#tykhe devotee

[esoteric-chaos]

Tykhe (Tyche) Devotional and Masterpost

About Tykhe

"TYKHE (Tyche) was the goddess of fortune, chance, providence and fate. She was usually honoured in a more favourable light as Eutykhia (Eutychia), goddess of good fortune, luck, success and prosperity.

Tykhe was depicted with a variety of attributes--holding a rudder, she was conceived as the divinity guiding and conducting the affairs of the world, and in this respect she was called one of the Moirai (Moirae, Fates); with a ball she represented the varying unsteadiness of fortune, unsteady and capable of rolling in any direction; with Ploutos (Plutus) or the cornucopia, she was the symbol of the plentiful gifts of fortune.

Nemesis (Fair Distribution) was cautiously regarded as the downside of Tykhe, one who provided a check on extravagant favours conferred by fortune. The pair were often depicted as companions in Greek vase painting. In the vase painting (right) Nemesis (Indignation) with her arm around Tykhe (Fortune) points an accusing fingure at Helene, who Aphrodite has persuaded to elope with Paris." - Theoi.com

Tykhe has helped me in many ways regarding simple luck and finances, while she at times works in more subtle ways, at times she will surprise you with answering half hearted, jokey prayers like getting a reward in a video game or finding money on the ground when you're out and about.

I worship her Epithet as Eutykhia (Eutychia) for things such as good fortune and prosperity, she has a main hand on my abundance altar. I deeply recommend building a relationship with her, especially in times as hard as these, as we can all use a little bit of luck.

Resources

@ screeching-0wl is a fantastic blog who put a ton of love and care into making devotional cheat sheets full of prayers, correspondences, and myths.

The Theoi Website is chock-full of her myths, correspondences, and many other facts. Loaded with sources and amongst other things.

Personal Content

Tykhe's (Tyche) Blessing Deity Oil More content is coming soon!

Sources:

Links

Green star divider created by @ thecutestgrotto

[bitterbatsgrimoire]

Tyche; Prayer for safety while travelling

O Tyche, Goddess of fortune and fate,

As I set forth on my journey,

I ask for your protection.

When shadows loom and fear takes hold,

Help me to trust in the path before me,

And find courage in the unknown.

May every obstacle be overcome,

And every challenge met with ease.

Let all things fall into place,

And may good fortune accompany me wherever I go.

Surround me with protection,

Both seen and unseen,

And may I return home safely,

Enriched by my experiences.

In your care, I place my trust.

[owlswans]

I’m just jesting w/ this one, your deities 100% appreciate you work. Even IF it’s poor quality, it’s one way to show your love and they will absolutely love it back.

[royal-wren]

I’m finally doing one of these because it just feels appropriate at this time for me despite the fact that this post will probably be a mess. I can’t say it enough, this is an 18+ blog considering that I do post nsfw content on here. That said, all my posts involving my religious practice are interactable and can be reblogged unless I say otherwise in the post. 

I love talking to people so if you ever just want to chat or ask any questions regardless of topic I will happily answer. Anon hate will be deleted.

I’m mainly a Hellenic Polytheist but I’m not restricting myself to that pantheon. I am a devotee of Hermes/Mercury (it’s complicated), Peitho, and the Kharites, and unofficially devoted to Athene, Rhea, and Hera. I worship Leto, Maia, The Pleiades & Hyades, the Nymphai as a whole, Hemera, Khaos, Aphrodite, Apollon, Artemis, Hekate, Styx, Tykhe, Hestia, Demeter, Diwia, Dionysos, Persephone(?), An Callieach, Grian, Aine, Mebd Lethderg, Ereshkigal, and Inanna. Penthesileia and Perseus are part of the heroes I honor and I do make posts and reblog content about them too.

