ATHENS – This past weekend, the indigenous religions of the Mediterranean convened in Athens, Greece, for ‘Mediterraneum 2024,’ the inaugural conference organized by the Hellenic-Roman Association (HRA). Nearly 100 people gathered from Cyprus, Greece, and Italy for a weekend of rituals and presentations. The Wild Hunt was able to report from the conference and learn of their upcoming declaration.
The HRA was established in 2023, and at this historic first conference, talks were given by several members of the attending groups. The HRA “aims to defend, strengthen and empower the Ethnic Religions of the wider geographical space at multiple levels, with work produced jointly and coordinated.”
Ritual at the Hellenic-Roman Association. Photo Credit: Elyse Welles]
The hosts from Greece were The Supreme Council of Ethnikoi Hellenes (YSEE) and Thyrsos, a community dedicated to “the defense of Ethnic Traditions” in Greece according to their public statement on the HRA website. YSEE’s representatives from Cyprus attended as well, including the first initiate of YSEE’s Priesthood training, author George Lizos. Pietas Comunita Gentile, the largest organized group and a legal entity for Classical Tradition in Italy honoring the Roman Ethnic Religion, was present as well, including the Pontefice Maximus of Roman Religion, Guiseppe Barbera, and Pythia Priestess of the Roman Religion, Ilenia Rossi.
The conference took place over the Summer Solstice weekend, and Apollo was honored in ritual at sunrise on June 21st, 2024 at the Altar of the Nymphs at the base of the Acropolis of Athens. Both the opening and closing ceremonies featured Pietas and YSEE combining Hellenic and Roman practices and invited viewers and other conference attendees to observe and participate. In the opening ritual, Pietas shared an ancient Roman ritual to Apollo, as they cleansed the space and each participant’s arms with a bay leaf branch dipped in water mixed with sage. YSEE invited all participants to offer wine to the altar to end the ritual. A guided tour of Keramikos Cemetery in Athens introduced visiting guests to the world of the ancients, setting the tone for the conference’s themes of returning to roots.
The second day of the conference began with a ritual at YSEE Temple in Athens, showcasing what a more usual ritual looks like in the Hellenic Ethnic Religion. Offerings were poured before the altar by several members after they invoked various gods. Full-body statues and deep red cloths featuring their logo, and an olive wreath, adorned the altar, surrounded by flowers and other offerings.
HRA Conference Attendees [Photo Credit: Elyse Welles]
On the third day, an excursion to a remote spring was planned for the closing ceremony. The source of the river of the area, known as Kiffisos, the trickling water, and elder maple trees provided a canopy and relief on a hot day. Many gods were honored, with special attention to Apollo in honor of the Solstice, and offerings left as well. A procession to and from the altar, set up beneath a large maple tree, began and ended the ritual from the entryway to the spring.
Both Friday and Saturday featured speakers presenting academic papers or books. The subject of the conference was “The necessity of humanity’s return to ethnic religions and traditions”. Popular talks included “Unlock the Secrets of the Greek Gods and Goddesses” by Cyprus’ first Priest and author of “The Secrets of Greek Mysticism”, George Lizos; “The Impact of Ethnic Traditions of Technology and the Future” by Evangelos Kioussis, founder of Thyrsos; “The Value of Arete (Virtue) in Society” by Eleni Antigoni Xanthi, a Priestess of YSEE; and poet and board member of YSEE Christos Polatides’ talk on “the Sanctity of Nature in Ethnic Religions”.
[Photo Credit: Elyse Welles]
Although most attendees were members of these organizations, about 1/3 of them were foreigners or otherwise unassociated. While talks focused on the issues of the speakers’ respective cultural contexts, this allowed for open discussion and sharing of diverse practices. The acceptance (or otherwise) of these indigenous religions was the main overtone of both public and private conversations at the event, particularly reflecting on the growing community.
There is significant international support for the return of Hellenic and Roman religion to the Mediterranean in bigger ways, although in Greece and Italy, getting legal recognition for these religions has been an uphill battle. This conference hopes to change that with its Declaration 2024, a detailed list of beliefs, objectives, and policies the HRA will continue to pursue including legal recognition and the ability to perform rituals at ancient temples.
The Wild Hunt will report on and explore the impact of Declaration 2024 in a future interview with Meditteraneum’s chief organizer, Elena Petri, High Priestess of Hellenic Ethnic Religion.
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