The Proerosia (2014)

Tonight we celebrate Proerosia, which honors Demeter. Below is info about this holiday, though right now it wouldn't be done in the same way as it would be in Greece. Things are just different over there.Tonight is also the night that we honor Artemis as well.

The Proerosia, is about the things to be done “before plowing”.  The first fruits festival was in May, when the “first fruits of the cereals” were harvested.  According to H. W. Parke (Festivals of the Athenians, 1977, p.74), the offerings to Demeter were made to invoke her blessing on the plowing and seeding to come.  It is Demeter, after all, “the greatest help and cause of joy to the undying Gods and mortal men” (Homeric Hymn 2, to Demeter, lines 268-269, translation by White), who according to the author of the Hymn “made fruit spring up from the rich lands, so that the whole wide earth was laden with leaves and flowers” (Hymn 2, 471-473). 
The festival took place at Eleusis, site of the Great Mysteries and setting of much of the Homeric Hymn to Demeter.  The explanation for the rite was that a plague had afflicted the whole of Greece, and the Delphic Oracle said that Apollo ordered a tithe to Demeter of the first harvest on behalf of all Greeks.  Thereafter, except for disruptions during the Peloponnesian War, offerings arrived annually from all over the Greek world for the Goddesses’ blessings before plowing and seeding, although apparently the residents of Attica did not participate to a great degree (Parke, p. 73).  On the other hand, a special and very popular festival of Apollo (Pyanepsia) took place a day or two after the Proerosia and, among other things, it featured an offering of a mixture of boiled beans—arguably a harvest portion, though it has a myth of origin outside of the Hymn to Demeter. At Eleusis on this day, sacrifice was made to Pythian Apollo, which is construed by modern scholars as a show of gratitude to the Delphic oracle for the foundation of the Proerosia. 
Helene P. Foley, in her background article on the Eleusinian Mysteries in her edition of The Homeric Hymn to Demeter, states that “all important rites of Demeter in Attica seem to have been linked (at least loosely) to stages of the agricultural year (p. 71).  Moreover, these festivals seem to have a connection with some part of the Homeric Hymn, especially since Eleusis, which was incorporated into Attica, was the site of much of the narrative of the Hymn. Thus Proerosia is part of the sacred festival cycle of grain in ancient Greece, along with the Thesmophoria (also Oct), Haloa (Dec), the Lesser Mysteries (Feb), Thargelia (May), Skirophoria (June) and the Eleusinian Mysteries

Proerosia today: This day marks the beginning of the Greek agricultural year.  For some North Americans and Europeans, this is not the season for plowing grain crops.  For others in areas like California (mild winters with few hard freezes) crops like winter wheat are planted.  For colder climates consider Elliot Coleman's books like The Winter Harvest Handbook for organic bounty in MAINE. ).  No matter what your fallow season is, it is appropriate to recognize the ancient tradition and calendar and to honor Demeter and Kore and the Horai (Seasons) for bringing grain and fruits to mankind in your appropriate season.   

Below is a sample ritual for Proerosia

Notes and packing list are at the end of ritual.

The Pompe, or Procession
The Priestess then lights the fire on the altar, which should have been laid out beforehand.
The Incense is lit, then, in the order dictated by the order of the Sacra, as listed above, the People 
are lead by the Priest or Priestess to the Temenos, or Sacred Precinct, containing the altar.

At the entrance to the Temenos, each person is sprinkled with pure spring water (note 1) then 
moves in a counterclockwise direction to form a circle around the bomos/altar.

After the khernips, everyone remains silent until the Priest or Priestess cries out:

"Hekas, o hekas, este bebeloi!"

The People Reply:
"Let All That Is Profane Be Far From Here!"

Y.R.:
Welcome to the rites of Proerosia!
We are here to prepare the sacred field,
To bless the Earth in the name of Demeter,
Zeus Epakrios we will also invoke,
Bringer of thunder and rain from on high,
That He may bless the coming season.


The Lighting
The Priestess cries out:
"Paresmen time, sonta tas theas kai tous theous."

The People Reply:
"We Are Here To Honor the Gods and Goddesses."

The Scattering
Katie walks the barley counterclockwise and each person takes some and tosses it upon the altar. 
The remaining barley is placed nearby.

“with this scattering, we are joined as community”

The Mixing
The Libation Bearers move to either side of the Priest or Priestess and the Wine and Water is mixed.
The Priest or Priestess says:

"Theasthe ta hudata biou."

The People Reply:

"Behold the Waters of Life."

The First Libation
The Priestess says:
"Hestia, Thine is always the first and the last."

Some of the water/wine in the cup is poured out on the altar fire, then the cup is passed around counterclockwise, each person taking a sip in offering to Hestia, or touching a drop to his or her 
forehead in offering, and repeating the above formula of offering to Hestia. The Priestess takes a last 
sip, and the remaining part is poured out on the altar.

