Hellenism
| Hellenism | |
|---|---|
| Family | Modern Pagan / Hellenic polytheist |
| Origin region | Greece and global modern revival communities |
| Founding period | Modern revival from the 20th century CE onward |
| Estimated adherents | Unknown; practiced by Hellenic polytheists and reconstructionists worldwide. |
Hellenism is hellenism is a modern Pagan and polytheistic religious movement inspired by the gods, rituals, myths, and cultural traditions of ancient Greece.
Overview
[edit | edit source]Hellenism, also called Hellenic polytheism or Hellenismos, seeks to honor the gods and religious culture of ancient Greece in the modern world. Some practitioners are reconstructionists who emphasize historical sources, while others use more eclectic or devotional approaches. It should be distinguished from ancient Greek religion as a historical tradition, although the two are closely related.
Key beliefs
[edit | edit source]- Reverence for Greek gods such as Zeus, Hera, Athena, Apollo, Artemis, Demeter, Dionysus, Hermes, Aphrodite, Poseidon, and Hestia
- Reciprocity between humans and gods through prayer, offerings, and virtue
- Importance of household worship and civic or community ritual ideals
- Myth as sacred narrative and cultural memory
- Ethical concepts such as piety, hospitality, moderation, and right relationship
Practices
[edit | edit source]- Libations and offerings
- Household shrine devotion
- Festival observance
- Hymn recitation and prayer
- Study of ancient texts, archaeology, and ritual calendars
Places of worship
[edit | edit source]- Home altar
- Outdoor shrine
- Temple reconstruction or symbolic sanctuary
- Community ritual space
Sacred texts
[edit | edit source]- Homeric Hymns
- Hesiod's Theogony and Works and Days
- Homeric epics
- Classical philosophical and ritual sources
Holidays and observances
[edit | edit source]- Noumenia
- Panathenaia in some calendars
- Dionysia in some communities
- Eleusinian-related commemorations
- Local or reconstructed festival calendars
Branches and related traditions
[edit | edit source]- Ancient Greek religion - The historical source tradition.
- Modern Paganism - A broad family of contemporary Pagan religions.
- Polytheistic reconstructionism - A method of rebuilding practice from historical sources.