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𝐀𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚




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What is Anthesteria?
Anthesteria, celebrated from the 11th to the 13th of Anthesterion (February–March), was one of the biggest festivals dedicated to Dionysus. Known as the Festival of Flowers, it marked the arrival of spring, the opening of the new wine casks, and the renewal of life. But it wasn’t just about feasting and drinking, it was also a time of purification, fertility, and remembrance, when the boundary between the living and the dead grew thin.
At the heart of the festival was the ritual opening of the wine casks that had been fermenting since the last harvest. This wasn’t just practical; it was symbolic. The wine had been maturing underground, just like Dionysus himself had once been carried in Zeus' thigh before being "born again." Bringing the wine to the surface was more than just a tradition,it was a reflection of Dionysus’ own myth.
But Anthesteria wasn’t all joy and celebration. It was believed that during these days, spirits wandered freely, so while people enjoyed the festivities, they also took precautions to protect themselves. The festival was a strange mix of life and death, revelry and ritual, perfectly embodying the nature of Dionysus, a God of both wild celebration and deep mystery. During Anthesteria, it was also said that the maenads celebrated privately in the mountains and forests. In some legends, Dionysus' marriage to Ariadne was held during Anthesteria.
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Days of Anthesteria
Day 1: Pithoigia (Jar-Opening) 🌸
The first day of Anthesteria, Pithoigia, was centered around the ritual opening of the pithoi, large clay jars that contained the previous year’s wine. These casks had spent months underground, and now, they were unearthed and brought to the sanctuary of Dionysus. A portion of the wine was poured out as an offering, and the rest was shared by all members of the household.
The day was filled with flowers, marking the beginning of the season. Everyone over the age of three was invited to participate in the first taste of the new wine, and the mood was communal and joyous.
Day 2: Choës (Pitchers) 🏺
The second day of the festival, Choës, was a time of popular merrymaking, characterized by wine-drinking contests in which even slaves and children participated. People dressed in their finest clothes, with some even embodying figures from myth connected to Dionysus. There were visits to friends and drinking contests, where participants had to drink an entire chous (about 3 liters) in complete silence. This day was open to everyone, even slaves, highlighting how Dionysus transcended the boundaries of class and status.
For children, Choës marked a special rite of passage. Boys reaching their second year were crowned with flowers and given small drinking vessels, symbolizing their gradual initiation into the community. Meanwhile, the devoted followers of Dionysus, his maenads and priestesses, took part in private, sacred rituals that marked the spiritual union between them and the god.
Day 3: Chytroi (Pots) ���
The final day, Chytroi, was dedicated to the spirits of the dead. Pots filled with a sacred mix of seeds and grains, called panspermia, were offered to Hermes Chthonios and the wandering souls of the deceased. During this time, it was believed that the spirits of the underworld walked among the living. To protect against any malevolent spirits, people chewed on hawthorn leaves and smeared their doorways with tar. The festival came to a close with the dismissal of the spirits: "Away with you, Keres, it is no longer Anthesteria!"
With these words, the spirits were sent back to the underworld, and life in Athens returned to normal, marking the end of the brief but intense period when the living and the dead had shared the same space.
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Activities To Do:
🍷 Drink wine, or any liquid that you like.
🍷 Place flowers on your altar.
🍷 Honor God Dionysus.
🍷 Go to pottery.
🍷 Make a special mask for Lord Dionysus.
🍷 Do a libation in nature.
🍷 Go to the theater.
🍷 Collect flowers from nature.
🍷 Read and recite the hymns to Dionysus.
🍷 Honor both life and death.
🍷 Take a walk in nature and/or in the mountains.
🍷 Draw Dionysus's symbol or carve His name in stones or wood.
🍷 Make art for Dionysus.
🍷 Make a flower crown.
🍷 Honor your deceased loved ones.
🍷 Leave offerings for spirits.
🍷 Light candles.
🍷 Plant seeds in your garden.
🍷 Plan a feast and celebrate with your loved ones.
🍷 Sing and dance while listening to your favorite songs.
🍷 Do creative activities like art or poetry.
🍷 Go wild and celebrate it as you wish, Kala Anthesteria!
