I'm very happy to share that as of yesterday, I am no longer a priest-in-training but a consecrated hiereus of Hekate Propolos Enodia!
I am very grateful to be accepted into this sacred office and representing Mt Nysa Mystery School as a member of the Hieropoioi. It's a very exciting time after my period of study, ritual, and community crafting.
I have many people to thank including my community here, the Sanctuary of the Crossroads, my friends and family, my mentors and peers along this journey, and of course the goddess herself, Hekate.
My ceremony took place in Ancient Greek fashion with witnesses and a libation vessel broken to indicate the permanence of my vows.
The religious name I adopted was Ameibolampos, they/he of the shifting light. It is a combination of a rare epithet of Hekate's, Ameibousa, and Lampos to represent the light I seek to carry as a priest of the torchbearer.
I am so very grateful to my mentor and instructor during this program, Bria Melitta.
To many more rituals, learnings, and pathways ahead! 🥂
This blog is a safe space for everyone with unconventional relationships with deities. You're married to Thor? Cool, good for y'all. Dionysus is your dad? Awesome. You're a priest of Hekate? Epic. At the end of the day, who tf am I to judge the relationships that other people have with deities. Let's not throw stones from glass houses
May I ask why “the gods would never be your (x)” is bad? I know it is but I just don’t know *why* I’ve always been told “the gods are not your friends” but I hate viewing it like that
Of course!
For one it makes a habit of speaking for the gods by individuals who have no business or right speaking for the gods. You are not a priest, you are not an oracle, you are not a trained godphone. (And even if they are, always question them and their legitimacy. Saying that as a priestess and oracle in training).
Secondly, this idea that the gods are some mysterious figures that are far off and can't really be bothered with us and our feelings and so we can't have personal relationships (platonic/familial/romantic/sexual/etc) with them comes from (colonized) evangelical Christianity where Yahweh is this distant father figure and he cares about us, of course of course, but we should also feel lucky that he even spares us a glance! (🙄)
It often turns abusive behaviors into loving gestures as well, which we often see in the church. This attitude is often due to the fact that we have many pagans that still have Christian attitudes. And that's not shaming them! Deconstruction and healing religious trauma is a lengthy process and can take YEARS to do so. But it's still harmful rhetoric.
If YOU PERSONALLY have a strictly devotional and/or professional relationship with the divine then that's perfectly fine and valid. But not everyone will have a relationship with the divine like that. Some will have friendships with the divine, some will build themselves a family with the divine, some bang gods and angels and demons too, some have deep and loving romantic relationships with the divine, some have queerplatonic relationships with the divine, some even have alterous relationships with them.
And that's also okay and valid.
Also this take also just blatantly disregards so much mythology. "Don't be a myth literalist" doesn't mean completely disregard mythology. Another problem is that many people I've seen with this take (often white Hellenists) are speaking across the board and talking on/for practices that they have absolutely no fucking business talking about.
Bethany you're a white woman, stop speaking about how "the gods aren't your friends/lovers" as if it's a universal rule because you're also talking about closed practices, indigenous practices, and religions founded and primarily practiced by BIPOC people and you have no fucking business talking about shit you have no business talking about.
I believe that transsexuality is a part of God's plan.
The reason He made me female instead of male at the beginning of this life is the same reason He gave us grapes yet made us work for the wine, the same reason we were given wheat yet had to work for bread, the same reason we were given clay yet had to make bricks and then use those to build houses.
There is love and joy in creation. God called upon me and others to engage in the act of creation, to take the body He gave us and mold it into the image He always had in mind.
So many people perceive transsexuality as a mistake, “God put me in the wrong body”, “God doesn’t make mistakes”, but the truth is that’s not the case. It was no mistake. It was a part of His plan, like all things are. It may not make sense to us and it may not make sense now, but it’s not meant to.
TL;DR: The Hiereiai (fem. hiereia, masc. hiereus) was the closest Greek equivalent to a Christian Priest; however, running a temple requires many different people with a variety of responsibilities, and the requirements changed at every temple.
