{"id":1075,"date":"2016-12-12T07:00:14","date_gmt":"2016-12-11T21:00:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/admin.patheos.com\/blogs\/hearthwitchdownunder\/?p=1075"},"modified":"2018-01-24T13:32:05","modified_gmt":"2018-01-24T03:32:05","slug":"heliogenna-hellenic-winter-solstice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/hearthwitchdownunder\/2016\/12\/heliogenna-hellenic-winter-solstice.html","title":{"rendered":"Heliogenna The Hellenic Winter Solstice"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

One of the things that some, or perhaps many, Hellenes lament is the fact that we have no ancient festival (that we know of) for the winter solstice, to replace the commercial or Christian Christmas, and the Pagan Yule. This is probably what was in the mind of Hector Lugo when he created the Heliogenna festival.<\/p>\n

Heliogenna is a thoroughly modern winter solstice festival created by Hector Lugo, whose website appears to no longer exist.\u00a0 I can\u2019t say exactly how old this festival is, but I do know it is at least 6 years old \u2013 going by this blog post from 2010<\/a>.\u00a0 According to various sources I have found, the Heliogenna festival was originally created to run for nine days, which were split into three parts.\u00a0 But it has been adapted to run over 3, 2 and even 1 days.<\/p>\n

The basic premise of this festival is honouring Helios as He mourns the death of His son Phaethon<\/a>, His mourning journey into the underworld and then finally His return to the world of the living (Helios, not Phaethon).<\/p>\n

\"Phaethon
The fall of Phaeton. Gustave Moreau [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Nine Day Outline<\/h2>\n

Part 1 \u2013 Sunset.\u00a0 Days 1-3.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Honour Helios, Selene and Eos.<\/p>\n

On these days the focus is on Helios and the death of Phaethon.<\/p>\n

Burn an orange or yellow candle from sunset of each of these days, let them burn out by themselves.<\/p>\n

Part 2 \u2013 Night.\u00a0 Days 4-6 (day 5 is winter solstice).<\/strong><\/p>\n

Honour no deities, but think on the darker aspects of the Gods, namely Helios, Hades, Persephone, Hekate and Hermes.<\/p>\n

On these days the focus is on Helios travelling to the Underworld.\u00a0 Burn black candles from sunset on days 4 and 6, letting them burn out on their own.\u00a0 On day 5, the solstice, have out a black candle but leave it unlit.<\/p>\n

Part 3 \u2013 Sunrise. Days 7-9.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Honour Helios and the Protogenoi.<\/p>\n

The focus here is on Helios returning to the world of the living and bringing the sun back with Him (as the days will begin to get longer from here on out).\u00a0 Light yellow or orange candles from sunset on these days, letting them burn themselves out.<\/p>\n

\u2013 \u2013 \u2013 \u2013<\/p>\n

This is about all I can find of the original festival as outlined by Hector Lugo and most of that comes from Hellenion<\/a> \u2013 who also have a nice outline for the two day version of the festival<\/a>. \u00a0Cara Schulz of Hellenion also shares her ritual outline in the 2009 Neokoroi newsletter, that you can find linked here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Dates for 2016<\/h2>\n

Nine Day Festival<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sunset, Day 1-3: December 17-19
\nNight, Day 4-6: December 20-22 (Solstice on day 5, the 21st)
\nSunrise, Day 7-9: December 23-25<\/p>\n

Three Day Festival<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sunset, Day 1: December 20
\nNight, Day 2: December 21 (Solstice)
\nSunrise, Day 3: December 22<\/p>\n

Two Day Festival<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sunset: December 21, solstice day
\nNight: December 21, solstice evening and night
\nSunrise: December 22, from sunrise<\/p>\n

\u2013 \u2013 \u2013 \u2013<\/p>\n

Personally I have little interest in the festival, given that it is summer here in Aus in December, but I thought it might be of interest to those in the north.\u00a0 I should also mention that the festival itself is a little contentious, just in case you decide to celebrate this festival and someone says something.\u00a0 Forewarned is forearmed as they say.<\/p>\n

Some people hate this festival simply because it is modern \u2013 which is unfortunate and I don\u2019t really get that reasoning.\u00a0 But each to their own.\u00a0 The main problem though seems to arise from the fact that this festival is a bit counter to Hellenic myth and lore.\u00a0 Namely, the idea of Helios, who could possibly be seen as one of the most Ouranic of the Ouranic deities, entering the underworld.\u00a0 Entering the underworld is considered to be utterly miasmic for most Ouranic deities.<\/p>\n

However I did find reference to the epithet Plouton Helios (which would be Hades as a solar deity or Helios as an underworld deity), which from what I can find out about it, comes from the inscription at Smyrnos. I don\u2019t have access to that, and know basically nothing about it, so I\u2019m not sure what to think.\u00a0 Still, several sites (including Wiki, ugh) do state that some people in ancient times did hold to the idea of Helios descending into the underworld at night.\u00a0 I can only think that, if true, this would have come after the syncretisation with Egypts pantheon, inspired by the journey of Ra through the Egyptian underworld at night.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a bit of a confusing issue, I don\u2019t know that I can trace this any further right now, I don\u2019t have the right resources.\u00a0 But this leaves room for one to see some ancient precedence for the idea of Helios entering the underworld.\u00a0 Whether it is enough would be up to the individual.\u00a0 I do know that many Hellenes are fine with some syncretism with Egypt and Rome, so perhaps it doesn\u2019t matter anyway.<\/p>\n

If you choose to observe this festival, I hope it goes well and you enjoy it.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n

References regarding Plutoun Helios and the Smyrna inscriptions<\/strong><\/p>\n