#chthonia

Khaosgenetor — chaos-born.

Nyktelios — night revealing, night-bringing.

Kelainḗ — black.

Mélaina — black one.

Erebennḗ — dark one.

Hierá — holy.

Ambrosíē — ambrosial, divine.

Oloḗ — ruinous.

Euphrone — kindly, cheerful.

Epithets of Hekáte

Chthonia – Of the Underworld

Chthonia, guide our souls,

Mother of the Underworld,

Bring wisdom to those who cross over,

Hekáte, Guardian of the Gate,

Watch over their journey,

01: Demeter Chthonia

I sing of Demeter and Kore, wife of Klymenos, raising the honey-voiced hymn in the deep-sounding Aeolian harmony.

Fragment of a hymn by Lasos of Hermione, 6th century BCE.

Pausanias is our most detailed source for the famous cult of Demeter Chthonia (of the Underworld) at the remote town of Hermione in the Argolid. This cult is unusual in its emphasis on the role of Hades (who is given the euphemistic name of Klymenos, the Renowned One). "He reports that the Chthonia festival took place in the summer and began with a procession of all the priests, magistrates, and townspeople, even the children. Dressed in white and crowned with wreaths made from a local summer wildflower, they led a heifer to the sanctuary, where it was allowed to roam about until it entered the open doors of the temple. Inside, four old women rose from their ceremonial thrones and pursued the heifer until one of them cut its throat with a sickle. Three more cows were slaughtered for the goddess in the same way."

"The indoor sacrifice is very unusual, but can be explained as the result of the strict gender segregation practiced in the cult. The cult statue of Chthonia was so sacred that only the old women were permitted to view it, and the exclusion of men seems to have extended to the sacrificial slaughter, usually a male prerogative."

"Opposite Chthonia's sanctuary was that of Klymenos, and the area was famed for its entrance to the underworld, an opening in the earth from which Herakles once emerged, it was said, leading Kerberos."

For the residents of Serpentis Solacia, it's not all that unusual for a stranger to carry an odd story behind them. To have a bunch of those eccentric strangers congregating in one place, however, somehow manages to be even less unusual.

Such is the case with the Coven of Malady's Rejoice. While it is, accurate to its name, made up of a collection of witches, the building claimed by the coven's founders houses a few other non-witches, with the insistence they are, in fact, somehow serving an integrally useful role as associates. Somehow.

For instance, Chthonia. With no magic and, at this point, no discernable Charge, it's hard for her to feel as if she's doing anything but killing time amongst the coven, even if she must admit to enjoying the company. Her living there is mostly paid for through her willingness to carry out favors for the others, especially considering how wide her practical skillset is. She's built up quite the well of experience with many manners of repairs and research, even prior to her arrival in the Wasteland, and can usually be relied upon to at least have a general knowledge on any task she's entrusted with.

That being said, the less magical and more draconic side of the coven's members does occasionally leave Chthonia with the brunt of the group's domestic matters. Considering that a walk through Serpentis Solacia's merchant's district is never too far out of the way, getting stuck with the occasional stretch of grocery shopping or material-fetching isn't the worst thing in the world; and it's hard not to enjoy it when her familiar, Kerbie, always seems eager to join her for the walk.

Besides, at the end of the day, it's just nice to feel appreciated.

"May these words of entreaty

Find their way to Hekate Chthonia,

She who heard Persephone’s distress from afar;

And being filled with great compassion

For the grieving of another,

Pledged to mediate between the realms of God and Mortals

Lady of the deep Earth,

Bear witness to the suffering

That we must endure for a time.

Bring forth your stabilising presence

So that we, your children,

Can find sure footing upon shifting ground.

May Strength and Resilience seed and take root

Within despairing hearts,

May your light find and nurture those shrouded

In grief and confusion.

Spread your protective mantle about us

So that we may always find a community

Within the sphere of your guiding providence,

Relieve the burdens of loneliness and isolation

Inspire us to seek out the Ineffable,

Rekindle our joy in reciprocity, growth and flourishing.

