Disclaimer - While I do not personally agree with using someone else’s specific holiday to worship different gods (Lughnasadh is for the gaelic god Lugh and *to me* it would be rude to take a lugh festival verbatim, with actions specifically for him and just replacing the god honored etc) However, there are very similar festivals, with similar actions and aligning them to the wheel might be handy (maybe the only other pagan friend you have irl celebrates the wheel and you want to be able to do things together)
Or maybe melding the two different traditions is just how you roll. You do you, I’m not here to judge. This is a question i see brought up frequently but seldom answered, how to adapt the wheel of the year to the worship of hellenic gods. So we’re going to be looking at the time points and the concepts that are imbibed in the wheel of the year and try to match their concepts with the appropriate gods OR, align them with similar fesitvals that were held around the same time. Ok, that said, lets go…
Wheel Holiday - Imbolc. Feburary 1-2
This is one of the four quater gaelic holidays, typically the goddess Brigid is revered on imbolc.
Associations - rebrith, renewal, The promise of coming spring, divinations
Hellenic holiday - Lenaia or Anthesteria
Lenaia was a Dionysian festival celebrating the aspect of his rebirth after being torn apart by titans. This was held in the month of gamelion which was roughly January/February so you could certainly celebrate this on Feb 1st if you so choose. Historically it was celebrated with theatrical contests. Movie marathon or improv parties would be a great idea here.
Anthesteria was also a Dionysian festival (Seeing the theme here?) It celebrated the beginning of spring, particularly the maturing of the wine stored at the previous vintage. Social order was cast aside for feasts and revelry as wine casks were opened. Everyone joined in the feasts and libations were given to the dead ancestors. There was a solomn aspect to this festival in that regard where after the reverly, respects would be paid to the dead and to Hermes as the guider of souls. offerings of fruit were popular.
Hellenic gods - Dionysus, Hermes
Wheel Holiday - Ostara/ The spring equinox - March 20th
Typically associated with the germanic goddess Eostre.
Associations - fertiity, new growth, balance, the first of spring
Hellenic holiday - Anthesphoria
Anthesphoria is a celebration of spring, a festival of flowers. it marked Persephone returning to the land of the living, being returned to her mother Demeter. Flowers are gathered and woven into crowns. Aphrodite and Hera were also honored. It was a celebration of the beauty of spring.
Hellenic gods - Persephone, Demeter, Aphrodite, Hera
Wheel Holiday - Beltane/May day - May 1st
Another gaelic quarter day, a celebration of the aos sidhe and the sun god Bel
Associations - Fertility, the first of summer, fruitfulness, sexuality
Hellenic holiday - Thargelia
Thargelia was typically celebrated on may 6th or 7th. It was a celebration of the birth of Apollo and Artemis, largely an agricultural festival. The first fruits of the season were offered to Artemis and Apollo for a bountiful and mild summer. Offerings were given to Demeter as well as the seeds were sew. olive branches, wrapped in wool were hung over doors for prosperity and to ward off evil. Festivals and singing were held to honor the gods. historically sacrifices were made on thargelia. In modern times I feel this would be a good time to cast the darkest part of you (symboloically) into a fire, pick something about yourself you want to change or cast away, write it out and cast it to the fire to cleanse yourself of it.
Bonfires are a Beltane staple so honoring Hestia and Hephaestus would also be appropriate. A fertility day, dancing and fruit could also be offered to Pan, dionysus and the nymphs of the land.
Considering the fertility aspect of may day along with it being close to the northern american celebration of Mothers day, I would argue that Leto would also be good to honor.
Hellenic gods - Artemis, Apollo, Demeter, Hestia, Hephaestus, Pan, Dionysus, Leto nymphs and spirits of the land.
Wheel Holiday - Midsummer - June 20th (summer solstice)
The time when the day is longest, the sun reigns, sometimes called Litha. Night time is also used to celebrate the fae and those of the otherworld
Associations - abundance, virility, sun celebration, strength, mystery, the fae
Hellenic holiday - Lampteria, Klidonas (Not usually in june but may due to regional differences in seasons)
Klidonas is the greek celebration of summer. Typically bonfires are lit which are jumped over. Maidens also perform divinations to see who they will marry. The olive branch charms and may wreaths that were made before are cast into the fires. From a divination aspect, Apollo could be honored here
From a hellenic pagan standpoint this day can be used to celebrate gods associated with the wild, virilty, sun and sexuality, like eros, aphrodite, helios, pan, dionysus, as well as the nymphs and spirits of the land. I would even say Zeus and Poseidon since this is also rather close to fathers day which is when I give honor to Zeus and the ocean is heavily associated with summer in modern times. Summer vacation is also a time for travel, so Hermes as well, its all down to who you feel closest to
Lampteria does not have a fixed date, but pomegranteanddivy said that she places it around this time and has a beautiful post on how she associate and celebrate it. This would be great for midsummer night, honoring the darker aspects of the otherworld.
