The Truth About The Christianization Of Greece

To my mind, the simple fact that much of the ancient world's history has been lost primarily due to persecution by Christian authorities, speaks for itself in regards to how the ancient world disappeared. This is the often overlooked history of the Christianization of Greece.

Ancient Greek religion went away primarily because its institutions were outlawed by Christian Rome. This is not to say that there were no willing conversions in early Greek Christianity. Every religion can find willing converts, and it would therefore be dishonest to presume that Christianity did not obtain them also. But there are two things to consider. One, we have no census or record of the number of willing converts in the early Days, only estimates that can vary depending on source. And second, we have to consider what "willing" actually meant at times.

There are three factors to consider in the Greek conversions. One, early Christianity absorbed an extensive amount of ancient Greek philosophy. They realized the strong truths and values in Hellenism, and they adopted parts of it to give Christianity backing with the Greeks. Literally, Christians adopted Greek Polytheistic philosophy in order to appeal to the people they were talking to. Even though the philosophy was not monotheistic or Christian, because people like Socrates and Plato believed in the Greek Gods. It was, in fact, very Greek Polytheistic. But the Christians used the basis of the ideas themselves and placed their own religion upon it. They tried to make it look, in other words, like Christianity was Greek, even though it wasn't. Christianity is Jewish, whose theology is fundamentally different and polar opposites from the Greek.

They would also take religious customs and simply replace them with a mirror image of their own, as far as such an image could be achieved. For example, replacing Gods with saints. A good example is the Temple of Poseidon in Didyma, Argolis where a cathedral of St. Nicholas was built on top of it, a saint who Christians call "lord of the sea" and "protector of sailors," just as Poseidon was/is. Another good example is Zeus and the Sun God Helios and the Prophet Elijah, whose Greek name is spelled Ilias, sounding like Helios. The prophet was said to have rose to heaven in a chariot of fire, and to this Day, mountaintop churches in Greece that were formally dedicated to Zeus and Helios, have been replaced with chapels of Elijah. Additionally, Helios drives the Chariot of the Sun, aka a Fire Chariot.

The early Christians knew that if they were completely foreign to the Greeks, they would lose. They knew they had to become Greek enough, and thus you have the Greek Orthodox Church, which is different from Roman Christianity.

Second, early Christians in Greece were also known to wage physical war against sacred worship places and temples. In short, they destroyed them and ousted the Hellenes therein. In 375 AD, the famous Temple of Asklepios in Epidaurus, known for its Healing Festival, was ultimately shutdown by Christians. In 391 AD, Theodosius the First ordered the closing of Greek temples. He also outlawed the Olympic Games and the Greek religion in general. Some temples may have also been abandoned or left to decay, either because those who oversaw them decided to leave (perhaps because of the loss of too much support pushed by persecution), or because the State would no longer provide funding for their upkeep. There is also a legendary monastic claim that, in 324 AD, Emperor Constantine sent a force of eviction to Mount Athos, removing all Hellenists from the mountain and destroying any temples there. Today, Christian monasteries stand on it. While this is a Christian legend and not verified as historical fact, it shows a vision that early Christians had no problem entertaining, which was to physically destroy their religious competition if necessary.

During the reign of Emperor Justinian, an order was given by him to burn ancient Greek books and pictures, and destroy Greek statues. Other Pagan and Polytheistic writings also fell victim to this, and because of it, we have lost untold sums of ancient history. Finally, ancient sites had their treasuries and other valuables plundered by the church and its officials for financial and building support, such as was done to the Temple of Artemis of Ephesus. Statues that remained would often be vandalized, with crosses carved into their faces, and their hands, feet and genitals broken off.

In 359 AD, Greek Polytheists and others also found themselves victims of the infamous Skythopolis Trials and the Skythopolis Death Camps. In Book 19, Chapter 12 of the work by Ammianus Marcellinus, we are given horrific descriptions of what happened to those who were deemed treasonous or sacrilegious by the Christian Emperor Constantius II of Rome. The charges levied against the accused were magic, superstition, and consulting oracles, and sometimes other charges would be added such as being a poisoner. He also adds that once someone was brought up on charges before these Trials, it was highly unlikely that they would be found not guilty, as there was extreme bias in the court. This leads us to believe that it was largely a kangaroo court, designed for the purpose of exterminating unwilling converts. Refusal to accept Christianity in the face of the Christian State resulted in either death, torture, loss of property, or exile.

"men were brought in from almost the whole world, noble and obscure alike; and some of them were bowed down with the weight of chains, others wasted away from the agony of imprisonment. As the theatre of torture and death Skythopolis was chosen, a city of Palestine which for two reasons seemed more suitable than any other: because it is more secluded, and because it is midway between Antioch and Alexandria, from which cities the greater number were brought to meet charges. 

some died from the mangling of their bodies, others were condemned to further punishment and had their goods seized, while Paulus was the prompter of these scenes of cruelty, supplying as if from a storehouse many kinds of deception and cruelty; and on his nod (I might also say), depended the life of all who walk the earth. 

Paulus aka Paulus Catena or Paul the Chain, was a Christian imperial investigator.

For if anyone wore on his neck an amulet against the quartan ague or any other complaint, or was accused by the testimony of the evil-disposed of passing by a grave in the evening, on the ground that he was a dealer in poisons, or a gatherer of the horrors of tombs and the vain illusions of the ghosts that walk there, he was condemned to capital punishment and so perished. In fact, the matter was handled exactly as if many men had importuned Claros, the oaks of Dodona, and the once famous oracles of Delphi with regard to the death of the emperor.

Claros refers to the Oracle of Apollo at Claros. Dodona refers to the Oracle of Zeus at Dodona.

the Cornelian Laws exempted no one of whatever estate from examination by torture, even with the shedding of blood."

- Marcellinus, Ammianus, Book XIX, Chapter 12.

Unfortunately, we have no record as to how many people met their end at these Trials, or how many probably also died during transport to the court, and people dying while imprisoned is usually caused by things like starvation, disease, and/or torture. But if it was influential enough to warrant historical recording, we might presume that the numbers were also high. Interestingly, the Cornelian Laws were first instituted by ancient Rome, and then used by the Christian authority that took over. But the Cornelian Laws, in their originality, were not designed to target Christians, as they were written around 80 years before Jesus. In short, Christianity did not exist when they were written, nor did being a Roman Polytheist exempt someone from them.