I feel it’s important enough to also mention that my worship involves gods that are historically older, recorded as such. While I don’t like to label outright, I’m effectively a Mycenaean & Minoan era (and even anything before that) reconstructionist, local cultic practices from archaic and before influence a lot for me. Not to mention that Hermes (personally) stays as the god of the dead and the god of death while being a consort of Hekate in my practice as he carries on his status pre-Haides and Thanatos, while Hypnos doesn’t exist in my practice and is just an extension of Hermes that found life divorced from him for other’s worship. I also treat Haides, Thanatos, and Pan in the same way for my worship, not in a way to invalidate others but for my cosmology they aren’t found in it.

Upon request I will also be taking in paid devotional writing prompts of a deity and their epithet/aspect/domain you want covered in prayers found here: devotional masterpost. I also write freelance devotionals/devotional poetry (and non religious poetry as an option so long as I’m given a topic like the rest) found in these examples: one, two, three.  For further looks into anything I write the tag /my writing is chock-full of examples to skim through.

Finally, I am a godspouse to Hermes and godpartner to Artemis and Aphrodite, as well as potentially a fourth that’ll never be mentioned here due to both of our wishes. All I ask is that this last part is respected as I’m an adult and it’s not hurting anyone, if I wanted your criticism and distaste for it I will ask at a later date for just that.

Links:

Old tag / New tag for my other religious posts Worshipping Maia 101 Introduction to Worshipping Hemera Epithets of Leto Epithets of Hermes, Hermes Epithets Continuation Epithets of Athene Epithets of the Pleiades (and by extension, the Hyades) I find Hermes ___ I find Artemis ___ Want to worship Peitho? Here you go: one, two, three My Hermes playlist My Peitho playlist My Artemis playlist My Aphrodite playlist My Inanna Playlist My Penthesilea playlist

Last edited: 6/16/24

[homehearthandheart]

Fun and Fancy Friday / 13 December 2019

Welcome, Devotees!

Going crazy every once in a while is good for you. Try one of these:

Build Others Up: Time and energy may not be physical offerings, but they are still important ones. Here’s one to dedicate to the Gods and Spirits of the home and hearth. Go purchase something sweet–a cake, a box of cookies, or a box of donuts, for example–from a local grocery store. (Bonus points for going to a small locally-owned-and-operated bakery.) Find a place where there’s a lot of foot traffic. Offer free goodies to people walking by.

Go Outside! Charge up your portable music player of choice. Choose a fun, dance-inspiring playlist that makes you think of one of your beloved Gods or Spirits. Go to a park or a walking trail, turn the music up, and start dancing. See if you can get people to join you.

Self-Improvement: Since we tend to take our religions seriously, it can be easy to forget how important play is. Take some time out of your day to play a game that reminds you of one of your beloved Gods and Spirits. You could play a game of fetch with your dog, hold an impromptu board-game night at your house, or log into your MMO of choice–but set some time aside to have fun and play with your Gods and Spirits in mind!

Today in the Hellenic Calendar: 

Today is the 16th of the lunar month. Drew Campbell associates the 6th and 16th days of the lunar month with Artemis.

If you like incorporating daily hymns into your prayers, Drew Campbell recommends the following prayers for today: To Artemis; To Prothyraia (either an epithet of Artemis, or a separate Divinity altogether, in charge of assisting at childbirth); To Leto (the mother of Artemis); To Tykhe (Good Fortune, whose cycles were likened to those of the moon–hence the Artemis connection).

Daily Reminder: If you know of any resources you’d like us to incorporate on our site, or any sites/projects you’d like us to signal boost, send us an ask or fanmail! 

[bitterbatsgrimoire]

Tyche; Prayer for a job opportunity

O Tyche, Goddess of Fortune and Destiny,

I turn to you with hope and trust in my heart.

I ask that you favor me with success

In my job application,

Tyche, I ask that you open the hearts and minds

Of those who hold the decision,

That they may see the potential in me,

And recognize my worth for this role.

I trust in your power to turn chance into destiny,

And ask for your favor in securing the job I desire.