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#dionysus#greek mythology#paganism#hellenic polytheism#deity work#hellenic pagan#deity worship#witch#witchblr#witchcraft#hellenic community#hellenism#hellenic#hellenistic#helpol#god dionysus#lord dionysus#dionysian#dionysus deity#dionysos#bacchus#anthesteria#greek myth#ancient greek#hellenic paganism#pagans#pagan#pagan witch#paganblr#greek tumblr
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digital offering to Lord Dionysus for Anthesteria!
i hope everyone has a great time celebrating the festival over the next 3 days!
blessed be, lovely dionysus
#helpol#hellenic polytheism#lord dionysus#anthesteria#anthesteria offering#dionysus worship#dionysus offering#digital offering#hellenic digital offering#HAPPY ANTHESTERIA
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ORPHIC HYMN #46
TO DIONYSUS LIKNITES
I summon to these prayers
Dionysos Liknites,
born at Nysa, blossoming,
beloved and kindly Bacchos,
nursling of the Nymphs
and of fair-wreathed Aphrodite.
The forests once felt your feet
quiver in the dance
as frenzy drove you and the graceful Nymphs
on and on.
The counsels of Zeus brought you
to noble Persephone,
who reared you to be loved
by the deathless gods.
Kindheartedly come, O blessed one,
accept the gift of this sacrifice.
(trans. by Apostolos Athanassakis)
#reposting this cuz something went wrong the last time I posted it :/#happy first day of Anthesteria by the way!! :D#lord dionysus#dionysus#dionysos#bacchus#bacchic#dionysian#dionysus worship#dionysus deity#dionysos deity#dionysus devotee#dionysos devotee#aphrodite#anthesteria#bacchanalia#bacchae#bacchante#bacchantes#hellenic polytheism#hellenic paganism#hellenism#hellenismos#hellenic#helpol#greek mythology#greek gods#ancient greek gods#orphic hymns#orphic hymn 46
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digital offering/e offering for Lord Dionysus for Anthesteria
#lord dionysus#dionysus#dionysos#lord dionysos#anthesteria#hellenic deities#hellenic devotion#hellenic polytheism#hellenic polythiest#hellenic worship#helpol#digital offering#e offering#greek deities#greek gods
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praise be lord dionysus androgynos, god of homosexuality and effeminacy, may he protect his queer children and adults alike! I am forever grateful, raise a glass to him and his wonder!
#im raising a glass of water#hope he still appreciates it haha#digital offering#lord dionysus#helpol#hellenism#hellenic polytheism#hellenic polytheist#hellenic devotion#hellenic worship#dionysus deity#dionysus devotee#dionysus devotion
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when people depict Dionysus in a way where i literally can’t figure out his gender for the life of me >>>>
#androgynous dionysus i love you#greek mythology#dionysus#dionysus deity#dionysus worship#lord dionysus#hellenic polythiest#hellenic worship#hellenic community#hellenic deities#helpol#hellenic pagan#hellenic polytheism
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Staying the night in a vineyard, how not to feel close to lord Dionysus, god of wine, pleasure and liberation of inhibitions?🍇🍷
#digital offering#dionysus#lord dionysus#god of wine#god of pleasure#god of liberations#Next to a cup of alcohol and relaxing music#hellenic pagan#hellenic polytheism#hellenic worship#hellenic polythiest#hellenism#hellenic paganism
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Digital offering for Lord Apollon and Lord Dionysos, my beloved patrons<3
#pretty easy and simple since I don't have an editing app on my phone#digital offering#helpol#deity worship#hellenic devotion#hellenic polytheism#hellenic polytheist#lord dionysus#lord apollo#apollon#dionysos#dionysus devotion#dionysus devotee#apollo devotion#apollon devotee
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Lord Dionysus









God of wine-making, orchards and fruit, vegetation, fertility, festivity, insanity, ritual madness, religious ecstasy, and theatre
i take requests
#dionysus devotee#devotee#greek gods#greek mythology#ancient greek#dionysus deity#dionysus worship#hellenic pagan#paganism#pagan#hellenic polytheism#hellenic polytheistic#hellenic devotion#hellenic polythiest#hellenic deities#hellenic gods#hellenic polytheist#hellenism#hellenic pantheon#lord dionysus#dionysus devotion#dionysus
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Lord Dionysos
God of grapes, wine, intoxication, ecstasy, insanity, inhibition, theatre, festivity, queerness, the wilds, madness, and pleasure.
