Incorporating worship into your routine can be helpful. The second post I linked above talks about doing things for deities on their dedicated weekdays. If that feels unattainable, what I like to do is dedicate a day to them monthly. So for Athena, that’s the third day of every month since this is Her birthday. For Ares, it’s the first Tuesday of the month since he is associated with Tuesdays. Aphrodite gets every time the thirteenth falls on a Friday, because Friday is Her day and thirteen is associated with amplified energy.

Giving food offerings can be so helpful! If you eat something that has an ingredient associated with the deity, or you simply think they’d enjoy it, offer it! Food offerings and libations (liquid offerings) were probably the most common in Ancient Greece. If you’re worried about wasting food, I absolutely understand that. You can eat what you offer, or you can just offer leftovers, things that you’re not going to eat anyway. I know it’s seen as not great to consume offerings for chthonic deities so for those you can offer food that’s rotting or that you otherwise know will get thrown out.

Those would be my main advices though there are a few others in the posts I linked. Good luck! And if anyone else has ideas, please feel free to add on! I hope this helps somewhat

[alexandroslocaldevotee]

Ancient Festivals of Apollon

Actia

Festival of Apollon Actius

Celebrated at Nicopolis in Epirus

Celebrated with wrestling, musical contests, horse racing, and sea battles

Apellai

3 day family festival

Initiation ceremonies such as

- A father introduced his young child

- A father presented his son again, later, as grown youth (kouros)

- A husband presented his wife after the marriage

Boedromia

Celebrated on the 7th of Boedromion (in Summer)

Honored Apollon Boedromios (the helper in distress)

Exclusively celebrated by Athenians

Thanks Apollon for help during wars

Daphnephoria

every 9th year at Thebes in Boeotia

Included a procession and a boy called the Daphnephoros (Laurel Bearer)

Delia

On Delos

Celebrated every 4th year in either the month of Hieros and Thargelion

Delphinia

on the 6th or 7th of Mounuchiōn in Athens

Girls would bring suppliant’s branches to His temple

Hyakinthia

Celebration of Apollon and Hyakinthus

3 days in early summer

1st day: mourning Hyakinthus’ death

2nd day: celebrating His rebirth

3rd day: more solemn, mysteries are held

Major Spartan holiday

Metageitnia

During Metageitnion in Athens

In honor of Metageitnius Apollo

celebration of migrations, immigrations, departures, and colonizations among the Ionians

Pyanopsia

7th of Pyanepsion

Said to be started by Theseus as a thanks for favoring him during his quest to slay the Minotaur

Offered bean stew

Thargelia

On Artemis and Apollon’s birthday (6th and 7th of Thargelion)

Agricultural festival

[alexandroslocaldevotee]

Digital offering to Lord Apollo and Lord Dionysus,

Because I would have been nothing without them.

[alexandroslocaldevotee]

Prayer to Hermes for students and writers,

Hermes, Diaktoros, messenger to many, guide to those who seek, dearest of all; Skilled craftsman and rhetorician, inventor of lyre and the mightiness of language for those who use it in your name and honor. Now as i sit on my desk and commence my studies or writing; my heart beats while each pulse recites your name, my eyes see and my consciousness think with the mightiness you bestow, my hands write like a pilgrim exploring sacred lands—depths of my consciousness, bringing fruition to my studies. All in your honor and your name, Dotor eaon, Silver-tongued darling of the Gods. I ask you for the brightness of your wisdom and your skill in writing and language enlighten my path of education and my career i seek as a writer. I thank you for all the blessings you gave me. Please, let me stand by your side and be my eternal guide and mentor, most beloved of all teachers. Khaire.

[alexandroslocaldevotee]

POV: Your life after returning to the religion of your ancestors

[alexandroslocaldevotee]

Got Lord Ares and King Zeus some nice rocks guys, I'm so proud of myself

[alexandroslocaldevotee]

[alexandroslocaldevotee]

E-offering for Hermes Dôtor Eaôn

Lord Hermes, be with me wherever I go,

Grant that wherever I go, I may come to spread and honor your good name, your good works, your good power, your good praise,

that the entire world may come to praise you, honor you, glorify you, and rejoice in you, your good name, and your good works!

Grant that wherever I go, the entire world may come to call upon you in their need!

Hail to you, Lord Hermes, hail to you!

