Opening prayer

The musical signal will be given to call the folk for the ritual.

D1: Paresmen timesonta tas theas kai tous theous.

Folk: We are here to honor the Gods.

Led by the clergy, the folk process to the ritual site and form the ADF sigil chanting a Processional Chant:

FM will sense the site and the folk.

KW will asperge the site and the folk.

D1: By the cleaning of water and fire let all ill turn away from me and mine. Thus is the Sacred Grove claimed and Hallowed. Houtos hexoi!

D2: The mother of us all, the oldest of all, hard, splendid as rock. Whatever there is of the land it is she who nourishes it, it is the Earth that I sing.

D1: Gaian pammeteiran aeisomai, euthemelthon, presbisten, he pherbei epi cthoni panth hopos estin. Honor Gaea!

The folk kneel and kiss the Earth.

All stand and the Earth Mother Hymn is sung.

The folk will be led through the Grove Meditation and then will chant the World Tree Grove Unity Chant.

D1 will state the ritual purpose and historical precedent.

As our Athenian ancestors did, today we celebrate the Synoikia, the commemoration of the unification of Attica under the guidance of Athena. We honor her for the gifts she bestowed upon our ancestors and for the power of unification she offers us. Also today we celebrate the Prometheia in honor of Prometheus who gave us divine fire. We celebrate it on the solstice, the beginning of the year, when the old fires are extinguished and the new can be once again divinely kindled, purifying our hearth.

First we must open the gate to the gods. Feel the rays of the sun from above and see the path to the gods ascend to the divine fire. We call upon Hermes, you who walk the ways between, messenger of the gods, carrier of dreams, hear us and open the gates to let the gods hear our voices. Hermen angelon athanaton kluthi mou!

The folk will chant the Gatekeeper Chant.

D1: It is now time to call on Prometheus who stole divine fire from the gods to give to us. He could not bear to see us suffer, so he went to Olympos, took a glowing ember from the sacred hearth, and hid it in a hollow stalk of fennel, and then carried it down to us. Divine fire allows us to do purification, and for this Zeus punished Prometheus by chaining him to a rock and having an eagle swoop down every day and eat his liver. He loses his own purifying organ for the purifying force he gave to us. So now it is time to light anew the sacred fire from the sun, rays brought to us by the eagle who eats his liver, and Prometheus kindles our fire once again.

Prometheus, didon pur kluthi mou!

The FM will kindle a fire from the sun while the folk chant:

Burn bright flame within me
Kindled of eternal fire.
Of the people I do be,
And the people part of me.
All one in many parts,
A single fire of flaming hearts.

D1: We now thank Poseidon for his gift of the sacred well.

The Keeper of the Well(KW) will pour the waters and make an offering: From the depths flow the waters of wisdom. Sacred waters flow within us.

Folk: Sacred waters flow within us.

D1: Now we thank Athena for the olive tree which she gave to us, the tree which unites us all.

The Tender of the Tree(TT) will dress the Bile: From the depths to the heights spans the world tree. Sacred Tree, grow within us.

Folk: Sacred tree, grow within us.

TT will then asperge and sense the Bile.

D1: The fire, the well, the sacred tree,

Folk: Flame, and flow, and grow in me!

D1: In land, sea and sky

Folk: Below and on high!

D1: Thus is the sacred grove blessed by the gods.

Folk: So be it!

D1: Listen to the music of the universe, the music of Apollo and draw inspiration into your hearts.

The Bard will invoke Apollo.

The glorious son of Leto
playing his hollow lyre,
wearing divine and perfumed clothes,
goes to Olympos.
And suddenly the gods
are only concerned with
the lyre and song,
and all together the Muses sing
the divine gifts of the gods,
each one answering the other
with a beautiful voice.

A cup is poured for the outdwellers and they are acknowledged.

D1: Draw the vitality of nature as we call the nature spirits.

A cup is lifted as D4 says:

Landspirits, nymphs of trees and wells, satyrs, help us find our vitality and joy, hallow these waters. Share with us lore and blessings. Theesthe ta hudata biou!

Folk: Behold the Waters of Life!

The folk chant Fur and Feather.

D1: Remember the wisdom of our past kin as we call them.