In the early period, some Greeks who converted did so out of a sense of community, and third, by the late period, Greeks converted as a matter of social status and survival. Those who refused throughout this time saw nothing less than the cultural genocide of their people, and even danger to their own physical lives.

Before as late as 2006, Hellenists in Greece could not openly exist. By 2006, it was not illegal to believe in the Greek Gods, but publicly practicing it could get you arrested and/or fined. Only in very recent history have Greeks won the right to openly worship the Greek Gods again, ending a centuries old ban. In May of 2006, thanks to the efforts of the Supreme Council of Ethnic Hellenes, an Athens court ruled the religion again legally recognized and free. But still, that's not to say that persecution has completely gone away, as Hellenists in Greece today sometimes face violence and vandalism against them and their sacred worship areas. 

The bottom line is simply that Hellenism was forced out of Greece by and large, not peacefully replaced. It is widely argued that if Hellenism had been allowed to freely exist, it would today be a very strong competitor with Christianity. 

The Christianization of Greece did not occur as a sudden massive spiritual awakening to a brand new way of life, as some may have you believe. It was done over a long period of time through systematic destruction, ambitional pursuits, a need for survival, oppressive laws, and outright deadly persecution. Is this to say that the Christians never achieved any real conversions? No, it's to show that they knew they had to apply adaptation and force in order to actually remove the competition that Hellenism strongly provided. In short, new ideal and peaceful conversion was not doing the job that was needed to significantly take over.

To presume that a country and a people who had spent centuries upon centuries being Hellenic because that's what they truly believed and trusted in, would suddenly give it all up simply because someone from another culture came and said they should, is just not logical.

"People did continue to pray to these gods. Greek religion was practiced for 800 years after Xenophanes, and disappeared at the end of the ancient world under massive state pressure. Quite clearly, that criticism had touched only the surface, not the roots." 

- Burkert, Walter, Greek Religion, p. 246.

Christianity did not come to power automatically. It took around 300 years. So how did early Christianity gain enough Roman power to threaten the Polytheism of the known world? The answer may lie in Walter Burkert's words above. Christianity may have appealed to governments because of its ability to control populations and institutions. For whatever reason, once the early Christians had secured the government, they were able to use that power to inflict indefinite damage. The Christians knew the government was where their victory lied, because, as Burkert says, they were not touching the roots, aka the common people. 

Is this research being used by me to produce hatred, intolerance or shame toward Christians or their churches in our time today? Absolutely not. I do think they should return to the Hellenes the sacred lands and areas that rightfully belong to them, but people alive today had nothing to do with the actions of ancestors or founders who lived around 1,675 years ago. It's to show that, despite some modern claims or presumptions, Greece was not peacefully converted to Christianity, or changed its ideals 100%; nor was it a massive one time swoop in changing. I want the people of Greece today to realize that their ancestors and their bloodline history and theology is worthy of respect and veneration. Their ancestors loved the Gods, and many of them paid ultimate prices for their refusal to abandon them.

In the Goodness of the Gods,

I'll see you at the next Herm down the road,

Chris Aldridge.

Sources

* Picture: By Greece_location_map.svg: Lencer / derivative work: Uwe Dedering (talk) - Greece_location_map.svg, CC BY-SA 3.0, Link, black cross was added.

* "The Influence of Greek Philosophy on Christian Thought: Foundations of Christian Philosophy," Fabrizio Musacchio, January 5, 2025, Link.

* Webber, Malcom, "Tool: The Influence of Greek Culture on Christian Theology,"  LeaderSource, Link.

* Maloney E. Ashley, Imperial Christianization in Corinth: 300-600 AD, Ohio State University, 2010, Link.

* Stilo, Aelius, "The Destruction of Pagan Temples," Link.

* Howells, Caleb, "Five Ancient Greek Temples Turned Into Churches," Greek Reporter, November 26th 2025, Link.

* Chrysafis E, Ioannis, "Why All Greek Churches on Mountaintops Are Called Profitis Ilias," Greece Is, July 16, 2020, Link.

* Leonard, John, "Of Gods and Dreams: The Ancient Healing Sanctuary of Epidaurus," Greece Is, March 28, 2019, Link.

* Pharr, Clyde, The Theodosian Code, London, Princeton University Press, 1952, Link.

* Stilo, Aelius, "The End of Paganism," Link.

* Corcoran, Simon, Anastasius, Justinian, and the Pagans: A Tale of Two Law Codes and a Papyrus, 2009. Link.

* Herrin, Judith, "Book Burning as Purification in Early Byzantium," Oxford Academic, April 7, 2013, Link.

* Moronski, Liz, "The Temple to Artemis at Ephesus," Connecticut College, Link.

 *Almutawa, Shatha, "Layers of Culture," Perspectives on History, 2014, Link.

* Marcellinus, Ammianus, "Roman Antiquities," Link.

* Butera C, Aurora, The Legal Privileges and Punishments of the Roman Empire's Catholic Revolution, Union College, 2016, Link.

* "Hellenic Reconstructionism," Religion Facts, March 17th, 2015, Link.

*  Welles, Elyse, "Vandalism at Sacred Site: Hellenic Polytheist Altar Destroyed on Athens Hill," The Wild Hunt, May 27, 2025, Link.

* Burkert, Walter, Greek Religion, Malden, Massachusetts, Blackwell Publishing, 1985.

* Ellerbe, Hellen, The Dark Side of Christian History, Orlando, Florida, Morningstar & Lark, 1995.

On Public Perception of War

These are my thoughts about the existence of war that has always been within most of human culture. Before I do so, however, I want to make my readers aware that this post has nothing to do with the civil unrest that has been going on in our society as of lately. This is about general history and the human condition.