If you wanted to participate in a public ritual, you followed a hiereia (priestess) or hiereus (priest); if you wanted to give an offering or say a prayer in the presence of the Divine, you asked a Keyholder; and if you wanted a message from the Gods themselves, you requested a meeting with a Seer.
Recommended: @star-of-zeus' Priesthood Series.
Foreword
Throughout this post, I will use the term priesthood and priest as a gender-neutral term for female and male priests; however, like some scholars¹, I believe the modern definition of priesthood does not belong in Hellenic Polytheism. Using them erases the complexities of the Greek Priest equivalent and combines the roles of many historically into one. In this post, I'll go more in-depth into what "priesthood" meant in ancient Greece.
Greek "Priesthood" in Antiquity
Our concept of priesthood is heavily Christian-inspired.
While priesthood in Christianity varies by denomination, our perception of modern Christian priest have inaccurately shaped our understanding of priesthood in ancient Greece.
There's a prominent misconception that priesthood was always a lifelong position and a priests' sole responsibility was to educate the masses and spread the word of their God(s). This comes from a fundamental misunderstanding of what priests actually did in antiquity².
The Hiereiai: the Greek "Priest"
"In Greece, the priesthood is not a way of life, but a part-time and honorary office; it may involve expense, but it brings great prestige.” — Burkert³
The people responsible for maintaining a particular temple and the closest Greek equivalent to a Christian priest were called the Hiereiai (fem. hiereia, masc. hiereus).
The Hiereiai primarily led public rituals, festivals and ensured sacrifices were received and cared for appropriately (per the ritual procedures). Being a part of the Hiereiai can be compared to working a 9-to-5. The Hiereiai did not live in the temple and only worked when the temple was opened, typically during festivals and celebrations⁴ (although this varied by cult).
While their primary job was caring for sacrifices, the Hiereiai worked as public servants (or civil workers). They worked alongside the city to prepare festivals, cleanse homes after a birth or death, and maintain the temple and sanctuary.
Becoming a Priest: Qualifications
Every temple was slightly different, with different requirements and expectations for those who worked there. I'll give the most generalized description from the sources I've found.
"...[I]n the case of Greek priesthoods, pedigree, wealth, or both were basic requirements for attaining office..." — Connelly⁵
The position of a "priest" was most commonly inherited. Priesthood could be purchased, won by elections or lots, or inherited².
The most eligible always came from wealthy and well-educated families, with little exception.
There were male and female priests (fem. hiereia, masc. hiereus). The acceptable age of a "priest" varied from cult. Those aged 7 to 11 were likely to be assistants rather than oath-bound priests, as seen in notes about the Cult of Athena Polias. Some cults only accepted “matured” (married and with children—usually post-menopause) women.
It's important to note that hiereus typically worked with male deities, and hiereia worked with female deities; however, there were exceptions.
If someone's household was eligible to hold a priest position, all members (regardless of gender) would receive education to obtain the title. Likewise, if someone came from a family of priests, the elders would pass down their knowledge to the young. Most priests had been "training" their entire lives⁶.
The younger someone was, the more likely their position as a priest would be temporary. Younger priests, namely prepubescent children, would typically work as priests until they were no longer virgins or married⁸. Similarly, young women would sometimes temporarily work as priests in the year leading up to their marriage. It's important to note that most priest positions were not life-long and did not typically require oaths of celibacy⁷.
— WHAT WE KNOW SO FAR —
The Hiereiai was the closest Greek equivalent to a Christian priest in antiquity. Priesthood was more like a regular job in that it was commonly a temp. position that allotted a person (and their family) great prestige.
The title of a "priest" was commonly inherited, but it could also be bought or elected by the people or Gods (via lots). Primarily, people from wealthy and well-educated backgrounds would be considered eligible for priesthood, although the qualifications required varied from cult and temple.