May this new beginning bring joy, stability,

And the blessings of a prosperous future.

I place my faith in your guidance.

With your favor, I will thrive.

[owlswans]

╭───────.★..─╮

My intro!

╰─..★.───────╯

(since I realized I never did one)

˗ˏˋ꒰𖦹｡Basic info⋆°✰꒱ ˎˊ˗

✶ Pronouns: They/Them

✶ Gender: Agender

✶ Religion: Hellenic Polytheist

✶ Devotion: I’m devotee of Lord Apollon, Lady Tykhe, and Lady Athene!

✶ What I’ll post: I mainly focus on helpol content (Especially on Tykhe, Athene, and Apollon) and art.

✶ Asks: My asks are open if you have any questions about hellenic polytheism or me/my practice!

✶ DNI: Terfs, Transphobes/Homophobes, Ableists, Comshippers/Proshipers, or in general any bigots.

✶ Reposts: You can repost my art ONLY with CREDIT!

✶ Other Socials:

https://www.instagram.com/owlsswan?igsh=ZWgwZ2V5amZ6M2Vv&utm_source=qr

(Instagram is mostly my OC art)

✶ Resources: (Just my favorites)

[homehearthandheart]

Self-Care Sunday / 3 November 2019

Welcome, Devotees!

Taking care of yourself is an important part of taking care of your Gods and Spirits. Try one of these:

Deity Devotion: If your prayers have been feeling stagnant, and you really don’t feel like praying today…pray anyway. We all go through times where we are changing, our relationship to our Gods and Spirits is changing, our practice is changing. We all do. And it can get to a point where engaging in our practice makes us feel frustrated or even resentful. But that doesn’t mean you should stop. Pray anyway today. Stick this one out, even if your spoons dictate that you only have enough energy to pray while laying still in silence.

Go Outside: Go on a trip today. It doesn’t need to be a walk out in nature–just get out of the house and go somewhere where you can feel supported and comfortable. When you get there, say a quick prayer of thanks to your Gods and Spirits, and share your enjoyment of that place with Them.

Self-Improvement: Have you had a glass of water today? Have you eaten in the last four hours? Please make sure you stay hydrated today, and that you’re eating something tasty and nutritious.

Today in the Hellenic Calendar: 

Today is the 6th of the lunar month.

In Hellenic traditions, the first few days of a new lunar month tend to be special days for honoring important Deities in one’s area. In the Athenian calendar, today is sacred to Artemis.

If you like incorporating daily hymns into your prayers, Drew Campbell recommends the following prayers for today: To Artemis; To Prothyraia (a childbirth Goddess, here syncretized with Artemis); To Leto (the mother of twins Artemis and Apollon, and a powerful Goddess in Her own right); and To Tykhe (Fortune, whose unpredictable waxing and waning was linked to Artemis through shared lunar imagery).

Later This Week: Thursday, 7 November, marks a proposed date of the Athenian Pompaia, a festival to Zeus and Hermes to keep winter illnesses away from the people.

Daily Reminder: If you know of any resources you’d like us to incorporate on our site, or any sites/projects you’d like us to signal boost, send us an ask or fanmail! 

[homehearthandheart]

Cleanse-Day Wednesday / 13 November 2019

Welcome, Devotees!

Does your devotional routine need polish? Try one of these:

Deity Devotion: If you are especially close or devoted to a Deity, research that Deity’s history to see if They had any specific rules or taboos about cleanliness. These rules could vary from time period to time period, and even from temple to temple. Ponder whether these rules could apply to your worship–if so, how will you apply them? If not, why don’t those rules apply to your worship?

Ancestor Work: Look up old-fashioned methods of cleaning and energetically cleansing homes. Do these methods work as well as modern methods? Can they save you money or time? Sometimes our ancestors understood things we’ve started losing sight of–like the antiseptic quality of vinegar, or the importance of daily dusting, or how best to formulate a floor wash that will draw luck.