In ancient Greek religion, Ares is the God of War, but He is also not the only God who takes an interest in the field. Athene is the Goddess of War, but She does not have the bloodlust of it. Rather, She fights only when necessary, preferring peace and diplomacy, but when She must fight, She is the Master of Strategy and cannot be defeated. Aphrodite carries the Epithet of Warlike and Armed. She was called Warlike perhaps because of Her association and love relationship with Ares, and called Armed because sometimes war and love found themselves intertwined, such as with the Trojan War. It has also been suggested that She had earlier Manifestation as a Warrior-Goddess. Of course, we cannot deny that the passionate life of humans can sometimes lead us to fight for love and what is our desire. But our love life does not have to involve any kind of confrontation. In fact, most of Aphrodite's Epithets have nothing to do with war.  But the fact remains that it can be a result. It's in our nature to fight for the things we want. There is power in it.

I offer a far different view on war. While war is not something that we should always jump to, a lot of us in the West are free today because our people won against an enemy who didn't want us to be. Example, the American Revolution. We did not want the fight, but the fight came anyway, beyond our control. And had it not been for the strength, strategy and power to push back the forces of oppression, the Free World might be very different today. Sometimes the only language an oppressor understands is the sword. Sometimes the sword is useful in defending and advancing what is right.

Sometimes we have to fight because we have no other choice if we want to survive and flourish. No matter how much we may want peace, that doesn't mean others will. Now I'm not saying that we should choose war as a first option. Peace should flourish wherever possible. But sometimes war is necessary. Although I do think people use it far more often than they should. 

War also doesn't just have to do with the battles that we commonly equate it with. It doesn't have to just be swords and guns on a battlefield. It can refer to the wars that we wage in our own personal lives. We all have private battles that we share with the world, and private battles that we never tell anyone about. It could be with physical and mental illness, finances, career, school, family life, or our personal feelings of worth and accomplishment. We all have things that we hope to achieve victory over or in. In some ways, life is a battle. I have accepted this, I just ask Athene and Ares to be my Generals. :)

In the Goodness of the Gods,

I'll see you at the next Herm down the road,

Chris Aldridge.

Body and Blood of a God - To Drive Out Depression

There is a Hellenic ritual that I believe so very strongly in because it has worked for me countless times over. I call it The Dionysian Rite, and it does, in fact, have ancient Greek origins.

The belief in wine being the blood of the vine is very ancient, and the concept of ingesting the body and blood of a God is not unique to the Christian religion. It, also, is very ancient. Christianity is also not the first religion to have a Savior God. That, too, is ancient, and while more than one Greek God carried the Epithet of Savior, Dionysos is known as the God of life who returned from death.

This rite was probably done in a Cult setting with specific instructions, but we can also adopt cultic practices in modern Hellenism. Dionysos had worshipers who would eat a raw sacrificial animal of Dionysos, and in so doing, considered themselves to be consuming the God's body and blood. I adopted this concept for my own temple, using chocolate (an ecstatic food) along with wine or grape juice to be the body and blood of Dionysos, since Dionysos is also the God of ecstasy and wine and grapes. Now, if you can find pieces of chocolate shaped like a bull, that would be of the most ideal, but if not, a typical piece will do. The richer the better, and the more pure and fresh the wine or grape juice, the better.

While this is a practice I have adopted for my temple's general activity, it also has many benefits for the personal human body. It's important to remember that while this ritual mirrors others in modern time, it's not about salvation from our humanity, because our humanity is not damned, it's blessed. There is no "cross to bear." Dionysos reminds us that it's alright to live.

Whenever I am feeling depressed or anxious, I have found that the ritual does wonders for freeing me from it and returning me to the lively world. Depression and anxiety is a form of death for the human system, and thus when life is fused back into you, it pushes the death out. I don't even have to do it in a formal setting. I just hold the chocolate in my hand, and before eating it, I say, "Body or Spirit of Dionysos." And if I drink wine or grape juice, "Blood of Dionysos." The depression, and any other ailment of the mind and spirit I may be feeling, is then dissolved. Of course, it may be beneficial beforehand to ask Dionysos to bless the food and drink as His blessings upon the "food of joy and the drink of the vine."

I'm not saying that someone should give up medical treatment for their depression or other mental illnesses. I'm simply saying that adding spirituality to it, might be the completion to the cure you need. Again, I believe so strongly in the power of this rite that I encourage fellow Hellenists and Pagans to give it a try.

In the Goodness of the Gods,

I'll see you at the next Herm down the road,

Chris Aldridge.

Burkert, Walter, Greek Religion, Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1985.

Kerenyi, Karl, Dionysos; Archetypal Image of Indestructible Life, translated by Ralph Manheim, Princeton, New Jersey, Princeton University Press, 1976.

Then As Now, We Have Gods and Doctors

Since the annual Festival of Asklepios (Son of Apollon and God of medicine) on the Attic Calendar is tomorrow, and a family member of mine recently made miraculous strides in their battle against pancreatic cancer, I thought talking about the physical and spiritual side of ancient and modern medicine would be a great blog topic, especially since a number of people today think that medical science and religion have to be separate.

I'd first like to talk about my family member, quite close to me, who was diagnosed with one of the deadliest forms of cancer a couple months ago, pancreatic. We were all naturally very concerned, but after a couple rounds of treatment, the tumor is no longer visible, and the stage itself is treatable. So it looks like they're going to be one of the few people who pull through the disease, or who can at least not be killed by it. So it's always great news when someone close to you, or anyone for that matter, finds out that they're gaining the upper hand against such a frightening illness.

The upcoming festival I'm talking about is called Epidauria, and takes place annually on September 18th, in the Month of Boedromion. More or less, it's a Healing Festival of Asklepios that took place in Epidaurus, the believed birthplace of Asklepios, and it was here that the most important sanctuary of Him was built, located on the Northeast of the Peloponnese. During this time, and in Healing Temples in general, people would sleep in these sacred locations to gain the blessings of Asklepios for their illnesses and afflictions, or would bathe in the local natural springs or baths. But these weren't the only methods. There was also a theater, as it was believed that watching good performances benefited health.

But the larger point of this has to do with the fact that, for the ancient Greeks, their Gods were naturally involved in everything they did. They had doctors, just as we have doctors today, but the difference is that these doctors, and the people they treated, did not disregard the essential benefits of spirituality and Divinity. Most certainly, the doctors looked to the natural world to develop cures for the diseases and afflictions they treated, but it was also understood that the natural world came from the Gods, and therefore, so does medicine and healing. What they were given to heal with, were good things, and all good things come from the Gods. That's why the original, authentic Hippocratic Oath begins with an invocation to every single God of the Greek pantheon.

