This site is for simple overviews of different Hellenic polytheist holidays and festivals. It is recommended that you do some research of your own outside of this site, but this is a good place to start learning.
If you have questions about holidays/festivals, or if there's a holiday/festival you think I should add to the website, please head to the questions & more tab and let me know. Before you submit a holiday, remember that I am updating this over time and adding it might take a little while.
None of the information on here is mine. Sources will be provided.
Note: while many of the ways you can celebrate listed are ideas obtained from the sources used on this website, some holidays/festivals do not have modern ways to celebrate listed, so I (and some friends) discussed & came up with the ways to celebrate.
The calendars that I personally use are the Hellenic Herald calendar, which can be purchased or downloaded for free here, and the Hellenion calendar. The Hellenic Herald calendar also includes Celtic, Norse, and Roman holidays and festivals.
Please note that their dates for Hekate's Deipnon, Noumenia, and Agathos Daimon are a day later than when I (and many others) choose to celebrate these holidays.
Please check the calendars for the dates of the festivals listed, as only the dates from the lunar calendar will be added.
Hekate's Deipnon is celebrated on the last day of every lunar month, aka the new moon. This day can be used to prepare your home to transition into the next lunar month.
As Hekate is the goddess of the restless dead, some choose to give Her offerings and pray for protection from spirits & the restless dead on this day.
Section sources:https://www.hellenion.org/festivals/hekates-deipnon/Noumenia is celebrated on the first day of every lunar month. It is dedicated to the household Gods, who are as follows:
Apollon Agyieus
Hekate
Hestia
Hermes
Zeus Ktesios
Apollon Agyieus: protector of streets and public places
Zeus Ktesios: protector of property & the house
Some ways to celebrate Noumenia include:
creating a list of goals/projects to complete within the following lunar month
bake a dessert that you only make on Noumenia (often honey cake)
replace the ingredients in your household kadiskos
Agathos Daimon is celebrated on the second day of every lunar month. It is dedicated to your household "good spirit", aka the Agathos Daimon. Each household has their own Agathos Daimon. You can take time on the Agathos Daimon to think about anything your household may need help with during the next lunar month.
To celebrate the day of Agathos Daimon pour a libation to your Agathos Daimon and read Orphic hymn 72.
Section sources:Agathos Daimon: How to Make Offerings and Set Up an Altar — A Simple Altar https://www.hellenion.org/festivals/agathos-daimon/Orphic hymn found on theoi.com.Delphinia is a holiday celebrated in honor of Lord Apollon. You can find a Delphinia ritual to complete if you are able here.
Section source:Delphinia Ritual – HellenionMounykhia is celebrated in honor of Lady Artemis, specifically her aspects as goddess of beasts/wildlife and goddess of the moon. To celebrate, you can give a libation to Lady Artemis at dusk. You might also read the following:
Section sources:Mounykhia – HellenionHOMERIC HYMNS 1-3 - Theoi Classical Texts Library ORPHIC HYMNS 1-40 - Theoi Classical Texts LibraryOlympeia is celebrated in honor of Olympian Zeus. Though I haven't found much information on it, I personally chose to celebrate this holiday with:
prayers dedicated to Lord Zeus
devotional acts
offerings/libations
Thargelia is a two-day festival dedicated to Lord Apollon and Lady Artemis. The first day of Thargelia is dedicated to Lady Artemis while the second day is dedicated to Lord Apollon.
On day one of Thargelia, you should focus on driving out bad things and on day two you should focus on bringing good things into your life. This can mean cleaning your house on the first day of Thargelia and focusing on offerings and worship on the second day.
For Lady Artemis, read:
For Lord Apollon, read:
*at least read these; the other hymns are more optional
Section sources:HOMERIC HYMNS 1-3 - Theoi Classical Texts Library ORPHIC HYMNS 1-40 - Theoi Classical Texts Library https://www.hellenion.org/festivals/thargelia/Kallynteria and Plynteria are a set of back-to-back festivals dedicated to Lady Athena. These days were when Lady Athena's temple in Athens would be swept and Her statue would be cleaned. To celebrate today, you can do some spring cleaning and/or tidy up your altars.