Home Maintenance: Clean the area around your shrine or altar!

Today in the Hellenic Calendar: 

Today is the 16th of the lunar month. Drew Campbell associates the 6th and 16th days of the lunar month with Artemis.

If you like incorporating daily hymns into your prayers, Drew Campbell recommends the following prayers for today: To Artemis; To Prothyraia (either an epithet of Artemis, or a separate Divinity altogether, in charge of assisting at childbirth); To Leto (the mother of Artemis); To Tykhe (Good Fortune, whose cycles were likened to those of the moon–hence the Artemis connection).

Daily Reminder: If you know of any resources you’d like us to incorporate on our site, or any sites/projects you’d like us to signal boost, send us an ask or fanmail! 

[homehearthandheart]

Tasty Tuesday / 3 December 2019

Welcome, Devotees!

Looking to spice up your devotional work? Try one of these:

Ancestor Work: Take some time to chat and share a drink with your ancestors. Tea and coffee are great for their warm “coffee-talk” associations, and if you know what sort of alcoholic drinks your ancestors liked, they might make good offerings, but if you aren’t sure what your ancestors would like, water makes a great offering. Pour some for your ancestors and a separate cup or mug for yourself. Talk about things going on in your life, things you remember about Them, whatever comes to mind.

Shrine Improvement: Are there any food or drink offerings left on your shrine from previous prayers? Today is a good day to clean those up. If they’ve been sitting there for a LONG time, no need to judge yourself for it–instead, put that energy towards cleaning the shrine up and taking an extra step or two to purify the space.

Deity Devotion: Time to try something new! Offer a food to your Gods/Spirits that you’ve never offered before, and see if They liked it. Alternately, try offering some food to a God or Spirit you’ve wanted to get to know better.

Today in the Hellenic Calendar: 

Today is the 6th of the lunar month.

In Hellenic traditions, the first few days of a new lunar month tend to be special days for honoring important Deities in one’s area. In the Athenian calendar, today is sacred to Artemis.

If you like incorporating daily hymns into your prayers, Drew Campbell recommends the following prayers for today: To Artemis; To Prothyraia (a childbirth Goddess, here syncretized with Artemis); To Leto (the mother of twins Artemis and Apollon, and a powerful Goddess in Her own right); and To Tykhe (Fortune, whose unpredictable waxing and waning was linked to Artemis through shared lunar imagery).

Daily Reminder: If you know of any resources you’d like us to incorporate on our site, or any sites/projects you’d like us to signal boost, send us an ask or fanmail! 

[homehearthandheart]

Tasty Tuesday / 15 October 2019

Welcome, Devotees!

Looking to spice up your devotional work? Try one of these:

Home Maintenance: Make lists of traditional offerings to your deities and spirits. Then, check your pantries and cupboards–do you have these offering materials in stock? If so, look into organizing your kitchen shelves in a way that makes them easy to access for days where you need to offer, but are sleepy or unwell or in a rush. If you don’t have these offering materials in stock, look up places where you can get them easily, make a shopping list, and go find some!

Build Others Up: If you know someone who is really good at making or prepping food, and is supportive of your religious choices, see if you can pick their brain for ritual food ideas. They might be willing to share recipes with you, or help you learn some cooking basics.

Self-Improvement: Look into cooking classes in your area. You might be able to find some through your local food bank. Or you can look into classes in a specialized skill, like cake-decorating or foodways from a specific culture.

Today in the Hellenic Calendar: 

Today is the 16th of the lunar month. Drew Campbell associates the 6th and 16th days of the lunar month with Artemis.

If you like incorporating daily hymns into your prayers, Drew Campbell recommends the following prayers for today: To Artemis; To Prothyraia (either an epithet of Artemis, or a separate Divinity altogether, in charge of assisting at childbirth); To Leto (the mother of Artemis); To Tykhe (Good Fortune, whose cycles were likened to those of the moon–hence the Artemis connection).