In our world today, people seem to live under the delusion of otherwise, and think that if they support medical science and go to doctors for cures and treatments, that they can't also thank Gods for their recoveries, but even a lot of people today would disagree with that notion. In fact, I would argue that the amazing technology and remedies we have today, have been answers to prayers for healing and disease prevention.

However, that is certainly not to say that traditional remedies, such as those invoked in the Asklepion (Sanctuary of Asklepios), are not beneficial as well. I've said before that a good dose of medicine and spirituality will make you whole again. Because for all of the medical tools we have to draw from today, there is still something inside of us that the mundane cannot heal or satisfy. 

If you go to a doctor, or specifically a psychiatrist, and tell them that your religion helps fight your mental illness, or helps you overcome your physical afflictions, they will tell you to keep doing it. In short, keep praying, keep invoking your Gods, keep being spiritual, because it's clearly just as good a medicine for you. They won't tell you to discount their own prescriptions or treatments, but they won't tell you to stop what you're doing either.

If I were to go to an Asklepion today, which I think, would be an exceptionally awesome event to see and experience, and I slept in the temple or sanctuary, the dreams sent to me by Asklepios could not only instruct me on how to heal my illness, but the good dreams themselves can fight depression and stress, improve my neuro connections all together, and strengthen my motor skills. If I bathed in the warm, natural waters of the springs or mineral baths, it could very well improve my blood circulation, which will help prevent something that can be very deadly, blood clots. The baths will also reduce my stress, reduce pain, improve skin conditions, and generally aid in rehabilitation. And if I enjoyed the wonderful performances of the theater with my dear friends or likeminded people, I could also experience a number of the benefits I just described, such as stress relief and improved memory and mood. 

As human beings, we are naturally religious and spiritual people. It's part of our genetic and evolutionary makeup. We are meant to connect with Gods and the natural world that is part of them. We need the Gods to be whole and complete. There are some things that a pill or a machine cannot cure, relieve or answer. And just because we advance in a field, doesn't mean the Gods aren't part of that. The ancient Greeks never had cars, but Hermes remains the Gods of travel still, for example. Just as Apollon and Asklepios remain the Gods of healing and medicine, and when the mortal doctors can do no more, the Gods can and will step in, just as they did with my infant son during his premature birth and recovery.

It is a wonderful world, and a wonderful universe, with many wonderful, diverse things, that the Gods have given us to experience and take part in.

In the Goodness of the Gods,

I'll see you at the next Herm down the road,

Chris Aldridge.

Something The Ancient Greeks Knew Would Save You

Perhaps in a bit of an experiment for myself, I went several weeks without any exercise, especially since my unfortunate incident back in May that left me at a rock bottom place in life (but I have since rebounded greatly, as the Gods were again there for me in my worst times).

During this time period, I also wasn't the healthiest eater. While I stayed at 3 meals a day, it wasn't a champion diet either. I did not consciously make this decision to avoid good diet and exercise, I largely just didn't care until it reached a critical point recently. I suppose I also thought that I could live without it and not really experience that much of a difference.

One morning, I got up feeling sick. Not with like a cold or flu, just physically ill and tired, even though I had slept all night. Sitting at my desk that evening, I can only describe my state of feeling as infected, like my body was filled with toxins, and perhaps my internal organs, like the liver which acts as a filter, needed a boost of some kind.

I didn't want to go to the gym at all, but I pushed myself. Jumping onto the elliptical (one of my favorite machines), I set myself to burn 500 calories, and worked out for around 2 hours. I do not exaggerate when I say that I felt like I had been given a new body. All of the previous weeks of feeling sluggish, tired and sick, were completely gone, and my mental health and outlook on life were positive and optimistic. The exercise worked the sickness out of me, and restored my energy, despite the fact that it was in the evening when I should have been tired naturally. I mean, it was so amazing that I decided to write a blog post about it.

Exercise will restore your health completely, and work the toxins and sickness out of your body, in addition to the filtering that your organs provide. And it does not matter where you are in fitness at the present time. If you go into the gym today and burn an extra 500 calories on the treadmill, you're going to feel better than when you went in. If you then eat reasonably and repeat the activity on a regular basis, you're going to lose weight and become the healthiest version of yourself.

The ancient Greeks were some of the most athletic people in all of history. Especially those who competed in the Games, they were fit and built like a stone tower. Even though there was no 2nd or 3rd place back then, and they knew that 99% of them were going to lose the event, they still perfected their bodies. They knew the benefits of the fitness would make them winners regardless. 

"It's a disgrace to grow old through sheer carelessness before seeing what manner of man you may become by developing your bodily strength and beauty to their highest limit." - Sokrates.

We live in a time where we presume our society to be advanced, but in many ways, it's really not. People are more depressed and sickly than ever, and in my view, it is in large thanks to the rise in physical unhealthiness. Obesity and simple laziness are more of a problem than at any time in human civilization. If we were more like the ancient Greeks, we could definitely reach a new level of advanced.

In the Goodness of the Gods,

I'll see you at the next Herm down the road,

Chris Aldridge.

Ancient Greek Guide to Cleansing, Banishment and Exorcism - Part 5 - Charms, Amulets and Talismans

In keeping with the virtues, values and piety of Hellenism, you can use the age old practice of charms, amulets and talismans to protect you and reflect things away from you. It's important to remember that, unlike in previous sections, these are not Cult Objects (although Cult Objects can be used as such).

Normally, these are small and simple objects designed for their specific purposes and can also be charged by the possessor, if you want to use that term. For example, think of a charm you can buy off the shelf at a craft store for your necklace, or an amulet or talisman you purchase at a religious store or event that has specific spiritually relevant carvings or significance.

While energy cannot be created or destroyed, it can, again, be repelled, changed, moved, transformed and attracted, which is the purpose of these tools. They will reflect and return it to the sender or back into the universe to be dealt with by the Gods or other Higher Powers. You don't want to absorb the attack into the object, you want to knock it back.

