#poseidea

okay so this year im going to start an new thing where during every greek holiday i have on my calendar im going to make a post about how purpose of the holiday, ways to celebrate it, and altar setups. I know im a few days behind, but i should be able to catch up quickly.

So Poseidea was celebrated on the 8th of Poseidon but might have also had an association with the solstice. The festival took place when the agean sea was the roughest and people prayed to Poseidon to calm the waves for sailors. Apollon and helios can also be worshiped during this festival since it is associated with the solstice and the days are getting longer now. To celebrate, you can bake bread, specifically phallic shaped bread since it is a sexual festival. To worship apollo one could sing or play music. Hellinon recommends reading orphic hymn 17 or homeric hymn 22. You can also write your own prayer and since it is so close to the new year you could pray for things like renewal.

For your altar, decorate it with blue for Poseidon, yellow or gold for Apollon, and black for the solstice. Make purifying water and wash your hands and face and any objects you place on your altar. Altars should be personal, so put any objects reminiscent of the sea or water for Poseidon and things relating to music or the sun for Apollon. Keep an offering bowl for whatever offering you give, i usually use food like bread or fruit because i dispose of them in a designated area outside. I also dont have wine, so i fill an offering cup with water or juice.

POSEIDÓN/HOMBRE SOBRE DELFÍN (Man on a Dolphin) Bronze, 1976. photo via michelebeiny.com

Although only one festival of this name is attested and that in the region of Marathon, it does seem likely, given the existence of a month called Poseidion, that at one time a major festival of that name existed in Attica. Since the 8th of each month is dedicated to Poseidon, the best guess is that such a festival would have been held on 8 Poseidion

I’ve posted my ritual for the Poseidea at my other blog.

Honoring: Poseidon Date: Likely held during the month of Poseidion, most likely on the 8th ; on the modern calendar this is around December 19 Season: Probably held when the seas began to grow rough with the winter Region: Athens

Items needed: Bowl of water and stick (incense, punk, or natural) to light and douse Candle, matches or lighter to light the stick. Bowl of barley Offerings Libation bowl Cup

In the ritual script, italicized text refers to directions and actions and isn’t meant to be spoken.

Procession

Assemble and prepare to process to the altar.

We go to the holy place with reverence and love, to honor the gods.

Proceed to enter the sacred space.

Purification of participants

Light a stick and extinguish in the bowl of water, creating lustral water.

May all be made pure who wash in this water.

Pour water over the hands of each person so that they may rinse their face and hands in the lustral water.

Purification of space

Pass the bowl of barley among the participants so that each may take a handful of barley.

May all that is profane be gone from here!

Each person throws barley onto the altar, gently if indoors, with force if outside.

Invocation

We call to Poseidon, great son of Kronos and beautiful Rhea, lord of waters fresh and briny, king of the broad blue seas and of each sweet spring and fountain that issues from the earth. Poseidon, trident-bearer, mighty one, master of the beasts of the sea, companion of the ocean-nymphs, yours is the source of life, the water and the salt, yours are the treasures beneath the waves. Good friend of the sailor and the fisherman, granter of food and riches to mankind, Poseidon, we call to you.

If ever we have honored you, poured out sweet wine in reverence and love, O great ones, deathless ones, hear now our prayers, grant now your blessings. Praise be to you!

Statement of purpose

Today we honor Poseidon, lord of the oceans, who holds in his hands a force that can throw the mortal world into chaos, whose might it is that brings the ship safe to harbor or wrecks it on some stony shore. The winter seas are yours, Poseidon, the perils faced by those who sail them late in season; yours too is the wisdom won by the wayfarer, the good we gain by time and travel, the wealth that comes to those who dare. As the cold winds come, as we settle by the fire, as we make good use of that which we gained during longer days, we praise your might, Poseidon, O god to whom the rise and fall of a nation is merely a moment, O god whose gifts we praise, whose blessing we ask.

A prayer of thankfulness and joy

This day we offer our praise to Poseidon, older than words, older than the world of men, maker of the horse, master of the waves, granter to men of all that carried us from land to land, friend of the merchant and the trader, O god who lay the stones on which we built our bridges, the base that bears the life we make. Poseidon, earth-shaker, holder of the bones of the world, ancient one, mighty one, your names and titles lost to time, your power hidden in seabed and crevice, held in check by your goodness and benevolence, we thank you for your mercy, for the care you take of humankind. As the nights grow long and the waves grow rough, we take joy in your gifts, we give thanks for your many blessings, O fathomless one.

Libations and offerings

Pour wine, milk, or other liquid offering into cup, hold up filled cup.

To noble Hestia, who ever comes first and last, We offer this drink; all praise to you, O Hestia!

Pour out some wine into the libation bowl; hold up cup, refilling if necessary.

To mighty Poseidon who rules the waves and the depths, We offer this drink; all praise to you, O Poseidon!

Pour out some wine into the libation bowl; hold up cup , refilling if necessary.

To noble Hestia, who ever comes last and first, We offer this drink; all praise to you, O Hestia!

Pour out some wine into the libation bowl; hold up cup, refilling if necessary.

We share this drink among ourselves with love for the gods and gratitude for all we have been given.

Pass the cup among the participants.

Thanks

We thank you, Poseidon, for your presence this day as we celebrate your festival with reverence and joy. We thank you, Poseidon, for your many blessings, for the great gifts you grant to humanity. With love and devotion we praise and honor you.

Close

We leave this holy place, with reverence and gratitude for all we have been given. The rite is ended.

Step away from the altar and leave the sacred space.

A PDF version of this ritual script is available here.