hellenic-polytheism

[hellenic-polytheism]

Hi there! So, uh, I'm a 15-year-old Hellenist living with some Christian parents(can't wait to move out of the apartment so I can finally make some altars) and I have some questions? If you don't mind answering them-?

Is there an official conversion ceremony I need to do? I know Christians have official conversion ceremonies, and since I became a Hellenist 6 months or so ago, I still haven't figured out if I need to officially convert or if it's not neccesary

Any tips on making offerings to the gods? The best I've been able to do so far is pouring water bottles down the kitchen sink, but it doesn't feel official or good enough. I want to do more, but it also needs to be behind my parents' backs

Any tips for prayers? Specific things I could do? How do I finish off a prayer? When I pray, do I have to specify a god?

Is Apollo actually the patron god of queer people, or did the internet make that up?

Are tattoos ok as a Hellenist?

According to some reddit forums(I don't have any irl sources on Hellenists yet), I need to choose a patron god or something? What's that all about? Is that true, or did the reddit user make that up?

Any other tips for a Hellenist teenager living with a pair of overprotective Christian parents??

I know about The Odyssey and The Iliad, but are there any other books I should try to read??

thanks, hope you have a fantastic day!! =)

Sincerely,

A young Hellenist

Hi!! I was in the exact same position when I was your age. Please take my answers with a grain of salt because I practice this religion in a very laid-back manner. Everyone does it differently, and you'll find a way that works for you.

No, there's no conversion ceremony you need to do. I just told the theoi that I wanted to start worshiping them and that was it. I usually speak to them through thoughts, not by speaking out loud- a habit I picked up by being secretive about my practice.

To this day, my favorite way of making offerings is by dedicating my meal/snack/little treat to them. I still eat it, but I invite them to enjoy the flavors through me. That way, there's no waste and I still get the sustenance. Pouring water down the sink is totally acceptable too!! I've also lit candles for them. It's completely up to you what you decide to offer and when. You don't need an official ritual or anything.

Prayers can be as complicated or as simple as you want. For example, I like to ask Hermes to bless my travels, but that's usually just a quick "hey, can you watch over me during this flight?" and I'll dedicate the coffee I get at the airport to him. You don't need to finish off a prayer in any fancy way. Sometimes I'll blow a kiss at the sky and call that good. There also doesn't need to be a deity specified. General prayers are completely okay.

I wouldn't say that any of the theoi are the official patron god of queer people, because how we experience being queer in 2024 is much different than how they did it back in the day. Many of the gods had gay lovers. Lots of modern queer Hellenists, myself included, do resonate with Apollo, but I would say that the internet made him being the Gay God up.

Absolutely! I have a few, and am planning on getting some that are dedicated to the gods. A lot of Hellenists get tattoos.

You don't need to choose a patron god. I haven't chosen one, and I've been practicing this religion for about 7 years now.

Make playlists dedicated to the deities! Make art! Write poetry! Start a sideblog to compile resources and posts onto! Journal and write letters to the gods! Find small ways to incorporate them into your life. You have plenty of time to do the big stuff.

Not a book, but I always suggest theoi.com as a starting point. There's so many great myths on that site, and it'll tell you about the sacred animals and plants of each deity. Plus the footnotes will take you to the sources for each myth, and you can go down rabbit holes of information.

[hellenic-polytheism]

Apollo Citharoedus

Palazzo Altemps, Museo Nazionale Romano, Rome Italy

Hadrianic Period (2nd century CE); Roman copy of Hellenistic original Marble

[hellenic-polytheism]

To Lord Apollon when taking medication

Hear me, healing Apollon,

Father to Soothing Asklepios.

He who controls both plague and healing,

If I have ever honoured you, please accept this prayer, Shining Apollon,

Please allow me to be safe when taking this medication, to aid it in its effectiveness, and to reduce the likelihood of negative side effects.

I ask for your favour with a token of my praise, and I take this medication in your honour.

[hellenic-polytheism]

yummy pomegranate

[hellenic-polytheism]

Medusa was kinda problematic  :/

[hellenic-polytheism]

dionysus big naturals

[hellenic-polytheism]

Three women with penises, plus the statue of Hermaphroditus The Louvre, Paris Fr http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermaphroditus

[hellenic-polytheism]

I have a fun little discussion topic. What superstition or tiny rule are you ride or die for? For me i am a STICKLER to clockwise to create counterclockwise to destroy in my own practice

[hellenic-polytheism]

⚜️Hermes ⚜️ my favorite greek god ⚜️ gifs (edits) made by me :)

[hellenic-polytheism]

hot take, we don’t have to hold myths about Deities up to modern moral standards.

The stories told about the gods are written through the lense of that culture in that time period. cultural norms and standards shift and change over time- and i don’t believe the gods are tied to the morals of those stories, but rather the stories are a snapshot of how the gods were perceived at that time.

seems kinda disrespectful to go around labeling whole pantheons as “problematic” because you disagree with the norms of the culture that wrote stories about them.

[hellenic-polytheism]

which guy from the iliad is the biggest red flag if seen on a kinlist.

ALL OF THEM???

[hellenic-polytheism]

Hello my darlings.

Please remember that the WEBTOON's comic "Lore Olympus" is not a reliable source of Greek mythology. You can enjoy it of course. But please stop harassing and belittling devotees of Apollo based on the depiction in a fictional story.

[hellenic-polytheism]

the parthenon sculptures / british museum, london

[hellenic-polytheism]

very important question for all of my greek myth buffs out there: who has fatter tits, aphrodite or dionysus? asking for a friend

[hellenic-polytheism]

In case anyone hasn't told you today...

✨Don't use TikTok to learn about Paganism.✨

[hellenic-polytheism]

pomegranate bowl <3

[hellenic-polytheism]

I think that the resurgence of love for Hades is reflective of how much Hades loves humanity. Even after his image was slandered by christian society, getting reduced to “the greek equivalent of Satan”, and being made into the villain of countless pieces of media- people still love and talk about Hades.

And as they should! He is Nekrôn Sôtêr (the savior of the dead). He accepts everyone into his realm indiscriminately and gives them a home to spend the rest of eternity in. He rules by love, not fear. He keeps all of the monsters and cruel beings locked in Tartarus where they can’t hurt us. He gave his wife equal power and authority to him. He is the god of all the beauty in the earth, from the fertile soil with nourished the seed-grain to the mined wealth of gold, silver and crystals.

I adooooore Hades! and so should everyone !