The first step is to find an appropriate charm, amulet or talisman. Below I have listed several items that would be relevant to a Hellenist or Greek Pagan, or anyone who wants to adopt Greek spirituality.

1- Shield of Athena (a shield with the head of Medusa in the center).

2- Helmet of Athena.

3- Labrys (double-edged axe).

4- Caduceus (Staff of Hermes).

5- Trident (Staff and weapon of Poseidon).

6- Lightning bolt (thunderbolt of Zeus).

7- Vergina Sun (16 pointed star).

8- The Greek Gryphon.

9- The Greek Sphinx.

10- Lion Fleece of Herakles.

11- Thyrsus (Staff of Dionysos).

12- Greek laurel crown.

13- Shield of Achilles.

14- Pegasos.

15- Golden Fleece of Jason.

16- Lyre (instrument of Apollon).

17- Peacock (animal of Hera).

18- Rod of Asklepios.

19- Tortoise (animal of Hermes).

20- Torch and Keys (tools of Hekate).

21- Dove (animal of Aphrodite).

22- Anvil or Blacksmith Hammer (tools of Hephaistos).

23- Stag (animal of Artemis).

24- Sun (power of Helios).

25- Moon (power of Selene).

26- Winged Serpent (animal of Demeter).

27- Sword (weapon of Ares).

These objects will be models or recreations, of course, in the form of trinkets, necklaces, pendants, or other small and light objects that can be carried or worn. Begin by cleansing it. Then, you are going to "activate" it.

There are two ways to give the charm, amulet or talisman power, either with the help of a God, Hero or your own energy. Ideally, you should be open to all three. The Higher Powers are for when your own energy just isn't enough in a given situation. Keep in mind, though, that your own energy is not aiming to take possession of the object. In short, it's not a representation of yourself. Your own mind-infused energy takes the form of your devotion. Every time you worship, it takes energy. This is merely another form of that.

The begin, give an offering, like libation or incense, hold the object in your hand, and request help in like manner,

O' great God/Goddess/Hero or Heroine (Name), upon this (name and identity of object), I ask that you bestow strength, surge through it your Divine Power, that it may stand guard, empower and delight as it did in the times of old, in your blessed name, against all evil and ill that comes to me."

If you can do this in a temple or precinct of the God or Hero, that would be ideal. I once visited the Nashville Parthenon and bought a necklace that depicted Athena, like the statue of Her in the temple itself. I took it up to the top floor where the colossal statue of the Goddess stood, and before it, I held up the necklace and prayed that She bless it. Afterward, I had never before felt that level of power in such an object to my memory.

To simply add your own energy to the object, hold it in your closed hand and envision and direct your energy from your body, moving down your arm and into the object. What kind of energy is this? It is the energy of devotion, piety, faith, reverence, love, trust, optimism, and anything else spiritually positive that comes to your mind. You can even add color significance to the energy, such as red for fire since it repels, or green for earth as it is solid and strong. Charge the object repeatedly, making it stronger with each push or pump, until you feel maximum capacity has been reached.

In the Goodness of the Gods,

I'll see you at the next Herm down the road,

Chris Aldridge.

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4

Ancient Greek Guide to Cleansing, Banishment and Exorcism - Part 3 - Securing The Home

Let's take a look at how to cleanse your home of negative energy first, since Energetics are the most common type of ailments. Although, keep in mind, this can also be used for banishment of ghosts and spirits in the home, as I have used it many times without a single failure in all kinds of situations. I call it the Hellenic House Cleansing Rite.

Before beginning any Hellenic rites or worship, always be clean and purified. Wash yourself in clean water (ideally purified or spring water). If nothing else, take a cleansing shower and put on clean clothing. Khnerip water for handwashing and purification can be created by lighting a bay leaf on fire and dropping it into a bowl of freshwater. And if you don't have any spring or seawater, you can combine sea salt with the water. 

Step 1: Invite Hestia into your home. Hestia is the Goddess of the home, hearth and family; She's basically your home's heartbeat. Light the flame of your hearth, which for most people today would be the stove. If you have an electric top that doesn't produce fire, place a candle in the center of the stove and light it, If you have a fireplace, even better. Create a fire there.

Step 2: Pray to Hestia

O' blessed Hestia, Goddess of the hearth, I ask that you shine forth in my home forever, and grant it peace and love, and lift me into the presence of The Dodekatheon, that I may know their mysteries, powers and wisdom.

(Note - The Dodekatheon means The Twelve Gods, as in the Gods of Olympos. They are Zeus, Hera, Aphrodite, Poseidon, Demeter, Artemis, Apollon, Athena, Hephaistos, Hermes, Ares and Dionysos.

Step 3: Give offering to Hestia. Burn the sweetest incense you have. Fresh frankincense is great (which is also a natural purifier), but whatever you use, make sure it's good quality and not cheap department store brand. These are full of bad-smelling chemicals.

Step 4: Pour a libation to Apollon, Poseidon and Hygeia, for you will need their help with the rest of the rite.

Step 5: Take a bowl of clean water. Spring water is best, but if you have to use tap, combine it with sea salt. Sea salt can be purchased very cheaply at your local grocer and is one of the most simple yet powerful purifiers. Mix the water and salt together. Once done, hold the bowl over the hearth about head level and recite the following prayer,

Blessed Apollon, God of light, and amazing Poseidon, God of the sea, bless this water so that it will drive out evil and shake loose from the bonds of oppression whatever it touches.

(Note - Why Apollon and Poseidon? Apollon is the God of the sun and light, and thus, a destroyer of evil and a purifier of pollution. Poseidon is the Earth Shaker, able to shake the foundation of anything. Please also take note that khnerips or any form of water for religious purposes should be replaced each time you do a rite or ceremony. Do not use the same water repeatedly).

Step 6: Take the bowl of water into each room, wet your hand, and sprinkle the water on every wall, floor and ceiling (not forgetting closets).

Step 7: When done with all rooms, light a stick of fresh sage, as its smoke releases cleansing properties and powers that will push out negative energy and thus make the area more inhospitable to negative entities. With the smoldering stick, draw the Star of Hygeia toward every wall, floor and ceiling. Hygeia is the Goddess of physical and mental health and protection, and Her symbol, even as far back as ancient Greek times, is the five pointed star. Modern Pagans call it the pentagram, but not pentacle. Draw the Star starting at the bottom left. As you draw it each time, say the words,

I draw the Star of Hygeia, to banish from this place all evil and ill.