The cup is again raised as D5 says:

Heroes of old, honored dead, our kindred, remind us of who we are as you have done before, hallow these waters. Share with us lore and blessings. Theesthe ta hudata biou!

Folk: Behold the Waters of Life!

The folk chant Mothers and Fathers of Old.

D1: Feel the protections of the gods as we call them.

The cup is once again raised as D6 says:

Gods and Goddesses of old times and new protect us as you have before. Delight in our offerings. Share with us lore and blessings. Theesthe ta hudata biou!

Folk: Behold the Waters of Life!

The folk chant Hail all the Gods.

The folk are now led in a meditation of recentering and merging of the new energies.

D2: We now call upon Athena who unites us all. Both Athena and Poseidon loved Athens, the polis of our inspiration. They each claimed it, and after a long quarrel they decided that the one who could give it the finest gift should have it. Leading a procession of citizens, the two gods mounted the Acropolis, the flat-topped rock that crowned the city. Poseidon struck the cliff with his trident, and a spring welled up. The people marveled, but the water was salty as the sea that Poseidon ruled, and not very useful. Then Athena gave the city her gift. She planted an olive tree in a crevice on the rock. It was the first olive tree the people had ever seen. Athena's gift was judged the better of the two, for it gave food, oil, and wood, and the city was hers. From her beautiful temple on top of the Acropolis, Athena watched over Athens, her city, with the wise owl, her bird, on her shoulder, and under her leadership the Athenians grew famous for their arts and crafts.

D1 invokes Athena in Greek.

D1: Have the folk brought praise?

Bard: They have.

D1: Houtos hexoi.

The Bard now conducts the praise offerings.

D1 holds up the offering of incense:

Our praise goes up to you on the wings of owls; our voices on the wind. Hear us Athena, we pray to thee as we offer up this sacrifice of life. Accept it and open our hearts and give to us of your peace and life. Lambane kai hedou anathemata hemon.

Folk: So be it!

The folk sit silently, listening to the voices without and within. When they perceive a sign they share it with the rest. Together the participants determine the omen. The folk are led in a meditation on grove and personal needs.

D1 raises the cup:

Of what does the Earth Mother give that we may know of the continual flow and renewal of life?

Folk: The Waters of Life.

D1: And from whence do these waters flow?

Folk: From the bosom of the Earth Mother. The ever-changing All Mother.

D1: And how do we honor this gift that causes life?

Folk: By partaking of the Waters of Life.

D1: Has the Earth Mother given forth of her bounty?

Folk: She has!

D1 takes the cups and does the consecration:

Athena, we have praised you, hallow these waters and give to us of your power and inspiration and vitality. theesthe ta hudata biou!

Folk:Behold the Waters of Life!

D1: As was traditional, the first cup goes as an offering to Hestia, who tends our sacred hearth, now renewed. Hestia first and last!

The cups are passed while the folk chant Share the Waters.

The folk share drink, Feta, olives and bread and discuss the omen and together receive the blessings of the gods.

At the end the cup is drained in an offering to Hestia.

D1: Hestia first and last!

The gods have blessed us. With joy in our hearts, let us return to the realm of mortals to do both their will and ours. Every time we invoke them, they become stronger and more alert to the needs of the folk . But now comes the time when we must prepare to depart. So let us give thanks to those whom we have invited here. Athena, charin echomen soi.

Folk: We thank you.

D1: All the gods and goddesses, charin echomen humin.

Folk: We thank you.

D1: Ancestors, heroes of old, charin echomen humin.

Folk: We thank you.

D1: Nature spirits, nymphs and satyrs, charin echomen humin.

Folk: We thank you.

D1: Apollo, charin echomen soi.

Folk: We thank you.

D1: Prometheus, charin echomen soi.

Folk: We thank you.

D1: Hermes, charin echomen soi.

Folk: We thank you.

D1: Let the gates be closed! Houtos hexoi.

Folk: So be it.

D1: We have done as our ancestors did and as our children will do and the Gods have answered!

The folk are led in a meditation of regrounding, recentering, unmerging and draining of excess power.

D1: Let us go out into the world secure in the knowledge that our sacrifices have pleased the gods and that we go forth under their protection. The ritual is at a close. Houtos hexoi.

Folk: So be it.

The drums begin beating, the sigil breaks up chanting Walk with Wisdom.