Theoi.com does a great job of explaining what Zeus's epithet Meilikhios/Meilichios means:
the god that can be propitiated, or the gracious, is used as a surname of several divinities. 1. Of Zeus, as the protector of those who honoured him with propitiatory sacrifices. At Athens cakes were offered to him every year at the festival of the Diasia. (Thuc. i. 126; Xenoph. Anab. vii. 7. § 4.) Altars were erected to Zeus Meilichius on the Cephissus (Paus. i. 37. § 3),at Sicyon (ii.9. § 6), and at Argos (ii. 20. § 1; Plut. De cohib. Ir. 9). 2. Of Dionysus in the island of Naxos. (Athen. iii. p. 78.) 3. Of Tyche or Fortune. (Orph. Hymn. 71. 2.)
My Diasia ritual will have some kind of cracker (animal crackers sound like a great idea) or small cake for the sacrifice, and I will go downtown for wine to mix with water and honey when I make preparations on Wednesday. Kyrene Ariadne gives an outline of a proper Hellenic ritual, and this is my adaptation:
1. Wash hands and face in purified water. (I do not use bottled water because I see it as a waste of natural resources.)
2. Speak a hymn to Hestia and pretend that her God-Stick is actually a real flame. Perhaps I will even snap my lighter on while I speak her hymn.
3. Declaration of ritual purity.
4. Offerings to Hestia, Hera, and Demeter.
5. Invocation of Zeus Meilikhios. Hymns to Zeus, followed by a reading from the section of the Homeric Hymn to Demeter in which Zeus agrees to let Persephone have Demeter for part of the year (go female power!).
6. Sacrifice of crackers/cakes to Zeus Meilikhios.
7. Libations of wine to Zeus Meilikhios.
8. Conclusion.
Other individuals have created diverse versions of this ritual. A version on Hellenion's site (but not linked via the Hymnodia portal?) presents a very straightforward, Zeus-only ritual. Another version from the Northern California Hellenes focuses on Zeus and Demeter. [Edit: The group from Northern California is doing two festivals, Diasia and Chloaia. This explains why Zeus and Demeter receive equal precedence.] Both of these rituals, of course, include Hestia. The Hellenic Temple of Apollon, Zeus, and Pan links the festival to Pompaia and discusses the holiday's meaning. They do not incorporate Demeter. If a complete Hellenic ritual for Zeus seems daunting to you, consider a simple libation and hymn.
I like the sense that the Hellenic Temple of Apollon, Zeus, and Pan gives of completeness. For this reason, I have incorporated a small offering to Demeter as a part of the ritual and the aforementioned reading during Zeus's worship [because it details the conditions of Persephone's removal to the Underworld, and Zeus did decide her ultimate fate]. I also decided that the animal crackers idea was worth appropriating.
Maybe I should start citing sources as a part of all of my ritual closings.
2 responses:
Just for the record, our ritual was combining two seasonal festivals into one ritual: thus the name "Diasia / Chloaia" (Chloaia is a festival for Demeter)
*nods* I like the combination you guys ended up with. It seemed very functional.
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