04/19/2023
Noumenia Ceremony
(First day of the Lunar month)
The Hellenic festival calendar is lunar based and the beginning of each month is marked by the appearance of the new moon. This usually takes place on the day after the astronomical New Moon in any particular region. The first day of the month is named Noumenia and it is a sacred day, dedicated to Apollon. On this day we honour all of the cherished Gods, and especially the Household Gods: Hestia, Apollon, Zeus, Hermes and Hekate. As this is the most sacred of days of the month and marks its beginning; it is advisable to pay special attention to the ceremony, allowing sufficient time for the care of the household statues and devotional items.
A common practice is the cleansing and incensing of the statues and the renewal of the offerings on the various altars and shrines of the household . To cover all the possible needs of a household in this ceremony, the Hymn to Mousaios, which honours all Gods, is used along with a special hymn to Apollon, and small odes to the rest of the Household Gods while we care for their statues or their 'symbols'.
OPENING
Come, O' Blissful Gods,
great friends of mortals,
mighty pillars of the world.
Come, Immortal Gods,
by the grace of our libations, freely grant to us mortals,
untainted virtue, great happiness, and well-being.
* Libate red wine.
HYMN TO HESTIA
* Offerings: incense of Fragrances.
Hestia, royal daughter of almighty Kronos,
You who holds the central abode, the magnificent perpetual fire,
Elevate the respectful suppliants who worship You in their holy ceremonies,
Grant to them ever-flourishing happiness, glad and pure,
O' dwelling of the Blissful Gods, steady support of mortals,
Eternal, glow-formed, needed by all,
Come, smiling Blessed Goddess, accept these offerings with kind heart,
Inspire happiness and gentle health.
* Libate red wine.
PRAYER OF MOUSAIOS
King Zeus and Gaia and sacred heavenly flames of Helios;
holy light of Mene (the Moon) and all the stars;
and You, dark haired Poseidon, earth-shaker;
pure Persephone and Demetra of the bountiful fruit;
Artemis, the maiden archer and farshooting Phoibos,
who dwells in the sacred valley of Delphi,
holding the highest honours amongst the Blessed; dancing Dionysos,
bold Ares and powerful holy Ephaistos,
Foam-born goddess, bearer of famous gifts,
and You, King of the Underworld, great and venerable God;
H**e and Eileithia and brave Heracles,
and the great providence of Dikaiosyne ([Justice] and Eusevia [Piety];
I also call the splendid Nymphs and Pan, the Great,
and Hera, vigorous wife of aegis-bearing Zeus;
I invoke the lovely Mnemosyne and the nine sublime Muses
and the Kharites and the Horês of the Eniautos [the annual cycle]
Leto with the beautiful limbs, the modest Theio and Dione,
the Kouretes, the armed Koryvantes, and the Kaveires,
as well as our great Saviours, the indestructible children of Zeus,
the great Idaian gods and the heavenly messenger,
Hermes, the communicator, and Themis, the diviner of men,
I invite venerable Nyx and brightly glowing Day,
Pisti and D**e and the immaculate Thesmodoteira (Lawgiver),
Rhea and Kronos and the dark-veiled Tethys,
Okeanos, the Great, and his daughters, the Okeanides,
Atlas' and Aionos' superior power,
and the eternal Time, and the splendid water of Styx,
the soothing Gods and the benevolent Pronoia;
the all-holy Daimona of the Gods and the malevolent of mortals,
all heavenly, air and water Gods,
all Gods of the earth, and of the fire, and of the underworld.
Semele and the company of Bakkhos;
Ino Leukothea and Palaimon, the bliss-giver,
Sweet tongued Nike and queen Adrastea,
and the great king, giver of tranquillity, Asclepios,
Pallas, the fearsome maiden,
and all the Winds and the Thunder,
the steady foundation of the Kosmos,
Mother of the Immortals, Attis and Mena, I call
the Goddess Ourania together with her immortal pure Adonis,
the Beginning and the End – the greatest of all -
Come with benevolence and happy hearts,
to this holy ceremony and sacred libation.
HYMN TO ZEUS
* Incense Olybanum.
O' Zeus, Father Zeus, You are the power in the heavens,
You who judges the deeds of men to be lawful or devious,
and dispenses justice upon hubristic beasts.
Come, O' Blessed Ktesios and Erkeios, benevolent, comforting and
bearing wealth with Agathodaimon.
* Libate red wine.
HYMN TO APOLLON
* Offerings: Red roses, laurel leaves, libations of red wine – incense: frankincense
and manna, accompanied by music.
I remember and do not forget Apollon Hekateios.
From years past,
it is a sacred custom to invoke You.
Come O' Blessed Paian, Splendidly honoured Phoibos,
Ie Dispenser of Blessings, Spermatic, Pythian,
Delphic Diviner, Bright Daimon.
You who sees the boundless aether and the joyful earth from above;
Your eyes are the stars, dispelling the darkness.
With your laurel branch, you shake the heavens,
Apollon, You who does not appear to all
but only to those who are good.
Great is he who beholds You,
insignificant are those who have not.
We wish to be in Your presence, O' Hekatevolos (Far-shooting),
so that we may never be insignificant again.
Ie Noumenios, come with a good disposition, bearing good fortune and favourable outcomes to our endeavours in the month to come,
Ie Paian, Ie Apollon, Ie Noumenios.
* Libate red wine.
ODE TO HERMES
* Offerings: Kyrikeon (Caduceus), tongue image, rosemary, almond, pine, incense:
frankincense and styrax, libations of red wine.
Heed my prayer,
Hermes of the roads, Zeus' Messenger,
You who has an almighty heart, dear friend of mortals.
With this modest libation,
I evoke Thee to come as Protector,
of this Oikos (Home) and our land,
Swift-footed Messenger of the Will of the Gods!
* Libate red wine.
CLOSING
Khairete O' Blessed Gods,
Be with us always,
Never leave,
Cease all illness
and drive away sorrow.
* Libate red wine.
ΓΕΝΟΙΤΟ (Yen-ee-toh)
