The season flies by so quickly! So much has happened since my last post. The Puanepsia/Oskhophoria rituals were a great success and the Panaia which followed a couple of weeks later was equally phenomenal. On November 7, we celebrated the Panaia (Pan's Birthday) with offerings of Retsina, lamb chili, phallic pasta with meatballs and alfredo sauce, a chocolate cake and Ouzo. Pan's life-size statue was put up (an annual tradition at HTAZP) and has been up for a week surveying the temple space.
Last Sunday, some of our group got together for an informal hang-out social gathering and played "Arkham Horror" a table-top role playing game along with some great food and all-around fun times. I'm hoping to do something like that once per month as groups need a little fellowship sometimes outside of rituals.
Also last Sunday, the Hellenismos for Beginners class started up again. This time I'm doing both an in-person and online version of the class to see how that works out. If all goes well, I might continue to offer both types of sessions so that more individuals can get involved.
Our next festival is the Dendraia in honor of Pan and His relationship with Pitys, the Nymph who turned herself into a Pine tree to escape His advances. Legend has it that Pan still loves her, which is why the pine tree is sacred to Him. HTAZP honors this with a modern festival of Dendraia where we decorate a pine tree in His and Pitys' honor and feast on keilbassa, rice, and other goodies.
May the blessings of the Gods be with everyone and may the Holiday season be filled with the grace of Hestia!
Errosso,
Timotheos