Epithets
Maenoles ~ The Mad and Raging
Hestios ~ Of the Feast
Androgynos ~ The Androgynous
Phallen ~ The Phallic
Theoinos ~ God of Wine
Oinops ~ The Wine-Dark
Agathos Daimon ~ The Good Spirit
Kittophoros ~ The Ivy-Bearing
Staphylites ~ Of the Grape
Dimetor ~ The Twice-Born
Eleuthereus ~ Of Liberation
Soterius ~ Savior from Madness
Agyieus ~ Of the Streets
Mystes ~ Of the Mysteries
Khthonios ~ The Cthonic; Of the Earth
Melpomenos ~ Of the Tragedies; Of the Tragic Plays
Bassareus ~ The Fox-Like
Associations
Animals
Bulls
Leopards, panthers, tigers, and lions
Goats
Serpents
Foxes
Donkeys
Plants
Ivy
Grapes
Bindweed
Cinnamon
Silver fir trees
Cedar / Pine trees
Colors
Purple
Red
Black
Silver
Gold
White
Offerings and Devotional Acts
Wine and other alcohols
Cigarettes and other tobacco products
Other intoxicating substances
Candles and incense
Foods and drinks
Dried flowers
Bones
Coins
Symbols of queerness (pride flags, empty HRT vials, pride related colors, etc.)
Jewelry
Crystals and stones
Ivy and other vined plants
Fresh or dried fruits
Plants
Going to theatre performances
Going to bars and clubs
Getting intoxicated
Performance art
Dancing
Practicing moderation
Visiting vineyards and orchards
(credit to @sister-lucifer for the Dionysos themed dividers!)
#hellenic polytheism#helpol#hellenic polythiest#hellenic worship#hellenic deities#hellenic pagan#lord dionysus#dionysos#dionysus deity#dionysos deity#bacchus#lord dionysos#dionysos worship
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Blessed Anthesteria everyone🍇🍷🌼🐆🌿
May Dionysus bless us all during these three sacred days ahead. May we celebrate freely, with joy and fire in our hearts. We honor God Dionysus and also is a sacred festival of flowers, death, sex, wine, and life. May everyone have a great time and celebrate in whatever way feels right to them.
Hail Lord Dionysus and Kala Anthesteria🌸🍷🕯
#dionysus#greek mythology#paganism#hellenic polytheism#deity work#hellenic pagan#deity worship#witch#witchblr#witchcraft#anthesteria#dionysus worship#festival#ancient greek#ancient greece#hellenic community#hellenism#hellenic#hellenistic#helpol#god dionysus#lord dionysus#dionysian#dionysus deity
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Symbolism of Dionysus
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The dual-sided god of pleasure, of wine making, festivity, homosexuality and madness, sometimes depicted as a wise and burdened elder, sometimes as a careless, effeminate youth, Dionysus is a god of many facets of human nature, both good and bad, perhaps the most human of all the gods of Olympus in his personality, and his unusually relatable legends. Let’s go over some of the divine symbolism that he is represented by shall we?:
• 🌈 Colors:
- Purple: A god who is defined by his duality, of both elder wisdom, and nonsensical youthful madness, as well as his notable libido, and penchant for wine and the festive habit of drunkenness, there is one color above all others that generally seems to fit with all of these themes: purple, or lavender. A color associated with grapes, wisdom, homosexuality, and innocence!
• 🐴 Animals:
- Leopard: leopards are fierce, wild, roaming, violent cats, a perfect reflection of lord Dionysus, and he is often depicted in Ancient Greek artworks either riding or wearing the wild cat. In a poem by Oppian of Amea, it is said that the leopards were the incarnations of his past lovers who, after Pentheus offended the god, asked to be turned into leopards so they could tear him apart! It is also believe that he would sometimes take the form of wild cats like leopards.
- Tiger: during his journey through Egypt, the king of gods Zeus is said to have gifted Dionysus a mighty tiger which helped him to cross the mighty Tigris river, they became widely associated with him as a result of this great feat. Like leopards as well, many claim he often took the form of the tiger as well.
- Bull: bulls are an animal widely associated with themes of raw sexuality, and sexual aggression, as well as aggression in general, all themes of which fit the god of madness and violence, and of lust and drunkeness quite fittingly. They are also the key plot device in the Greek story of Dionysus and the sacred bull.
- Serpent: in the feats of Dionysus, the gods last feat was the feast of Dionysus, a meal which took place on a pirate ship he had hired to carry him to Naxos. The men tricked him however, so he turned the oars of the ship into serpents.
