Νουμηνία, I day.
From today's sunset: beginning of the new month of Pyanepsion, sacred to Apollo - sacred month of the Thesmophoria.
Happy Noumenia to you all, best wishes!!!
Noumenia is a day sacred to all the Gods- in particular to Apollo Noumenios, Zeus, Helios, Hecate, Artemis Noumenia, Hera, Hermes, and to all the Household Gods.
Sacrifices, purifications, libations, banquets and singing of hymns are some among the distinctive features of the first day of the lunar month.
Banquet of Noumeniastai;
Epimenia.
Principal Celebrations of the Month:
- V day, Prorresis of the Proerosia/Proarktouria;
Private offering of the first fruits to Demeter and Kore
- VI day, Proerosia;
Sacrifice to Theseus (Salaminioi)
- VII day, Pyanopsia;
private sacrifices to Artemis and Apollo;
Oschophoria;
sacrifice to Konnidas
- VIII day, sacrifice to the Amazones;
Kybernesia;
Theseia
- IX day, Stenia- nocturnal festival;
public sacrifices to the Two Goddesses
- X day, Thesmophoria- Mysteria in Halimous; end of the Sacred Truce for the Eleusinian Mysteries
- XI day, Thesmophoria- Anodos
- XII day, Thesmophoria- Nesteia
- XIII day, Thesmophoria- Kalligeneia
- XIV day, Sacrifices to the Heroines (Erchia)
- XIX day, Apatouria- Dorpia
- XX day, Apatouria- Anarrhysis; sacrifices to Hephaistus
- XXI day, Apatouria- Koureotis
- XXII, Apatouria- Epibda
- last day of the month, Khalkeia
(Fragment of a votive relief with Artemis or Hekate, holding a torch, and a female figure; 4rd cent. BC, Archaeological Museum of Sikyon)