May these words be heard

By Hekate Chthonia

Who bears witness

Tender hearted Phileremos

Who mediates

Between the realms of Gods and Mortals"

Written by Anna Marie, from Noumenia News n°52 Artwork (detail) by Laurie Bianciotto

Shared by Laurie Bianciotto, Devotee CoH

09.22.2020 

My love is a devotee of Persephone, myself now of Hecate. It seemed fitting, thus, to mark in this year the transition of Summer to Fall and the descent of the Lady to the Underworld as we move into the winter season in the northern hemisphere. The ritual below is adapted from and used with permission from @myheartsdarling​ and myself. This ritual was considered in the time that we are currently experiencing - this year’s Spring Equinox marking around the time which things for us began to slide into a descent despite the seasonal birth and growth. It feels like a long spiritual winter. 

Prior to this ritual, as described in the “cleanse” portion I placed the leavings of old matches, incense ash, bits of prior spells and curses and dead flowers that had been on the altar at the crossroads near the river near my apartment. As is tradition for Hecate’s deipnon, I turned and did not look back. To honor the tradition of leaving food at the crossroads which would be consumed by the poor/destitute of ancient times, I donated to the Food Bank to feed those who have less means. 

(Reference: “Ask Hekate whether it is better to be rich or starving; she will tell you that the rich send her a meal every month [food placed inside her door-front shrines] and that the poor make it disappear before it is even served." - Aristophanes, Plutus 410)

We performed this ritual via video call roughly in tandem though this version below is my own interpretation of the ritual and may differ from hers. If you, too, desire to utilize parts of this ritual feel free to adapt it to your own needs. 

Persephone Equinox Ritual

A ritual to honor Persephone’s descent and Demeter’s loss and the ways in which this mirrors our own experiences in life, especially within this year. Hecate marks the crossroads of this transition. Through loss and grief will come growth and rebirth. There is a balance between life and death that must be honored and observed. 

Cleanse

Prepare the home and self for ritual: 

Gather items with associations --> plants, flowers, baked goods, milk, herbs, tea, alcohol, candles, art, ritual oils, etc

Remove from the home all detritus and tie up loose ends -> pay outstanding bills, sweep out ash or remnants of spells long cast, take out garbage/recycling/accumulated papers that need to be disposed of

Shower/Bath Ritual 

Smoke or other cleansing of the home

Gather 3 threads to represent the Goddesses honored in this ritual (we used black for Hecate, burgundy for Demeter and red for Persephone)

Witness / Reflect

Hecate: Hold or cut the Black thread.

Reflect on the darkness of humanity at every level (society, cultural, familial, personal). 

Contemplate the feelings of anger, despair, loss

Bear witness to and name this suffering

Candles represent the torch bearer and psychopomp who guides through the darkness (Lampadios).

Search / Seek Meaning

Demeter:  Hold or cut the Burgundy thread.

After the horror of loss, the insight to learn from it

How to make meaning of what suffering seen in the levels of humanity (society, cultural, familial, personal)

Find balance in the darkness and the light

Wheat and fall-borne fruits for the fruitful bearer and the one who seeks (Eucarpus & Azesia )

Descent / Gratitude

Persephone: Hold or cut the descent thread. 

Reflect on what exists to hold gratitude for in this time (society, cultural, familial, personal)

Hold gratitude for the lessons of the experiences that caused suffering and this time of stillness and hibernation to reflect before growth comes again

Reflect on the transformation - as the Goddess descends she too shall return and ascend when time comes again

Orchid flowers for the maiden & fertility goddess who rules in the underworld and knows the mysteries of both life and death (Daeira & Chthonia)

Honor

Build or arrange the altar if not already prepared

Offerings (ideas for donation of time or resources)

Hecate: food bank or dog shelter

Demeter: maternal welfare or climate protection groups

Persephone: political action or youth groups; suicide prevention

Give thanks for to each thread

Honor those who have passed

Honor the deathless gods

Vow / Commit

Drink first sip of tea/alcohol/other offering

Bring about visions of the “afterlife” or spring to come 

Reassess priorities and what needs to be done to achieve them

What sacrifices have already been made? 

What sacrifices may need to be made in the future? 

Weave or braid the threads together. Can be placed on an altar or tied as a bracelet or anklet

Assess and collect the harvested wisdom to store, conserve and strengthen for the winter to come