• 🌸 Plants and Flowers:
- Ivy: one of Dionysus’s key sacred symbols, Ivy is a vining plant that has long been associated with poison, and yet also claimed to be able to cure intoxication, representative of the sometimes dangerous or stark duality of Dionysus’s character and personality. It is said that his cult would wear wreaths and crowns fashioned out of the plant, and the leaves were utilized in his rituals.
- Khalanchoe: also called the paddle plant, khalanchoe is a plant which harkens back to the most ancient roots of Dionysus cults, back when he was not yet known as Dionysus, but rather the much older Greco-Roman god of Bacchus, from which his character derives, who was a god of vegetation and prosperity, who was often associated with this plant.
- Pine: In ancient Greece, the pine was particularly sacred to Dionysus and his worshippers. In the ancient city of Corinth, the Corinthians were ordered by the Delphic Oracle to worship the pine along with Dionysus as a god. In the ancient Greek culture, pine was long associated with fertility, one of the key attributes of the libido and festival stricken Dionysus, he is often portrayed in Romanesque and Ancient Greek artworks holding a staff topped with a pinecone.
- Grape blossom: perhaps the most obvious choice here, grape are synonymous with Dionysus’s character, emblems of his drunkenness, of his celebration, wisdom, femininity, and also of his vigor and fertility. Grape blossoms, and leaves, as well as obviously the grape itself, are unmistakable symbols of the lord Dionysus.
• 🍗 Food:
- Grapes: perhaps the most sacred symbol of Dionysus and his influence, the grape is the perfect metaphor for the god, and all he represents. It can represent fertility, with its plump and plentiful fruit, yet also infertility, as it can be used to make alcohol capable of ending a pregnancy. It is a symbol of innocence, a delicate fleshed fruit that is sweet and simple, yet also of wisdom, a fruit that is said to be the source of many secrets and stories. Grapes are Dionysus personified.
- Figs: similarly to grapes, figs have long been associated with drunkeness and foolishness, a fruit that is known to ferment much faster and more potently than most others fruits, and in Ancient Greek times, would have likely been one of the most accessible ways to get drunken! It’s seedy nature is also representative of fertility.
- Wine: of course, you can’t have Dionysus without a glass of wine to accompany him. Long s sign of royalty, festivity, and sexual promiscuity, Dionysus was truly the original wine mom gay, a chaotic manwhore, lovable, but almost always at least a little bit drunk off of the coveted crimson liquid.
• 💎 Crystals and Gemstones:
- Garnet: long associated with the crimson color of a fine wine, as well of a stone said to be imbued with strength and sexuality, garnets, particularly of the almandine or rhodolite variety, are great symbolic stones of lord Dionysus and his strong sexual nature.
- Amethyst: in Ancient Greek apothecary, it was believed by many that amethyst had anti-intoxicant properties, and in fact, some of the highest of Greek royalty drank from wine glasses carved purely from amethyst! At the time, the vast quarries of amethyst of South America hadn’t yet been discovered, and it was still considered to be a truly precious gemstone, often reserved only for royalty, royalty like Dionysus.
- Grape agate: a recent discovery from Asia, one of the many lands that Dionysus was said to have roamed and adventured in during his many great feats, grape agate is a variety of botryoidal cryptocrystalline amethyst (excuse the geologist nerd talk) that almost perfectly resembles a cluster of juicy grapes! I don’t think I need explain further why this stone is PERFECT for modern Dionysus devotees!
• 🪐 Planets: although Dionysus Is not traditionally associated with any of the planets in the Milky Way galaxy, (though some modern hellenists associate him with Jupiter) there are a number of celestial objects and bodies that have since been named for him: most notably perhaps, is the binary asteroid Dionysus 3671, discovered in the aptly named Olympus system in 1984!
• ☄️ Astrology: Dionysus is almost definitely a Taurus, his dual personality which can manifest as either playful or predatory is a trait that is shared by many a Taurus (as someone who knows a Taurus who can be both very fun and very terrifying, I can confirm this is quite accurate!)
• 🍇 Other symbols:
- Mental health: perhaps unsurprisingly, the many different facets of Dionysus’s ancient personality, the drunkeness, the madness, the torrential mood swings, the struggle of chaos he is often depicted of dealing with, has led to him being celebrated by many modern hellenists as the patron god of mental illness, and the neurodiverse! His dual personalities are a clear allegory for personality disorders, his mood swings and “madness” line up closely with modern understandings of ADD, ADHD, as well as autism and even major psychological disorders like schizophrenia. He is undoubtedly a god who is very closely related to his human worshippers, perhaps more than any other god on Olympus!