Many of the Hiereiai spent their entire lifetimes learning about priesthood and how to worship the Gods according to their local cults). The Hiereiai's main job was to take care of sacrifices, work with the city to prepare festivals, cleanse homes after birth or death, and maintain the temple.
Keyholders, Oracles, and More
There are not enough words to stress that the term priest does not adequately describe the ancient practice of the Hiereiai or the other people who worked alongside them. When you use priest or priestess, you effectively erase the diversity of the numerous roles that make running a temple possible.
Keyholders: Male or female priests with noble backgrounds and high cultic status could become the ones who carried the key to the temple (or the naos, the dwelling of the Gods). The Naos was not always accessible to all worshippers, as entering meant (metaphorically) stepping into the presence of a God⁸. Keyholders essentially acted as gatekeepers at the doors of the Divine and allowed visitors in according to cultic tradition.
Manteis (Seers, Sibyls, etc.): In antiquity, Manteis went by many names—Seers, Sibyls, Prophet(ess), etc.
Simply put, Manteis were usually part of the Hiereiai (but not always) and could receive messages from the divine. Unlike a priest, a Mantis was not always bound to a single temple. They would often travel from different cities or backgrounds and advise publicly (or privately to those of high status)⁹.
While priesthood was usually reserved for the elite, anyone could become a Mantis, as seen by many of Apollo's Seers who were "peasants", so long as they had the skills. Manteis and the Hiereiai could sometimes be virtually indistinguishable⁹. Manteis would perform rituals and offer animal sacrifices alongside the Hiereiai; however, a hiereia (priestess) or hiereus (priest) couldn't perform the duties of a Mantis.
That said, a lot of the information about Manteis has been lost. In the modern day, Manteis and Oracles are virtually indistinguishable; however, in antiquity, oracles referred to the divine message itself.
Instead of calling a specific person an oracle, the message they received—or even the collection of previous messages from the collective priests of said temple—would be called an oracle¹⁰. Pythia, commonly called the Oracle of Delphi, was likely not called an Oracle.
Today, Oracle and Mantis have become intertwined. According to Wikipedia, Oracles were believed to receive the word of a God directly. On the other hand, Seers interpreted signs (omens, stars, animal entrails from a sacrifice, etc.) and interpreted the message from the Gods that way. However, this distinction may not have existed in antiquity.
Summarizing
This brief list does not even begin to scratch the surface of the many, many roles that could be found in a temple.
If you wanted to participate in a public ritual, you followed a hiereia (priestess) or hiereus (priest). The Hiereiai (plural for hiereia and hiereus) primarly led public rituals and city-wide festivals, ensured sacrifices were take care of, and cleaned the temple.
If you wanted to give an offering or say a prayer in the presence of the Divine, you asked a Keyholder. The Keyholder was apart of the Hiereiai that was in charge of a key that allowed them to open and close the Naos, a part of the Temple where the Gods were said to dwell.
If you wanted a message from the Gods, you requested a meeting with a Mantis. The Manteis interpreted messages sent from the Gods and shared them as needed. They were often part of the Hiereiai themselves, but not always.
Being a part of the Hiereiai can be compared to working a 9-to-5. Every temple was slightly different, with different requirements and expectations for those who worked there; however it was rarely a lifetime job.
When you use the terms Priest or Priestess, you lose some of the nuance that made up "priesthood" in antiquity.
Sources
Divider by @/sister-lucifer
[1] Dignas and Kai, "Practitioners of the Divine," 21.
[2] Garland, "Greek and Roman Priests and Religious Personnel"
[3] Dignas and Kai, "Practitioners of the Divine," 27.
[4] Dignas and Kai, "Practitioners of the Divine," 36.
[5] Connelly, "Portrait of a Priestess," 23.
[6] Connelly, "Portrait of a Priestess," 28.
[7] Connelly, "Portait of a Priestess," 18.
[8] Karatas, "Key-bearers of Greek Temples"
[9] Dignas and Kai, "Practitioners of the Divine," 16.
[10] Dillions, "Omens and Oracles,” 5.
