The Hekate Her Sacred Fires Ritual takes place on the Full Moon in May and has been occurring yearly since its inception in 2010 – which coincided with the release of the book with the same name Hekate Her Sacred Fires: Exploring the Mysteries of the Torchbearing Goddess of the Crossroads. I contributed to this anthology with the piece “Illuminating the Path”. Now 15 years later this ritual dedicated to Hekate continues to take place by various Hekate devotees all over the world.
In the past I have celebrated this rite either solitary or in groups with the ritual exactly as written, in ceremonial, Wiccan, eclectic, pagan or Hellenic styles and I would like to share with you the later below, which is the one I resonate with the most:
Hekate Her Sacred Fires: Hellenic Version by Setjataset 2012
Set up altar: image of Hekate, khernips, khernips bowl, khernips towel, Offerings including: flowers, grape juice, blessing cups, libation vessel, olive oil, candle to Hekate, candles for attendees, incense, charcoal, incense burner, amphiphon, bay leaves, matches, barley and gifts to attendees.
Purification
Each participant should wash their hands in the khernips which is placed in a bowl outside the sacred space.
At this point all attendees’ state, “Let all that is profane be gone!“
Priest/ess to take barley and throw the offering of cleansing upon the shrine and upon the sacred space and say “Hekas hekas este o-bebeloi” (Afar, Afar, O The/Ye Profane).
Procession
All gathered are to form a formal procession and walk towards the sacred space carrying offerings with them.
All are to present the offerings to the Goddesses Hekate by holding them up in a gesture of offering and then placing them on the altar before forming a semi-circle around the altar.
Note: You do not need to speak to do this but may say a few words as a statement of purpose if you are inspired.
Priest/ess to sprinkle khernips over offerings to purify them with the words “Xerniptosai” (be purified).
Honoring Hekate
All to face the altar and can either – observe or take part in the following:
Place both your hands on your heart (three heartbeats), your forefinger and middle finger of your dominant hand to your lips (three heartbeats), and then to your brow (three heartbeats). Now enclose your thumbs within both your hands (in fists) and raise both your arms to the heavens.
Open your hands and with palm upwards in your left hand, bring your right arm to your side palm facing downwards and invoke the Goddess Hekate.
I invoke thee, Great Mistress of the Heaven, Earth and Sea,
By your mysteries of Night and Day,
By the Light of the Moon and the Shadow of the Sun
I invoke thee, Mistress of life, death and rebirth
Emerge now from the shadow realm to feed my soul and enlighten my mind,
Triple-formed Mistress of the three ways
I entreat thee, Key-bearing Mistress of the Nightwandering Souls
To bring forth your wisdom from amongst the stars
To bring down your starfire from the darkness between,
Creatrix of Light!
Goddess of the Shadow Realms! Light-bearing queen!
Whisper now your secrets!
Fire-bringer! Earthly-one! Queen of Heaven!
Raise both hands with palms facing upwards to the heavens (three heartbeats) and then touch the ground palms downwards.
Priest/esstakes hold of the shrine candle and prepares to light it after repeating the following (which all may repeat at the same time):
Hekate, companion and guide to the mysteries
I light this sacred fire in your honour,
Priest/ess lights the shrine candle and all in turn light their own candle from the shrine candle then when everyone is settled with their burning flame, they repeat the following:
Its light uniting the stars and stones, the heavens and the earth,
With this fire I express my desire for a greater understanding of your mysteries
Askei Kataskei Erōn Oreōn Iōr Mega Samnyēr Baui (3 times) Phobantia Semnē,
Great Hekate, who spins the web of the stars and governs the spiral of life
Guide me through towards pathways of understanding,
From Crossroad to Crossroad,
The Torchbearers and the Keybearers of your mysteries,
will always find one another,
Now all to sit and watch their flame flicker and dance, allow yourself to focus on the different colours in the flame, the yellows and reds, the blues and whites, and the black. If you wish you may decide to spend some time meditating on the flame, skrying for visions or omens. After everyone is done – all may say the following together:
I banish now the shadows of doubt from my mind,
Infused by the silence and warmth of our union
I feel your golden radiance within my heart
And the glory of knowledge on my brow,
I am a student of your mysteries.
Extinguish the flame, then place both your hands on your heart (three heartbeats), your forefinger and middle finger of your dominant hand to your lips (three heartbeats), and then to your brow (three heartbeats).
Open your palms reaching towards the heaven, then reach down and touch the Earth.
Offerings and Blessing Request
Attendees may now proceed before the altar in turn and present any offerings they have. These can be in the form of items lifted up to the heavens, in the form of hymns or prayers they would like to read out to Hekate, any petitions of askance, blessings or the like and lastly any jewellery or ritual tools may be consecrated using the khernips.
Priest/ess to pour a libation for Hekate.
Priest/ess to pour the rest of the grape juice into the cups provided and pass the cups to all attendees who may partake of it.
Priest/ess to light the candles of the amphiphon (if the weather permits) and offer a slice to Hekate.
Priest/ess to share the rest of the amphiphon with the attendees who wish to partake of it.
Closing
Priest/ess thanks Hekate by saying:
“Hekate, in your name we gathered, thank you for your eternal illumination and blessings.”
Ritual is complete.
A “feasting” part of the ritual can now take place after the altar is disassembled and cleaned up.
Please note: Offerings can be used in Hekate’s name or disposed of in an environmentally safe way such as within compost.
My HHSF Shrine 2012
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Adapted from the HHSF Ritual by Sorita d’Este:
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(C) T. Georgitsis 2012 (Updated 2024)
Setjataset 