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Like my posts? Consider giving me a follow if you wish to learn more about the gods of Hellen with me, and explore the many stories and Mythos of the Greek mythological universe! Blessed be your day 💙🏛️💙
#male witch#green witch#hellenism#paganism#witchcraft#druidism#hellenic worship#baby witch#pagan witch#dionysus devotion#dionysus worship#lord dionysus#dionysus#dionysius#dionysos#hellenic paganism#hellenist#hellenic deities#hellenic pagan#hellenic witch#hellenic devotion#hellenic gods#hellenic community#hellenic polytheism#hellenic polythiest#greek deities#greek gods#greek mythology#greek tumblr
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ANTHESTERIA🌹
The Anthesteria, also known as the Festival of Flowers was an ancient Athenian festival, dedicated to Lord Dionysus and held during the 11 to 13 of Anthesterion (which is from February 10 to 12 this year). The festival celebrates the start of spring, new wine, and honoring the dead.
HISTORIA
The Festival of Flowers is split into three days. The first day, or Pithoigia (Opening of The Jars) is focused on opening new jars of wine, pouring libations, and drinking mixed wine (usually 3 parts water and 1 part wine). Children often received their own small pots of wine.
The second day, or Khoes (Day of Cups) was filled with drinking wine, eroticism, and sexual ecstasy. By the end of the night, there was a sacred marriage between Lord Dionysus and the queen which occurred in the Temple of Dionysus, and was kept secretive.
The last and third day, or Khytrai (Day of Pots) was devoted to the cult of the dead and the chthonic aspect of Lord Dionysus. Pots containing traditional foods for the dead, cooked grains, and seeds were left out for the spirits of ancestors. Although precautions were made for the dead coming too close.
At the end of the festival, citizens would shout: "Through the doors, Kares, it's no longer Anthesteria!"
HOW TO CELEBRATE?
• Wine-drinking or drinking any kind of fruity beverages
• Mixing sweet wine (3 parts water to 1 part wine)
• Popping open a wine bottle
• Pouring libations (could be non-alcoholic if you want to)
• Hosting feasts and or a potluck
• Decorating your home or altar with flowers (for Pithoigia)
• Visiting a flower garden (for Pithoigia)
• Creating masks and figurines (for Khoes)
• Reading erotic books (for Khoes)
• Offering food for the dead (Khytrai only)
• Creating pots filled with koliva (Khytrai only)
• Reciting and or creating hymns to Lord Dionysus
(Orphic Hymns #30, #45, #46, #53)
(Homeric Hymns #1, #7, #26)
sources: Hellenion (Check this out if you can :D)

HAIL DIONYSOS, AND HAVE A BLESSED ANTHESTERIA🌹
#lord dionysus#dionysus#dionysos#bacchus#bacchic#dionysian#dionysus worship#dionysus deity#dionysos deity#dionysus devotee#dionysos devotee#anthesteria#bacchanalia#hellenic polytheism#hellenic paganism#hellenic#hellenism#hellenismos#helpol
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dionysus god of silliness and dismemberment
#thats it thats the post#hellenism#helpol#hellenist#hellenic paganism#dionysus#lord dionysus#dionysus worship
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O Dionysos, O Bacchus!
My Lord, may I be free from all stress and worry
O Eleutheros, O Liber!
May I rise up like the mighty grapevine
And may I create a path for myself wherever I see a dead end
Hail, O Bull-Horned God!
Hail, O Thrice-Born Lord!
#dionysus#dionysos#bacchus#dionysus worshipper#dionysus god#lord dionysus#lord dionysos#dionysos worshipper#dionysos god#dionysus deity#dionysus worship#dionysos deity#bakkhos#hellenic polytheist#hellenic polytheism#helpol#roman polytheism#religio romana#cultus deorum#paganism#pagan#hellenic paganism#hellenic pagan#theoi#polytheism#polytheist#roman paganism#Διόνυσος
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Hail O Liberator, Dionysos Eleutherios. Free us from evil, from pain and from sorrow. (Quote is taken from the Dionysiaca, written in the 5th century CE)
#hellenic polytheism#greek polytheism#hellenic pagan#paganism#hellenic paganism#paganblr#religion#theoi#helpol#pantheon#dionysos#dionysus#bacchus#lord dionysus#dionysus deity#bacchanalia
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