The last Grain Festival of the year, Skira/Skiraphoria had two main focuses in celebration. These two focuses go hand-in-hand. One being Athena's triumph over Poseidon as the patron of Athens, and the second being Demeter's mystics regarding the harvest.
Skiron held major signficance as not only a precinct, but a place for Athena Skiras, Poseidon Pater, Demeter and Kore. Women were known during this festival to parade the streets, the only time of the year they were allowed to gather together in public. They ate garlic to ward of men (and husbands) as this day was one withheld from intimacy.
Because of this, Skira is regarded mainly as a festival for women. Women also casted piglets, dough figures of snakes and male genitalia, and pinecones into megaron, or a chasm. This then would be gathered once again at Thesmophoria. This cycle can be tied to the Grain part of the festival. Even as the year was coming to a close, the women were the ones to ensure the cycle begun properly once again in the next year to come.
Priests and priestesses engaged in mystics at the previously mentioned precinct. Plutarch mentions this as a "sacred plowing". This could be read placing significance on thanksgivings over a feast or a blessing of the last harvest of the year. Many read it as both.
With this ritual one to Athena as the patroness of Athens was said. Her victory over Poseidon for the city was acknowledged. A priest of Helios also attended, suggesting a blessing for good weather for the crops was also said at the sacred site.
Young men also participated in the festival in celebration. It is said races occurred to a shrine of Dionysus. The winner would partake in a wine-like mixture of wine, honey, olive oil, cheese and grain. Athena Skira was asked to bless this mixture.
It is during this time that we Modern Hellenes might take place a feast of grain, meat and dairy. Acknowledgement of Lady Athena's victory should be celebrated, bringing in the good harvest for her patron city with a prayer to Lord Helios, Lady Demeter and Lady Kore.
I’m not going to share my rituals in this post, it would be too long. This is just a summary of the festivals I regularly celebrate, how they were celebrated in ancient Greece and a bit about how I celebrate them. Unfortunately, many of the festivals related to Demeter were kept secret on punishment of death. We know some things that they did and can infer meaning from that. And I definitely don’t want to perfectly recreate these rituals. I don’t eat pork. I don’t want to sacrifice a piglet. I don’t fast for personal health reasons. But I believe historical context is important. Many festivals in Ancient Greece were celebrated over many days or on different dates across Greece. This just isn’t functional in the modern world. I chose to celebrate many of them on equinoxes and solstices because the festivals generally represent the changing of the seasons and we use those dates to represent the start of seasons. Likewise, so much of the Greek calendar was based on astronomical occurrence (lunar and solar cycles, constellations, etc.) that the ancient dates just aren’t accurate anymore. I’m not an astronomer, so I’m not going to try explaining precession, instead you can read this helpful article on Hipparchus, the ancient Greek astronomer and mathematician who discovered it. If you would like to read further on the complications of the Ancient Greek calendar system, here is a helpful article!
Anthesteria - February 2
This festival was traditionally celebrated on the full moon between January and February, but in America, February 2 is Groundhog’s Day and supposedly determines whether or not we will have 6 more weeks of winter, and I love Groundhog’s Day. This, also, allows me to keep my usual full moon rituals. Anthesteria was sacred to Dionysus and was the opening of last year’s wine and a drinking festival. The Greeks believed the spirits of the dead walked among them during this time so libations were poured for deceased family, protections cast for self and home, and offerings of seeds and barley made to Hermes so he would take the spirits back to the Underworld. I like to celebrate this festival by watching the groundhog in hopes of an early spring, starting seeds indoors, and inviting friends over for games and trying my homemade wine.
Anthesphoria - Spring Equinox, March 21
This festival was celebrated to honor Persephone’s return to Demeter. People would process through the streets to the temple carrying flowers as offerings to the goddesses, a nod to how Persephone was picking flowers when she was taken. Ways I celebrate include planting in my garden, giving gifts of potted flowers to friends and family, and giving offerings of Narcissus and sweet honey treats like Baklava.
Thargelia - May 21
This festival celebrates the birth of Artemis and Apollo. It usually took place around May 24 and 25; however, I am a Gemini and cannot help celebrating the birth of the Twins at the start of Gemini season. This, also, helps it feel more in time with their birth story considering Artemis was born 9 days before and helped deliver Apollo (to the end of May). Traditionally, olive branches would be bound by wool and hung over the front door to bless the crops and growing season, and first fruits offered to the birthday Gods.
Skiraphoria - Summer Solstice, June 21
A fertility festival honoring Demeter, Kore, Athena, Dionysus, and Poseidon. Some participants would descend into pits and pull out what was sacrificed at Thesmophoria, to sprinkle through the fields to ensure a good harvest. This was the final grain harvest in Greece, and the start of the dry season. As a homesteader, I like to spend time in my garden, spreading compost, harvesting, and planting for a late harvest.
The Greater Mysteries - Autumnal Equinox, September 21
Historically, you would participate in this ritual after being initiated into the lesser mysteries. It began with a procession through the streets, then an all night vigil, acting out Demeter’s search for her daughter. A sacred drink called the kykeon was shared, followed by the secret ritual. To celebrate this, I will go for a hike, or have a harvest feast of thanks with my friends, leaving a plate for Demeter, and telling her story. I also begin to make the wine to be opened on Anthesteria at this time.
Thesmophoria - October 31
This festival honors Persephone’s descent into the Underworld, and was celebrated in what would have been late October, early November. Participants would sacrifice pigs and cast them into pits to rot with phallus shapes breads. This rot would be used later at Skiraphoria. Then they would fast, and pray for fertility. Like I said, I don’t want to sacrifice pigs, BUT I do make the bread and other treats to share with friends while we’re up to Halloween shenanigans. This is also when I bottle my homemade wine for storage and aging.
The Lesser Mysteries - Winter Solstice, December 21
Initiation into the Lesser Mysteries was required to experience the Greater Mysteries. Participants would make a sacrifice of a piglet, then be purified in a river. I use this time for ritual cleansing the past year off of myself and my home, and setting goals for the new year. I make offerings to Hestia at this time, to bless and keep my home.
Happy Summer Solstice! ( or Winter Solstice for those in the southern hemisphere! ) In my calendar, this is when the Skiraphoria falls, so I'm going to be spending some time honoring Athena, Poseidon, Demeter and Kore, as well as Helios, obviously