[alexandroslocaldevotee]

Progress pictures of a modern temple to Pan being built in Arcadia, Greece. The guy spearheading the project is archaeologist Evangelos Bexis, and when it's complete it will be painted with vibrant colors, just as all temples were in ancient times.

Nature is healing, and Pan returns to Arcadia. Praises and glory to the deathless gods!

[alexandroslocaldevotee]

Offering a bowl of grapes to the gods because it's new years and it's tradition here to eat some <3

[alexandroslocaldevotee]

Tuesday e-offering for Lord Ares

Bright-helmed Ares, strong of arm and stern of visage,

Ares, son of noble Zeus and wise Hera,

cherished by golden Aphrodite, honored

by those who call on you for strength and courage,

in the north were you much honored in times of old,

in Thrace and Thessaly were you held in esteem

by those whose lives were harsh, whose world was stony,

whose comforts were hard-won.

Ares who answers the prayers of the despairing, I honor you

[alexandroslocaldevotee]

Ares 🥊

"Ares, exceeding in strength, chariot-rider, golden-helmed, doughty in heart, shield-bearer, Saviour of cities, harnessed in bronze, strong of arm, unwearying, mighty with the spear, O defender of Olympos"

I've been feeling a lot of uncontrolled anger these years so i wanted to ask Ares to please help me have more control over my anger so i also did this digital offering to him.

[alexandroslocaldevotee]

31 Days Of Helpol: Day Twenty-four

What’s an offering you’ve made that you’re really proud of?

This one I did to Lord Ares some weeks back. I just realized I never posted the pictures

Before & after burning it

[alexandroslocaldevotee]

31 Days Of Helpol: Day Twenty-two

Is there an aspect of Hellenic polytheism you haven’t yet gotten to try but hope to in the future? Do you have any other Helpol-related goals for next year?

Libations!! I wish I had somewhere to do them but I live in a city and I'm too busy. Hopefully when this summer comes around and I'm in the countryside I'll remember.

Another goal is to be a bit more consistent in my worship next year and take it a bit more slow devoting time properly to each of the gods I worship.

That's all I can think of right now but there's probably more haha

[alexandroslocaldevotee]

31 Days Of Helpol: Days 18 to 21

Day 18: How can you best describe your relationship with each of your deities?

I don't really know how to describe it with most of them but I'll do some.

Lord Ares is a very paternal figure to me, he's a pretty constant presence in my life right now. He reminds me that I need to stand up for myself and my ideals and that he's there with me when I try to. He's there when I'm at my lowest helping to placate my more anxious and self-hating thoughts. He reminds me that it's okay to be tired but that you can't let the negative parts outshine the postive.

Lord Apollo is in my life through the things I like, he reminds me that art and music are vital things in my life and to cherish them. He's a reminder that even on the worst days the sun will rise and shine brightly upon all of us.

King Odysseus is a lot like a father to me as well, he's also my mentor in a way. He's very patient with me as I often feel too drained to worship him and his wife properly.

Lord Prometheus is always there to remind me the beauty and happiness that comes with existing and being myself. The beauty in caring about others and taking care of my friends.

Lord Hermes just pops up in my life every once in a life with perfect timing, he's very helpful and friendly and keeps finding me things to put on his altar

Day 19: If you had to assign one song to each of the deities you worship, what songs would you choose?

I have playlist for all of them but I'll give you the one I associate with them the most.

Lord Apollo, Sunlight by Hozier

Lord Dionysus, Dionisio by Rapsodia or Let's Dance by David Bowie

King Zeus, I'm still standing by Elton John

Lord Ares, any punk/political music, I have a huge playlist of it but also Nobody's soldier by Hozier

Lord Hermes, Don't stop me now by Queen

Lord Prometheus, Always forever by Cults

King Odysseus, I heavily associate with Welly Boots by The Amazing Devil

Queen Penelope, Movement by Hozier

Lord Hypnos and Lord Morpheus, Rises the moon by Liana Flores

Day 20: Do you have a favourite aspect of Hellenic Polytheism?

My favourite part is the community, the way everyone helps everyone and the fact that it's an open religion welcoming people from all religious backgrounds

Day 21: Are there any retellings/adaptations of greek mythology that you LIKE? Why/why not?

Anything by Stephen Fry is absolutely fantastic in my opinion, he explains things simply with a touch of humor. Also EPIC: the musical, even if it's not accurate to the original text, it's an amazing musical with so much effort poured into it.

[alexandroslocaldevotee]

Distance by @khaire-traveler