Therapeia 2019

Khairete!

Today we celebrated the Therapeia, a healing festival to Apollon and, this year, Persephone.

During the Anadikia retreat this year, our divination led to this version of this modern festival.  The underpinnings of this connection between Apollon and Persephone is rooted in the Orphic Poems, which derive from the Derveni Papyrus.  The importance of recognizing the connection between healing and death is a big piece of this (Kingsley, 2013, pp. 91-92).

This required a different structure than we normally use, starting at the main altar and processing to the shrine of the dead to bring Persephone to a third location where we had thusia and the healing ritual, which became very intense.  For theoxenia we shared simple fare of sandwiches and chocolate bourbon balls and a shiraz for libations.

Our next festival will be the Kheimonia on December 22, 2019.  Until then, may the blessings of the Gods be with you.

Kingsley, P. (2013). In the dark places of wisdom. Thomson Shore.