Hellenic gods honored - Apollo, Eros, Aphrodite, Helios, Zeus, Poseidon, pan, Dionysus, Hermes, Nymphs and spirits of the earth.
Wheel Holiday - Lammas, Lughnasadh, first harvest - August 1st
The festival itself is named after the god Lugh. It involved great gatherings that included religious ceremonies, ritual athletic contests, feasting, matchmaking and trading.
Associations - feasts, contest, marriage, trade, the first of the harvest.
Hellenic holiday - Hermaea, Aphrodisia
Hermaea was the festival of Hermes. Traditionally this was a time for athletic competition, much like the celebrations at Lughnasadh. Some areas celebrated it with a upturn of social order. Games that require wit or strategy. Feast and gifts of food or necessities for the homeless would be a wonderful way to celebrate.
Aphrodisia was a celebration of Aphrodite. In Cyprus, participants who were initiated into the Mysteries of Aphrodite were offered salt, a representation of Aphrodite’s connection to the sea, and bread baked in the shape of a phallus. This is similar to the modern wiccan practice of making an offering of men shaped bread for lammas.
Considered a fortuitous time for marriage, it would be appropriate to honor Hera, as well as Aphrodite.
In the modern times, this usually marks the start of school back and students prepare for the next year. a combination of this, plus the abundance of contest in hermaea would also make Athena appropriate to honor.
Hellenic gods honored - Hermes, Aphrodite, Hera, Athena
Wheel Holiday - Autumn Equinox, Mabon - September 23rd
The name Mabon is derived from the welsh god of the same name
Associations - Second Harvest, the Mysteries, Equality and Balance
Hellenic holiday - Koris Katagogi
Koris Katagogi was a festival specifically to celebrate Persephone’s descent, where other festivals tended to focus on her ascent more than anything else. Demeters daughter departs from the world and descends to the underworld to join her husband Hades and take back up her Iron crown. Some tales say its Hermes that guides her on these journies.
This is also around the time of wine harvest so libations to Dionysus would be appropriate too.
Hellenic gods - Demeter, Persephone, Hermes, Dionysus.
Wheel Holiday - Samhain (eve)/Halloween - October 31st - November 1st
last Gaelic quater day. considered a liminal time where the spirits of the dead and the fae roam and must be placated.
Associations - The dead, the underworld, ghosts, fae, offerings
Hellenic holiday - None on that day but in october- Pyanopsia, Thesmophoria and stenia.
Pyanopsia was a festival for Apollo as a ripener of fruits and protector. Stews were made and branches were wrapped in purple and white wool as tokens to gaurd against evil, along with offerings of honey, pastries and wine. In this regard it shares some tradition with the old traditions of halloween and samhain as far as creating wards against evil and honey was often offered to placate the fae and dead. I dont think it would be too much of a stretch to do these during the day of halloween before night fell.
Thesmorphoria and stenia are rather complex and illusive festival, nearly six days in total honoring Demeter and her daughter persephone.
When it comes to celebrating Halloween and Samhain though, I like to use that time to honor the dead, Hades, Persphone and their retinue. Usually with a mute meal and offerings as the sun falls. Once the sun sets and night sets, it becomes, for me a festival of Hekate, both as mistress of ghosts, necromancy and witches, but also, as a protector of children as all the young ones go out trick or treating.
Hellenic gods - Hades, Persephone, Apollo, Demeter, Hekate and her retinue.
Wheel Holiday - Midwinter, Yule - December 21st
The longest night of the year, many similarities with christmas
Associations - darkness, coming light, gift giving, joy, cold, introspection, feast
Hellenic holiday - Rural Dionysia
rural Dionysian is a wine fesitval of Dionysus. Processions were made with girls carrying bread, wine, water and other offerings. After that there were contests of dancing and singing, following by performance of choruses (not unlike caroling) also theatrical performances held (christmas movie marathon heyo). Dionsysus also had a miracle birth after his mother died, myth says that Zeus took her womb and stitched it into his own thigh to carry Dionysus until he was born so this can also be used to celebrate his birth.
Offerings can be made during this time to Helios and apollo, for prosperity in the coming year and the quick return of the sun. Artemis may be offered thanks for the game meat you may eat during this time, also since this is in the middle of hunting season. As this is also the longest night of the year, some may want to use this time to pay their respects to Nyx
Hellenic gods - Dionysus, Helios, Nyx, Zeus, Apollo, Artemis.
There, whew! If anyone has an additions, feel free to reblog and add. I tried my best to stick to things that fell around the same time or has similar connotations. I realize a lot of recon’s hate the idea of incorporating the wheel of the year (a neopagan concept) into hellenismos but since I see so many people asking about it, I thought I’d at least give it a shot. I’m not here to tell anyone else how to worship
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