Step 8: Bring the rite to a close with a final prayer to Hestia, as She is First and Last in general Hellenic rites,

With Hestia I end, for She is First and Last, home of the eternal Gods, forever be the Goddess of my home.

As time goes on, work on mounting a positive life as well. But if you ever do feel that the goal has slipped too far away, you can use this rite any time. In ending this section, I want to share an invocation that has never failed me when I have been faced with faltering on leading a positive life. During your day to day, if you feel attacked, dismayed or misdirected, it is useful,

Athena is my strength, my wisdom from above, my perseverance against life's toils. She leads me to Nike over my enemies, She gives me peace by Her glory, and when the day is done, She permits me peaceful rest beneath the shade of Her olive tree, for I am loved by Olympos who delights in the beauty of the universe. Athena, fight for me.

In the Goodness of the Gods, I'll see you in the next section,

Chris Aldridge.

Part 1

Part 2

Ancient Greek Guide to Cleansing, Banishment and Exorcism - Part 2 - Self Care

As we begin to learn how to deal with these issues, let's start with the basics: cleansing and banishment for our personal selves.

The easiest way to stop Energetics from manifesting and gaining power is to live a positive life. It will accomplish two things. One, a strong build up of positive will push negative out, and two, it will make it harder for negative energy to break in. An inferior force cannot penetrate or contend with a greater one. Walk up to a wall and push as hard as you can. The reason it won't budge is because there is a greater or equal amount of force pushing back. You simply don't have the power to get through. It's the same concept with energy.

The problem is that living a positive life is not easy, especially in our Age. We are constantly bombarded with negative media and politics, not to mention that life can become oppressively stressful if we don't know how to deal with it. Therefore, living a positive life is, I find, a practice. The more you do it, the better you will become at it.

A vital part of living a positive life is to have the Gods in it. The Gods are first and foremost in the life of a Hellenist. A Hellenist never stops living a highly spiritual life, and an extreme benefit of this is happiness and positivity. In the past, I've heard Hellenists say that they worship the Gods simply because it makes like more blissful. This is absolutely true. When the Gods are always kept in our minds, lives and actions, we are elevated to a state above the mundane.

Purification Processes

Being purified or free of impurity (physically, mentally and spiritually), is to banish miasma from our minds, bodies and souls, and elevate ourselves above the reaches of toxicities that so often inhibit human life, progression, and separate us from the Gods. In order to keep yourself guarded against such pollutants, practice daily purification. Not just before rites, but throughout your day, starting in the morning, during the day, and before bed. It may sound painstaking, but it's actually quite simple, and will eventually become second nature.

The Mind

Your mind is of the most value to your physicality, for without the mind, the body is nothing. It's proven science that your thoughts and the state of your brain can and will effect your body and life for the better or worse.

Your brain soaks up everything that it comes into contact with, therefore it's imperative that you only expose it to positive atmospheres as much as possible. Forsake all willful negativity. If you do not have to subject your mind to it, then don't, such as negative media, people, and even your own negative thoughts. Refrain from excessive anger and needless confrontations, striving for peace and productivity whenever possible. Finally, contemplate nothing evil or immoral. We all have bad thoughts that come into our heads at times, but contemplation means to actually conspire with it. Just as keeping bad toxins out of your body is essential to bodily health, so is keeping them out of your mind essential to mental health.

The Body

Keeping your body healthy and purified on the outside and the inside is the purely physical part of continued purification. If you defile yourself, or willingly expose yourself to filth and harmful substances, it will create pollution. Take a shower or bath every day, put on clean clothes, and don't be exposed to unnecessary impurities. The body can be purified of miasma through simple washing and purified water, spring water or sea salt water, or it can be as extreme as using sulfur should you come into contact with a dead body, but the latter is an unorthodox case for most people today.

On a more basic level, regular exercise is exceptionally terrific for maintaining a healthy body, as well as mind, because it betters your mental state and brain functions. I'd recommend starting a simple jogging routine on a daily or regular basis, for a couple of miles each time. You'll be astounded by how much better you feel, especially if you pair it with healthier eating. Not only were the ancient Greeks very athletic people, Games themselves were religious events, and while there was no 2nd or 3rd place, every athlete was strong and benefited from the physicality of the training.

The Soul

Not only are our spiritual selves kept pure by our connections to the Gods, but piety as well maintains this cleanliness, which of course assists in Divine connections. Piety also keeps the physical and mental clean. So what is piety? It is not only acting rightly in ritual but also in thinking and speaking goodly and rightly. That is to say, simply respecting the Gods.

For example, I was once visiting a couple of friends, and while on the topic of Greek religion, they started insulting the Gods. I kindly got up and left, not only because I didn't want to be around hubris and impiety, but because I could feel the pollution and negativity starting to build in the room.

The simple fact of the matter is that you cannot be both devotee and defacer, not even in a humorous way. Yes, there were Greek playwrights who sometimes made fun of the Gods, but these people were not mainstream citizens (most citizens were not playwrights), and men like Euripides of Athens were not only scrutinized for heresy, but spent their final days in exile. It's probably why Plato said, "Wickedness in the soul makes one impure."

Purifying Sickness

We all get sick, whether it be a simple cold or a more serious infection. Once you have recovered, throw away the clothes you wore while you were sick, wash your body in sea water or sea salt water, and then rinse with spring water or purified freshwater, and end with a prayer and sacrifice to Apollon, who is the God of healing and purification. If you have a disease that cannot be cured, maintain it as best you can. Take medication for it as prescribed. In short, listen to your doctors.

In conclusion of this section, I do not want someone to confuse purification with germophobia. It's not about washing your hands until they bleed, for that would also be a pollution. It's about attending to obvious pollutants and toxins in life and preventing them in all their forms.

In the Goodness of the Gods, I'll see you in the next chapter,

Chris Aldridge.

Chapter One here.