As it’s being passed around…(note 4 for source of prayer)

Hestia,
Goddess of hearth and temple fire,
Of the spiritual center of our world,
And of all sacred places.
Hestia, beloved Goddess of the spiritual flame,
Come be honored at this place.
Bring to us the peace and sureness
Of that place which is home and hearth.
Please bring your purity and beauty to us,
As we honor you
Who are the center of the spiritual flame.

Hymnodia
The Priestess cries out:
"Koimeson stoma!"

The People Reply:
"We will be silent!"

(The People then maintain silence through the Hymn. Note 5 has the source.)

Demeter Panagia
Pure and Holy mother of Creation,
Goddess of the Blessed Seed and of the Greater Mysteries,
We sing of you,

Beloved Mother of the Earth, fertile and full of power,
With reverence we ask for your blessing on this day
O Verdant and Fruitful one
Release the Earth from its dry bondage of summer
And in this new planting season,
Let the seedlings rise young and green.
Sustain them until the flowering, and from flowering
To the gold fruit of harvesttime.
O Mother of Life
As we have given you praises and libations,
Bless our labors here.

To you
We offer gifts of the heart
Of love, beauty, and reverence,
O grant us the season’s bright benedictions
As we honor the Great Mother of the land.

The Second Libation
The Libation Bearer fills the cup with milk. The Priestess offers up the cup and says:

"Hear, Oh Demeter,
First Mate of Father Zeus,
Goddess of the Barley and the Wheat:
You Who preside over the growing of all crops,
You in Whose care is all that lives upon Gaea, the Earth;
without Whom the seed does not sprout
nor the blossom blow nor the fruit mature and fall from the tree.
Mother Who brings forth, and Mother Who defends;
Mother Who Destroys if aught assault Her Offspring;
You before Whom the very throne of Olympus must give homage, lest we poor 
mortals utterly fail and fall.
Goddess of the Biosphere: we call upon You with whatever name it pleases You 
to be called! If ever we have made offering to You, or honored You in word or deed,
 grant us that sustenance without which mortal life cannot go on."

The Priestess pours some of the Milk on the altar, then passes the cup counterclockwise. When 
the libation returns to the Priestess she takes a last sip, and the remaining part is poured out on the
 altar.

We planted our lettuce and wheat seed at this point.

Hymnodia

The Priestess cries out:
"Koimeson stoma!"

The People Reply:
"We will be silent!"
(The People then maintain silence through the Hymn)

Great Zeus, Son of Kronos,
Most High, Father of Gods and Men,
Protector of Strangers, Good Counselor
Hear my prayer, and bestow your blessings
-
Zeus Kataibates, Cloud Gatherer,
You descended upon Danae as a shower of golden rain.
Rain now upon your parched children, Ombrios,
Water more precious than gold.
-
Our dry lips praise you, Great Zeus,
In thanks for this blessed moisture.

The Libation Bearers again mix water and wine. The Priest offers up the cup and says:

"Zeus, this Libation is for You”

Cup is passed, etc.

Zeus Epakrios, great father of the thundering skies,
Your blessed rains have begun again to fall upon the fertile earth.
Oh benevolent one
Gather your darkening clouds and let fall
The potent and gentle rain.

The Sacrifice/Offerings
The feast portions are brought to the fire.

The Sacral Feast
Everybody eats.

In making Sacrifice and in the exercises of the Agon we have called upon the Deity to join us. 
When the Agon is done, the Sacral Feast is set and everyone eats. This can be something as 
simple as bread and milk, or as elaborate as a many course banquet. For Demeter, the Bounty 
of the Harvest should figure prominently in the Feasting. The important thing to remember is 
that this is a communion not only between mortal and Deity but between the mortals who share 
the feast as well. We are all joined in communion, in community, by the sharing of the Sacral 
Feast.


The Libation of Thanks
The Libation Bearer pours milk again. The Priestess leads the people in giving thanks to the 
Goddess, letting individuals speak at will. Then the Priestess offers up the cup, saying:

"Demeter Charin echomen soi."


Some of the milk in the cup is poured out on the altar, then the cup is passed around counterclockwise, 
each person taking a sip in offering to Demeter, or touching a drop to his or her forehead in offering, 
and saying:


"Demeter, Hilathi!" (Demeter Be Propitious!)

or

"Demeter, Sponde!"

or simply

"Demeter, we thank You."

The Libation Bearer pours wine again…..


"Zeus, Hilathi!" (Zeus Be Propitious!)

or

"Zeus, Sponde!"

or simply

"Zeus, we thank You."



The Final Libation
The Libation Bearer pours wine one final time. The Final Libation is offered to Hestia, with the words:

"Hestia, Thine is always the first and the last."

It is offered in the same manner as the first, but when the Priestess pours out the last of it upon 
the altar, she cries out:

"Houtos heksoi!"
The Response is:

"Houtos heksoi,"

or simply: " So Be It!"

This is the End of the Ritual.




 I hope that this helps you out and I hope that you have a wonderful Proerosia.