Version: 1.0
This section of Hellenion basic adult education should take approximately 10 hours when taught in a Demos by an
experienced teacher and the students have not studied any of the material previously. Solitary study could take longer
or significantly shorter. This section is aimed ensuring members of Hellenion understand the basic forms of ritual in
our religion, including devotions, festivals, and life cycle rites.
Texts and Sources
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Old Stones, New Temples by Drew Campbell
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Worship sections of Hellenion's Web site
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The Stele (Note: Not all materials, or links from
the site, fall within Hellenion's time frame for reconstruction.)
Documentation of Completion
Members of a Demos are expected to attend, or have attended, a Hellenic ritual Solitaries should read rituals and
material about rituals from one or more of the listed texts and sources, or similar. Additional sources are welcome.
Discuss via email list, in a Demos, or at a festival, or otherwise demonstrate familiarity with the following topics:
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Basic Definitions (see below)
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The role of offerings and rituals
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Festival calendar, either Athens or one they have researched. (Providing a calender will fulfill this.)
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Life cycle rituals
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The role of the individual in Hellenic religions
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Hellenic ritual forms
Note that learners are not expected to be able to lead group rituals in order to fulfill the requirements of this
section of the course.
Topics to Look For
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Basic Definitions
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Definition of polytheism, paganism, and neo-paganism
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Definition of reconstructionism
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How we reconstruct rituals
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Orthoporaxy vs. Orthodoxy
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Basic Hellenic Ritual Forms
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How and why we make offerings
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Purification/Miasma
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Parts of an offering ritual
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Types of offerings
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First fruits offerings
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Libations
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Votive offerings
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Blood sacrifice
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Individual Observance
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Personal worship and everyday piety
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Hellenic prayer forms
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Devotional rituals
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The Athenian Festival Calendar
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Months
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Major annual festivals
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Monthly observances
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Life Cycle Rites
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