Formal Prayer in Modern Hellenismos
How to Approach the Gods Effectively and Respectfully
Aug 20, 2009
Hellenic prayer is both functional and beautiful. Unlike Hellenic hymns, which praise deities’ exploits, prayer involves asking for something from the deity. Formal Hellenic prayer, complete with appropriate ritual behavior, is the most traditional way to ask for something from a Hellenic God.
Selecting a Hellenic Deity
Each God in the Hellenic pantheon has multiple specialties, and one should pray to a deity whose sphere of influence falls within the scope of one’s request.
For example, one would pray to Hera for assistance in a rough marriage, but not for healing, which falls under Apollon or Asklepios’s purview. Many online resources, such as Theoi.com, contain information on deities’ specialties.
How to Perform Hellenic Prayer
Prayer is not just about God or the individual praying, but about the relationship between the two. Gifts from the individual praying and divinely-answered prayers unite the Gods and their worshipers in a circle of reciprocal giving and gratitude.
- Wash your hands. Purification is an important part of Hellenic polytheism. Seawater and natural spring water are good, but tap water also works for purification before prayer.
- Use appropriate posture. Hellenistai do not usually pray while kneeling. Instead, prayer is performed with the hands upraised to the Olympic deities, with hands outstretched to the Oceanic Gods, and with hands pointed downward to the Underworld Gods (Kharis, 82). One may also pray with one's hands directed toward a cult image (Greek Religion, 75).
- Address the deity. Speaking a divine name notifies the deity that you want to pray to him or her. Without specification, prayer may not be as effective. One may also address a deity simply by his or her epithets, but this can be confusing to those just starting out with Hellenic prayer.
- Praise the deity. List the deity's epithets, the "divine surnames" given to a God in recognition of their mythological accomplishments or real-world functions. Choose those epithets that are most relevant to your request. While praying, one may also provide a short summary of one or more of the deity's exploits.
- Cite past assistance and/or gifts. If special offerings have been made to a deity, mention those here. Also mention any outcomes that are believed to have been influenced by the deity to whom you are praying.
- Make your request. This can be personal, but one can also pray on behalf of family, friends, or important individuals you care about. Prayer can also be negative, such as Chryses’ curse on the Danaans in the Iliad (Iliad, Book I, ln. 36-42).
- Give or promise sacrifice. State what will be done for the deity in return for their help. As paying a fee for a college application may not mean that the student will get into the school, providing a sacrifice does not guarantee that the deity will consider the prayer request. Appropriate sacrifices include incense, flowers, or libations of liquid items.
Two Sample Hellenic Prayers
One example of Hellenic prayer from ancient literature is found in Homer's Odyssey and other ancient sources contain important examples of how the ancients engaged in formal prayer. When Telémakhos and Athene visit Nestor on one of Poseidon's sacrificial days in Odyssey (Book III), Athene prays: "Earthshaker, listen and be well disposed / Grant your petitioners everything they ask: / above all, honor to Nestor and his sons; / second, to every man of Pylos town / a fair gift in exchange for this hekatomb; / third, may Telémakhos and I perform / the errand on which last night we put to sea."
Note that Athene addresses Poseidon not by his name, but as the "Earthshaker," an important epithet of the God. She does not cite past assistance here, but she is speaking a generalized prayer on behalf of a population. Note that her prayer address both the needs of others (the people of Pylos) and her own needs.
The following is an example of a modern prayer: "Apollon, God who guards the city streets at night, please listen and be well disposed. Each day, I have given you libations of sacrificial wine, and you have responded in kindness by protecting our quiet neighborhood. If you will, please continue to keep us safe in exchange for this offering of honey-sweet wine. Thank you."
Formal Prayer in Hellenismos
Formal prayer to the Gods is an integral part of Hellenismos, providing the foundation for household and group worship. Based on surviving written prayers in ancient texts, it resurrects and applies the Hellenic tradition to modern life, glorifying the Gods while addressing the needs of the worshiper. One can use this Hellenic prayer format in formal rituals, traffic jams, and daily devotions to achieve a personal rapport with the deities of Hellenismos.
Resources:
- Burkert, Walter. Greek Religion. Trans. John Raffan. Oxford: Blackwell, 1985.
- Homer. Iliad. Trans. Richmond Lattimore. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1961.
- Homer. Odyssey. Trans. Robert Fitzgerald. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1998.
- Winter, Sarah Kate Istra. Kharis: Hellenic Polytheism Explored. 2nd Ed. Createspace, 2008.
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