Daily Reminder: If you know of any resources you’d like us to incorporate on our site, or any sites/projects you’d like us to signal boost, send us an ask or fanmail! 

[homehearthandheart]

Setup Saturday / 5 October 2019

Welcome, Devotees!

Building up a foundation for your devotional work? Try one of these:

Deity Devotion: Is there a Deity you’ve wanted to set up a shrine for? Try setting one up today. It doesn’t need to be perfect–find a suitable space, make sure it is clean, and give it a simple set-up, even if the only thing you put in that space is an offering to that Deity.

Ancestor Work: If you have an ancestor shrine or altar, examine it today and see if its setup needs to be tweaked. Regular veneration can sometimes nudge things out of place even on well-organized altars, so it never hurts to take a look and tidy up!

Build Others Up: Do you have a friend or loved one who is working on changing up their religious or devotional work? Get together with them to plan out some of the nuts and bolts, like shrine layouts, when and how to pray, or whatever they might want help with. Even if you’re new to this, you may know more about devotional work than you give yourself credit for. (Can’t get together with them today? Make plans with them for a time when you can.)

Today in the Hellenic Calendar: 

Today is the 6th of the lunar month.

Today is also the start of a four-day period of holy days preparing for next week’s Thesmophoria festival. Today’s holy day, called the Proerosia, was a time to pray and offer to Demeter before plowing and sowing took place. Hellas’ climate makes it easier to plow and sow in autumn than in spring, and even though Athens considered tomorrow’s Pyanepsia festival more important, most of Hellas made a big deal out of the Proerosia. If you live in an agricultural community, you may wish to celebrate it, too!

In Hellenic traditions, the first few days of a new lunar month tend to be special days for honoring important Deities in one’s area. In the Athenian calendar, today is sacred to Artemis.

If you like incorporating daily hymns into your prayers, Drew Campbell recommends the following prayers for today: To Artemis; To Prothyraia (a childbirth Goddess, here syncretized with Artemis); To Leto (the mother of twins Artemis and Apollon, and a powerful Goddess in Her own right); and To Tykhe (Fortune, whose unpredictable waxing and waning was linked to Artemis through shared lunar imagery).

Daily Reminder: If you know of any resources you’d like us to incorporate on our site, or any sites/projects you’d like us to signal boost, send us an ask or fanmail! 

[homehearthandheart]

Music Monday / 16 September 2019

Welcome, Devotees!

Is your devotional work just the same old song? Try one of the following:

Self-Improvement: Do you have songs you can listen to when you feel really down about yourself and your practice?  If not, today is a good day to set some time aside and make a playlist. You can choose the tone–maybe sad songs will help you release that emotion; maybe happy songs can help cheer you up and get you motivated; maybe angry songs can get you active and fighting back against the blah. Find what works for you!

Build Others Up: Whose music helps set the tone for your practices and rituals? Take a few minutes today to thank them, or share one of their songs you like best. Spread the word about this artist’s work.

Deity Devotion: If you sing or play a musical instrument, take a few minutes to sit in front of your home shrine and perform something special for your Gods / Spirits as an offering.

Today in the Hellenic Calendar: 

Today is the 16th of the lunar month. Drew Campbell associates the 6th and 16th days of the lunar month with Artemis.

Today is the second day of the week-long Greater Eleusinia. See below for more details!

If you like incorporating daily hymns into your prayers, Drew Campbell recommends the following prayers for today: To Artemis; To Prothyraia (either an epithet of Artemis, or a separate Divinity altogether, in charge of assisting at childbirth); To Leto (the mother of Artemis); To Tykhe (Good Fortune, whose cycles were likened to those of the moon–hence the Artemis connection).

Kalà Eleusínia tà Mégala! (Happy Greater Eleusinia!)

In the Attic (Athenian) calendar, the Greater Eleusinia marks the time of the year where the Eleusinia mysteries were held in honor of Demeter, Persephone, and a few other Deities and Daimones.

