"Forbidden Ceremony" at the Temple of Zeus

[Caerwiden]

I have just read about a Greek pagan festival that has taken place the other day at the Temple of Olympian Zeus in Greece - the first of its kind to take place since the 4th Century CE when the Romans outlawed Greek paganism. It sounds pretty cool as there were hymns, prayers to Zeus and Hera, costumes, dancing and torches.

A full description can be read here: http://news.sawf.org/Lifestyle/32468.aspx

I think its great that Greek pagans are finally legally allowed to practice their religion, and its cool that they can use actual historical sites to do things in. Too bad here in Britain we only have Stonehenge and a few ruined Roman temples.  

[The Bookwyrm]

Caerwiden

I think its great that Greek pagans are finally legally allowed to practice their religion, and its cool that they can use actual historical sites to do things in. Too bad here in Britain we only have Stonehenge and a few ruined Roman temples.

What do you mean you "only" have? Just because the Celts didn't build temples and monuments to denote their holy sites, they're still there. The springs, lakes, rivers, hillsides, Glastonbury are all still there by and large; just because there's not something huge built there doesn't detract from the fact that they're still sacred sites. Hell, you have churches built on some of them now!

As for the Greeks, the old gods never really left; I was watching a documentary one night on Jason and the Argonauts and even though I fell asleep within the first half hour, I did hear a local comment about that; the Greeks by and large may no longer worship the old gods, but they still recognize their existance, or rather that they did exist and still do on some level. It was actually interesting and I wish they had talked more about it.  

[Caerwiden]

The Bookwyrm

Hell, you have churches built on some of them now!

That's just it though. All the uber-sacred sites now have flipping cathedrals plonked on top of them crying And loads of sacred trees and groves are now in the middle of church graveyards, which isn't a suitable place to rever the gods really. Imagine it:

"Excuse me, ma'am. Would you please hurry up with this funeral. I'm scheduled to gather mistletoe and praise Sulis at 2 pm, and its already quarter to and you're still here"

I just think a temple is better for a mass ceremony really (rivers, hills and forests are much more suited for individual and small group rituals). Which headline sounds more impressive:

"Hundreds of worshippers gather at 3000 year old temple for pagan ceremony"

or

"Hundreds of worshippers gather round a pond for pagan ceremony"

Maybe that's just me though...(Stonehenge is a pretty awesome place though)  

[The Bookwyrm]

Caerwiden

"Hundreds of worshippers gather at 3000 year old temple for pagan ceremony"

or

"Hundreds of worshippers gather round a pond for pagan ceremony"

Maybe that's just me though...(Stonehenge is a pretty awesome place though)

Depends on how the author wants to spin the headline; it could always read
"Hundreds of worshippers gather at sacred spring for Pagan ceremony"

If the journalist feels the site is beneath them and unfit, it's going to come out regardless of whether it's a pond or a ruined temple. It all depends on the person.

I have nothing against old temples; I want to see Delphi some day. I've felt drawn to it for years and I think I owe part of that to having worked so much with Apollo, and in part to being so heavily involved in my divination. But I love the idea of natural sites as well. So what if there's a church or catherdral? Added sanctity bonus so far as I'm concerned, but I also used to sit in a Catholic church and pray to Bast...

I guess I perscribe to the old Celtic way of thinking; the gods are too vast to try and encompass in a single building. I feel closer to them when I can be near their places of power, places that were sacred to them or as near as I can muster being on the other side of the Atlantic.  

[Starlock]

Pagans in Greece have had some trouble getting acknowledged. If you have the chance, see the film "I Still Worship Zeus" which is a documentary made about the Hellenic Pagans in Greece. I saw it some time last year; I can't remember what the copyright date on it is. Looks like they've won some key battles in their fight! smile  

[Seira Relur]

Quote:

It also wants to rebuild all ancient temples and make ancient Greek the official language of the country.

"We want to be able to hold ceremonies at ancient temples... This obsession of treating them as mere monuments must stop," Peppa said. "The Greek parliament is also a monument, but it continues to function. So should this temple."

That'd be amazing if they did. I'd definitely move to Greece for that. I live in Ohio where we once had a pagan store, that also held weekly ceremonies for all who wanted to join, for a couple years (and was doing very well I may add), but the St. Michael's Catholic church threw a fit and had it shut down the moment we got a new mayor (who's catholic). Needless to say, where I live isn't the most religiously rounded area... so there'd be no chance at having anything like a mass ceremony, or any place really "official" for such.  

[Starlock]

Seira Relur

Quote:

It also wants to rebuild all ancient temples and make ancient Greek the official language of the country.

"We want to be able to hold ceremonies at ancient temples... This obsession of treating them as mere monuments must stop," Peppa said. "The Greek parliament is also a monument, but it continues to function. So should this temple."

That'd be amazing if they did. I'd definitely move to Greece for that. I live in Ohio where we once had a pagan store, that also held weekly ceremonies for all who wanted to join, for a couple years (and was doing very well I may add), but the St. Michael's Catholic church threw a fit and had it shut down the moment we got a new mayor (who's catholic). Needless to say, where I live isn't the most religiously rounded area... so there'd be no chance at having anything like a mass ceremony, or any place really "official" for such.

Sounds like a case for the ACLU. A Pagan/metaphysical store has the right to be there. confused  

[Elizabeth Tarion]

That's pretty damn neat, I must say.  

[Memento Mortalis Es]

Starlock

Pagans in Greece have had some trouble getting acknowledged. If you have the chance, see the film "I Still Worship Zeus" which is a documentary made about the Hellenic Pagans in Greece. I saw it some time last year; I can't remember what the copyright date on it is. Looks like they've won some key battles in their fight! smile

I'll have to look into that doc.

And yeah, Starlock is right: Get the ACLU on their asses.