Section source:Kallynteria and Plynteria – HellenionArrephoria is another festival in honor of Lady Athena. Arrephoria marks the start of preparing for the Athenian New Year, as historically nothing was carried over into the new year. This day can be used for finishing projects and clearing away the old to make room for the new.
Section source:Arrephoria – HellenionSkiraphoria (sometimes shortened to Skira) is a three day festival celebrating Athena Skiras, Poseidon Pater, Demeter, Kore, and Helios.
Athena Skiras: a surname of Athena
Poseidon Pater: "father" or "venerable" (someone given a great deal of respect due to age, wisdom, character, etc.)
Kore: an epithet of Persephone meaning "the maiden"
This festival likely relates to ensuring good weather for the harvest. It also celebrates the victory of Athena over Poseidon.
To celebrate, you may give offerings and libations to Poseidon Pater, Demeter, Athena Skiras, Kore, and Helios, as well as praying to Them.
Section sources:Skiraphoria / Skira – Hellenion ATHENA TITLES & EPITHETS - Ancient Greek ReligionDipolieia is celebrated in honor of Zeus Polieus (of the city).
You can celebrate it by giving a small offering to Father Zeus alongside reading Homeric hymn #23 (to Zeus).
Section source:https://www.hellenion.org/festivals/dipolieiabouphonia/Kronia celebrates Kronos, mainly as "a god of the grain harvest". Kronos was also known mainly as the father of Zeus, which is something you can acknowledge if you would like to.
To celebrate, read Orphic Hymn #12 to Saturn. You can also make an offering to Kronos and read the Theogony in His honor.
You may also consider reading these modern prayers to Kronos:
Section sources:Kronia – Hellenion Hesiod, Theogony, line 1 ORPHIC HYMNS 1-40 - Theoi Classical Texts LibrarySynoikia is a two day festival celebrating Athena and Zeus Phratrios (who oversaw the clans of Athens). In Ancient times, a sacrifice or offering might have also been made to Eirene (goddess of peace) at the same time as the festival.
Zeus Phratrios also refers to Zeus as king of the gods and god of the sky, fate, law, justice, and weather.
In modern times of hardship, it is especially important to honor Eirene during this festival. You can celebrate Her in any way you can, namely by giving back to your community in some way.
To celebrate the festival, you can also read:
Eleusinia is a four-day festival in honor of Demeter, goddess of agriculture. Despite the similarity in names, it is not associated with the Eleusinian Mysteries.
Every two years, the Eleusinia was held. It consisted of games and contests. Every second Eleusinia (every four years), the festival was a much more elaborate thanksgiving to Demeter for Her gift of grain and agriculture. The bigger festival is known as the Great Eleusinia.
To celebrate, take some time to thank Demeter for Her gifts of food, grain, and agriculture. You can also play games with your loved ones in a reflection of the games that were used to celebrate Eleusinia in the past. If you wish, you can read some or all of the following hymns to Demeter:
If you are able, consider finding a way to do something for the environment - this can mean cleaning up litter, planting trees, planning small environmentally-conscious changes to your life, and more! As Demeter is the goddess of agriculture and a good harvest relies on weather & climate, think of Demeter while devoting some time to looking after our planet.
Section sources:https://www.hellenion.org/festivals/eleusinia/https://www.britannica.com/topic/Eleusiniahttps://www.theoi.com/Text/HomericHymns1.htmlhttps://www.theoi.com/Text/OrphicHymns1.htmlKourotrophos is both a deity and an epithet of gods and goddesses who look after children and take part in child rearing, two of whom are Hekate and Artemis. Kourotrophos was specifically recognized as a goddess (or multiple goddesses) in Athens.
Historically, Kourotrophos was given offerings throughout the year, sometimes before other gods and goddesses were honored. On this holiday Kourotrophos is honored alongside Hekate and Artemis for their roles in protecting children and child-rearing.
To celebrate, take time to thank these goddesses for the children in your family or in your life in general. You can also honor these deities on the birthdays of children in your life. You may leave offerings or pour libations to these goddesses and ask that current and future children in your life have good lives, health, and abundance.
Section sourceshttps://www.hellenion.org/festivals/kourotrophos/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kourotrophos