The Nymph Oracle of The Oasis

I have decided to start keeping a dream log of my most notable encounters in the sleeping world. In Hellenic belief, dreams can be omens from the Gods. Other times, they are just dreams. So the question is, how do we tell the difference?

The first sign for me that a dream means something is when I don't realize I'm dreaming until I wake up. In other words, it seems as real as the waking world. The second indicator is if there is some profound meaning, something that is obviously meant to be a message or a lesson.

In this most recent dream, I found myself in the Middle East in a desert nation. I want to say Iran, but I'm unsure. The ancient Greeks were certainly no strangers to the region of the East. Not only did they defeat the Persians time and again, but eventually conquered their entire Empire. Alexander spread Hellenism throughout the entire known world in the Hellenistic Era.

In the dream, I located a cave that was the abandoned precinct of a Nymph Oracle from ancient times. It must have been a Greek one, because I restored it to great glory. It was a gorgeous sacred area, with its own spring and clear flowing waters, and the Oracle descended from steps above the main pool. People started coming to consult and show their reverence. 

But this started a war with the Muslim authority in the country, and it turned bloody and deadly really fast. It was only a matter of time, I figured, before the cave was laid to ruin once again, so I spoke with the Nymph Oracle and promised that I would built her a new cave or precinct in America, where people are free.

Some, like my wife, think I was remembering a past life. My wife is the Oracle of my temple and the best I have ever known. I have never known her to be wrong about anything she has given while in consultation. So I trust her divinatory expertise. But some people also believe that the best interpreter for your own dreams is yourself.

Maybe it was indeed something from a past life, a memory of a time before, coming to the surface, where I did kind of the same thing I am doing with my life now, which is to free humanity from the tyranny of mind control. In any case, I am glad that my mind allows me to see such beautiful things.

In the Goodness of the Gods, I'll see you at the next Herm down the road,

Chris Aldridge.

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Ancient Greek Guide to Cleansing, Banishment and Exorcism - Part 1 - Crash Course

Banishment, cleansing and exorcism are things I have been seriously involved with for many years of my life, even before I was a Hellenist. In fact, it was a successful Greek exorcism that officially converted me to Hellenism. It seems to be something I have eventually understood enough to be good at, and being a Greek Priest has only extended my experience and knowledge.

I begin by saying that the world of spirits and banishment isn't as cut and dry as some may think. It's very complicated just like everything else.

While most of existence is good, beautiful and gives most people no real worry, the spiritual world can harbor things that want to do people harm, just as the physical world can.

When the Olympian Gods came to power, they defeated chaos and disorder in the grand picture of things, along with many of the Titans who ruled before them, and even imprisoned some of the forces and beings in the prisons of Tartaros. To nature and civilization, the Gods brought all the good and beautiful that we have now. However, although largely subdued, disorder still exists and can even be created anew. Think of it like a prison in our society. Bad people are jailed, but there can still be bad people in the world. Really, the battle between order and chaos, good and bad, positive and negative, has always been happening in one form or another. It's a constant struggle for humanity and the universe.

There is no Devil or Satan in Hellenism, but we do believe that things can choose their own path. The being that is ailing a person or place may not even be entirely bad themselves, but are just angry at that person, or bound negatively to the location or object for a specific reason. Nothing with free will is absolutely evil, because it can choose to do good and therefore has the capacity for good, but it may not make that choice toward a given person or situation.

Chaos itself isn't inherently negative, but it can still at times disrupt the order of things enough to create problems. For instance, if a dam breaks and floods a town, the water isn't evil, the water is just doing what the water does. Sometimes the water can even create life after it is unleashed, but it can also destroy. Not everything is as simple as good v. evil. By understanding this reality, you will have a far better grasp, insofar as a human can, of the spiritual and physical worlds.

Energy

The most basic form of an invasion that someone can experience in their homes or lives is simple negative energies, or as I like to call them, Energetics. I would say these are far more common than people think. Perhaps they may even be the most common of all, and could explain several cases of hauntings and personal harassment.

Energetic manifestations do not have an independent will or really any form of individual consciousness. Like a battery placed in a car, it is there to perform a certain function and can be the result of many things. The energy could be left over from something of the past, sent by someone else, acquired by the victim, or even created by the victim's own negative emotions, attitude and actions. The ancient Greeks would have probably called this miasma or pollution that needs daily or regular cleansing, especially before a person enters a temple, sanctuary or performs religious rites.

Once the energy has implanted itself, it will begin its work, which if negative, will be to create dismay and hardship. You may find yourself feeling continuously depressed, angry, scared, frustrated or even sick for no apparent reason. The energy can also cause things to happen or could cause you to make them happen. The good news is that simple energy is the easiest to dispel. Energy cannot be created nor destroyed but it can be moved, redirected and transformed.

Ghosts and Spirits

The second kind of invasion is by a ghost or spirit, which can be human or nonhuman. If we are to believe some of the paranormal reports around the world, animals also have souls and can manifest in a ghostly form. Even evil or infamous people or monsters of the ancient Greek past may have had souls, which means their spiritual self could still exist. 

A ghost or spirit can take possession of a person, place or object, or attach themselves and begin bending things to their own will and causing harm. Unlike Energetics, these beings are self-aware (conscious). They know who you are and will act directly toward you. Because they have this self-power and will, they are harder to get rid of.

The ghost or spirit, if hostile, will normally make itself known in several ways. They can cause all the problems of energies but it will be more severe because there is direct intent through conscious effort. For example, there's a big difference between something falling off the shelf and something being thrown at you from the shelf.

The last thing to remember here is that it's also possible to come into contact with a ghost that is not intending harm but simply wants cohabitation for some reason. Think of a dead doctor who finds a living doctor they admire and wants to live on vicariously. Even though this can be benevolent, the being is still disrupting a natural order and needs to be sent out.

A ghost or spirit that is intending harm can make you feel very uneasy, terrified, throw or slam things, cause horrible smells and sounds, give you nightmares and blackouts, cause you to lash out at people and things, drive you to hurt yourself, give you hallucinations, or all of the above. The problem cannot be ignored. While it's entirely possible that all of these feelings and behaviors could be explained through the nature of one's own life and mental state, such can also be ruled out. If they persist after you have evaluated your home and taken proper medical care, perhaps it wouldn't hurt to see if you are being tormented by an outside force.