The Eleusinian Mysteries were one of the most popular mystery-religions of the ancient Mediterranean. Unfortunately for us, they were kept secret from all non-initiates, which means that these mysteries are lost to us now.

For as long as this festival goes on, it is a good time to honor Demeter as overseer of food crops; Persephone as the overseer of the death and rebirth of all life (plant included); Hermes and Hekate as the mediators between the world of death and the world of life; and other related Theoi. While we cannot reconstruct these Mysteries precisely, maybe we can create new ones to pass on to future worshipers!

Why did this festival take place? While much of the Northern Hemisphere associates this time of the year with harvests, in ancient Hellas, this was the time of year that grain (usually barley) was being sown into the ground to germinate over the winter. (An act reminiscent of Persephone’s removal from Her Mother and her descent into the Underworld.) Presumably, the Mysteries themselves used grain and agriculture as analogies for a human cycle of life, death, and eternal salvation from becoming mindless souls, but this is only conjecture!

Since this festival was part of a line of Mystery religions that has since been interrupted, don’t feel like you HAVE to celebrate this–or that you have to celebrate it at this time of year. You may want to consider celebrating it if:

Your area’s agricultural cycle coincides with Hellas’, OR if this is an otherwise important time for your area’s agriculture.

You have strong devotional relationships with Persephone, Demeter, or even Hermes, Hekate, and possibly Dionysos.

You have strong personal ties to your area’s farms, farmland, and/or agricultural cycle.

Your religious calendar closely follows Athens’ religious calendar.

You may even choose to celebrate a festival similar to this one at a different time of the year, depending on your area’s agricultural cycle.

Daily Reminder: If you know of any resources you’d like us to incorporate on our site, or any sites/projects you’d like us to signal boost, send us an ask or fanmail! 

[homehearthandheart]

Fun and Fancy Friday / 6 September 2019

Welcome, Devotees!

Going wild every once in a while is good for you. Try one of these:

Home Maintenance: Spend fifteen minutes tidying up the room where you watch movies–whether that’s your TV room or your computer room. Then, put on a movie you’ve been wanting to watch. Invite your Deities and Spirits to join you, and keep an eye out for things in the movie that remind you of Them.

Self-Improvement: Dress up nicely to honor one of your Gods or Spirits. Pay extra attention to yourself and your appearance–how you feel, and how you appear to others, is a reflection of the Gods you worship. (That means that caring for yourself is also caring for Them!)

Go Outside! Go on a type of walk called a derivé. On a derivé, you walk without a destination and without an itinerary–you just walk wherever you feel called to walk. This is a surprisingly good way to get in touch with the spirits and Gods of the place you’re in.

Today in the Hellenic Calendar: 

Today is the 6th of the lunar month.

In Hellenic traditions, the first few days of a new lunar month tend to be special days for honoring important Deities in one’s area. In the Athenian calendar, today is sacred to Artemis.

If you like incorporating daily hymns into your prayers, Drew Campbell recommends the following prayers for today: To Artemis; To Prothyraia (a childbirth Goddess, here syncretized with Artemis); To Leto (the mother of twins Artemis and Apollon, and a powerful Goddess in Her own right); and To Tykhe (Fortune, whose unpredictable waxing and waning was linked to Artemis through shared lunar imagery).

Daily Reminder: If you know of any resources you’d like us to incorporate on our site, or any sites/projects you’d like us to signal boost, send us an ask or fanmail! 

[homehearthandheart]

Tasty Tuesday / 9 July 2019

Welcome, Devotees!

Looking to spice up your devotional work? Try one of these:

Home Maintenance: Look through your kitchen and food-storage areas to see if there’s anything you need to stock up on. This may not be a devotional activity for your altar, but it’s important to take care of yourself, too!

Ancestor Work: Is there a family recipe you love, but don’t have a copy of yet? Try hunting that recipe down. You might even be able to make it! (If you do, offer some to your ancestors.)

