Neokoroi Noumenia

If I haven't already mentioned it, Neokoroi--The Temple Keepers is a marvelous, active and intelligent group of Hellenic Polytheists. One of the things they do incredibly well is supply the community with extremely well-written and, most importantly, entirely do-able rituals. As day follows night, so the new moon follows the dark. The following is the Neokoroi Noumenia (new moon ritual), to be performed on the night of the new moon--the night after Hekate's Deipnon.

NOUMENIA

-wash face and hands-

Invocation:

O Athanatoi, (Deathless Ones) Gods of Starry Heaven, broad Earth, and the Great Below. Xairete, Theoi!

Hear, and attend. Bless us with your presence, as we would honor you.

Libations (spondai):

Receive these libations, and rejoice, for your joy is ours this night.

Hestia, Goddess of the hearth, keeper of the Sacred Flame, guardian of the home, for you I pour out the first portion, as yours is the first and the last.

-pour a portion of wine or other liquid offering into the libation bowl-

Be well disposed.

For the gods of the Noumenia, I pour out the next shares, for it is under your auspices we gather tonight.

For Apollon Neomenios, Lord Apollon, Phoibos, golden-lyred, Shining Leto's glorious son.

-pour libation-

Be well disposed.

For Selene, Titaness, brilliant, crescent- crowned, lamp bearer, who courses among the stars,

-pour libation-

Be well disposed.

For the Agathos Daimon, winged serpent, god of good fortune, beloved of Tyche, kindly one,

-pour libation-

Be well disposed.

And for all the Blessed Gods, resplendent, beautiful, immortal, I pour now
an equal measure of sweet milk.

-pour libation-

Be well disposed.

Reading of Orphic Hymn

Kind Zeus and Gaia, heavenly and pure flames of the Sun, sacred light of the Moon and all the Stars; Poseidon too, dark-maned holder of the earth, pure Persephone and Demeter of the splendid fruit, Artemis, the arrow-pouring maiden, and kindly Phoebe, who dwells on the sacred ground of Delphi. And Dionysos, the dancer, whose honors among the blessed gods are the highest. Strong-spirited Ares, holy and mighty Hephaistos, and the goddess Aphrodite, foam-born to whose lot fell sublime gifts; and you Plouton, divinity excellent, who is king of the Underworld. I call upon Hebe, and Eileithyia, and the noble ardor of Herakles, the great blessings of Justice and Piety, the glorious Nymphs and Pan the greatest, and upon Hera, buxom wife of aegis-bearing Zeus. I also call upon lovely Mnemosyne and the holy Muses, all nine, as well as upon the Graces, the Seasons, the Year; fair-tressed Leto, divine and revered Dione, the armed Kouretes, the Korybantes, the Kubeiroi, great saviors, Zeus' ageless scion, the Idaian gods, and upon Hermes, messenger and herald of those in heaven; upon Themis too, diviner of men I call, and on Night, oldest of all, and light-bringing Day: then upon Faith, Dike, blameless Thesmodoteira, Rhea, Kronos, dark-dwelling Tethys, the great Okeanos together with his daughters, the might of preeminent Atlas and Aion, Chronos the ever-flowing, the splendid water of the Styx, the holy Daimon and our beloved ancestors too. Then upon the divinities dwelling in heaven, air, water, on earth, under the earth  and in the fiery element. Ino, Leukothea, Palaemon giver of bliss, sweet-speaking Nike, queenly Adresteia, the great king Asklepios who grants soothing, the battle-stirring maiden Pallas Athena, all the Winds, Thunder, and the parts of the four-pillared Cosmos. And I invoke the Mother of the immortals, Attis and Men, and the goddess Ourania, immortal and holy Adonis, beginning and end too which is the most important, and ask them to come in a spirit of joyous mercy to this holy rite and libation of reverence.

Neokoroi section:

O, Makares, (Blessed Ones) as the moon in its cycle is timeless, waxing and waning, it ever returns, so we, the Neokoroi, return each month at the time of the New Moon in the timeless act of worship, echoing with our prayers and our offerings the moon's ageless promise of renewal and return. This night, beneath the new moon, we gather to reinstitute your worship, to reforge the sacred bond of xaris, and to renew the hope with which the Gods bless humankind.

Elthete (Come) Theoi, (gods) Bless us with your presence, and partake of what we offer in reverence of you.

-ennumerate offerings: At this point individual worshippers may choose to make individual or special offerings of their own, the list below may serve as an example-

We offer sweet milk, fragrant incense, and a hymn of praise as sustenance for your hearts. And with our prayers we entreat you:

Watch over us and sustain us. Look kindly on our efforts, for it is through you we receive all blessings.

-At this point individuals may offer prayers of their own, and may add anything to the ritual that they may want to include.-

Final Libations / Last Libation for Hestia:

-take libation glass and bowl outside-

Beloved Theoi, (Gods) we offer thanks to you.

-pour libation to all the Gods into libation bowl-

And for Hestia, as yours is always the first and last.

-pour libation to Hestia into libation bowl-

-pour libation on ground-

Hail Theoi, be well disposed.

-replace libation bowl on altar and extinguish candle-

Hail Hestia--the first and the last.


May this new month bring you inspiration and opportunity as bright as the lovely Selene herself.

Xairete,
-M. Ashley