Deity Devotion: Is there a type of food that is sacred to one of your beloved Deities? Try getting one of Their favorite foods. Offer some to Them, and eat some yourself. Contemplate the connection between Deity, food, and worshiper.

Today in the Hellenic Calendar: 

Today is the 6th of the lunar month.

In Hellenic traditions, the first few days of a new lunar month tend to be special days for honoring important Deities in one’s area. In the Athenian calendar, today is sacred to Artemis.

If you like incorporating daily hymns into your prayers, Drew Campbell recommends the following prayers for today: To Artemis; To Prothyraia (a childbirth Goddess, here syncretized with Artemis); To Leto (the mother of twins Artemis and Apollon, and a powerful Goddess in Her own right); and To Tykhe (Fortune, whose unpredictable waxing and waning was linked to Artemis through shared lunar imagery).

Daily Reminder: If you know of any resources you’d like us to incorporate on our site, or any sites/projects you’d like us to signal boost, send us an ask or fanmail! 

[homehearthandheart]

Fun and Fancy Friday / 19 July 2019

Welcome, Devotees!

Going crazy every once in a while is good for you. Try one of these:

Deity Devotion: What is a fun activity associated with one of your beloved Deities? Give it a try today! Don’t be afraid to think outside the box–does playing Call of Duty count as a devotional act for Mars? What about crossword puzzles in honor of Djehuty? Or researching riddles in honor of Odin?

Ancestor Work: Research a game some of your ancestors played. What would you need in order to play the game yourself? Is it a game you’re interested in learning? What sort of skills could that game have taught your ancestors? If you’re able, try playing that game today.

Shrine Improvement: If you have images of Deities on your shrine or altar, give Them funny decorations today. Obviously, if you have actual clothes, hats, etc. that are the right size, try them on! Otherwise, you can make decorations out of paper–tape them to two-dimensional images, or make origami ones for three-dimensional images. (We’d love to see pictures of the results if you’re comfortable sending them in.)

Today in the Hellenic Calendar: 

Today is the 16th of the lunar month. Drew Campbell associates the 6th and 16th days of the lunar month with Artemis.

It is also the Athenian Synoikia—see below for more details!

If you like incorporating daily hymns into your prayers, Drew Campbell recommends the following prayers for today: To Artemis; To Prothyraia (either an epithet of Artemis, or a separate Divinity altogether, in charge of assisting at childbirth); To Leto (the mother of Artemis); To Tykhe (Good Fortune, whose cycles were likened to those of the moon–hence the Artemis connection).

Kalà Synoikía! (Happy Synoikia!)

While the Synoikia is one of Athens’ most ancient religious holidays, even in Classical Athens it wasn’t a very popular one.

It celebrated the unification of Attica, the region surrounding Athens, under Theseus, and honored three Theoi: Athene, patron of Athens and one of the overseers of its harvest season (which was wrapping up around this time of year in Hellas); Zeus Phratrios, the patron of the different phratries (tribes) of Attica; and Eirene, the divine personification of Peace.

What little info we do have about the Synoikia suggests it was celebrated primarily on the 16th of the lunar month, but occasionally—perhaps every other year—there were some festivities on the 15th as well. It centered around sacrifices to the three Theoi mentioned above, but there was little public ceremony besides that. Prayers, offerings, and devotional acts of studying history are all good ideas today.

Since this holiday celebrates a distinctly Athenian mytho-historical event, don’t feel like you HAVE to celebrate it. You might want to if:

Your religious calendar already follows Athens’ religious calendar.

You have, or want to have, a strong devotional relationship with Athene, Zeus Phratrios, and/or Eirene.

Alternately, if your home country has a Unification Day, you can celebrate your own Synoikia on that day.

Daily Reminder: If you know of any resources you’d like us to incorporate on our site, or any sites/projects you’d like us to signal boost, send us an ask or fanmail!