Other Beings

Finally, another form of invasion or attack can come from otherworldly beings that cross paths with our own world. You've probably heard them called things like faeries or natural spirits. While most are good, some can be problematic, even taking a dislike toward humans. They may have found and attached to you, been sent or are seeking revenge for some offense you made, like mistakenly or intentionally violating a sacred space. These beings mainly just demand proper respects. You don't normally have to worry about them if you know how to interact.

For example, when you enter natural areas, treat things with respect and be a person of humility. Don't litter the forest floor or throw things in waterways or rivers, don't act like you own the land because the truth is that you don't, and if you feel that you shouldn't enter a place or disturb something, listen to your instinct. We will cover how to deal with all of these issues later in this course.

I will end this chapter by saying that we all have days when bad things happen to us, or we just don't feel good. This generally in itself is not a sign of a problem. But when they are consistently happening, there is clearly a cause. One time may be coincidence, but ten consecutive times is not.

In the Goodness of the Gods, I'll see you in the next section,

Chris Aldridge.

Has The Labyrinth of Minos and The Minotaur Finally Been Found?

I'm sure you've heard many stories, legends and myths. Theseus slaying the Minotaur, which means, "Bull of Minos," is one of those religious stories that has stayed with mankind since it was told thousands of years ago. When Sir Arthur Evans unearthed the remains of the Knossos Palace on the island of Crete in 1878, he named the civilization Minoan, after King Minos. Because of the grandeur of the palace, it was thought that Minos must have surely lived there, and a search for the famous labyrinth beneath it began, but was never found. Because of the many hallways of the palace, it was theorized that perhaps the building itself was the labyrinth, but this was never proven.

However, Greek archaeologists have recently unearthed a groundbreaking find, standing atop a ceremonial hill on the island. Upon clearing the ground for a new airport radar station, they discovered an eight walled labyrinth, dating back to about 4,000 years, which roughly places its youngest days in the Greek Heroic Age, when Theseus was thought to have lived. Could this have been where Minos eventually imprisoned his monster and where one of the greatest battles of human civilization took place to free humanity from tyranny and human sacrifice?

In the very early days of the structure, it was definitely used for worship and sacrifice, as smaller findings have revealed, although at this point, the sacrificial victims discovered have all been animals, but who knows what else they might uncover as the excavation continues? And the fact that it was built atop a very high point overlooking the populations below, makes me think it may have been royal. Minos could have also placed the structure at such a remote location as to keep the monster away from civilization.

Theseus has always been my Patron Hero in my life as a Greek worshiper. Like Heinrich Schliemann, I know the old stories are true, it's simply a matter of looking until we find them.

It's my hope that this new archaeological find will bring more interest, research and validation to ancient Greece and the realities that the people in it lived with and defined their lives by. A link to the article can be found HERE.

In the Goodness of the Gods,

I'll see you at the next Herm down the road,

Chris Aldridge.

Humans Did Not Create Gods, and Here's How You Know

One of the most common arguments, even from some philosophers as far back as ancient times, is that humans created the Gods of their cultures. Now certainly, I'm not saying that there were never any myths ascribed to the Gods that came, at least in part, from human understanding. But it's not true that the Gods are creations of humans. The Gods are real, and I will tell you why.

Let us think about it logically, or perhaps, in a way that most people never have before. And for this, let's of course refer to ancient Greek times, since that's where my religious and spiritual focus resides in life. In ancient Athens, a City ruled by men, a Goddess was the Patron. In a culture where men did most of the hunting, Artemis was the main Hunting Deity. In a society where sex was primarily ruled by men, a female Deity (Aphrodite), was the presiding Divinity. So the question begs, if humans create Gods, why were all of these Gods not male instead of female? Shouldn't a society ruled by men create male Gods to be their leaders?

The simple answer is that humans do not create Gods. Athena, Artemis and Aphrodite, for example, are who they are, regardless of the society we create, or the preferences we may have as human beings. When Athena claimed Athens, it did not matter which humans ruled it, or how the society was structured. She overruled them all. The same for Artemis and Aphrodite. The wild and the love of the universe belong to them, and no mortal social structure can change that. 

As a man, I might be a good martial artist, but when I need strength, it's Athena I pray to. When I need protection for my children, Artemis is who I sacrifice to. And for the power and passion of sexuality and sexual success, Aphrodite's my counsel. Furthermore, I see no reason that this should be a threat to my masculinity. The wonderful powers and Divinities of the masculine and feminine swirl all around us, in the Heavens, upon the Earth, and in the Underworld.

In the Goodness of the Gods,

I'll see you at the next Herm down the road,

Chris Aldridge.

Ruins Of Theseus' Palace On The Akropolis

In some of my recent studies, I happened across a piece of mysterious information hidden in the pages of an old book from my temple's library, something that few people know about in the grand picture of ancient Greek history and archaeology. All throughout Mycenaean archaeology, we have uncovered all of the palace ruins of the main Trojan War Heroes, with Odysseus being the most recent and final one. 

But atop the Akropolis of Athens, the City that Theseus ruled, loved and defended so much that the Athenian motto became, "Nothing Without Theseus," it has been believed that the remains of Theseus' palace rest there. Sure enough, the modicum ruins of what was most certainly a late Bronze Age Megaron Palace still remain, the time period in which Theseus could have most certainly lived, and long, long before the Parthenon was ever even dreamed of. 

A Greek Megaron is not the grand kind of palace we would think of today that houses the monarchs of England. Rather, it is more of a Great Hall building, built in a rectangle that hosts an open porch, is surrounded by four columns, and in the center houses an open air hearth. There would have also been a throne or throne room for the King to sit. Throughout the life and history of the Athenian Akropolis, buildings rose and fell, and new ones were added, such as the Parthenon, so the only traces of this Megaron we have is basically the foundation. Nevertheless, we do know it existed, when it existed, and what it was used for; royalty. 

If you were a tourist in Athens around 400 BCE, and you had been so inclined to ask, the citizens would have probably told you all about the old Palace of Theseus that once stood on their citadel. To them, it would have been historical fact. You may have even been directed to the City's Sanctuary of Theseus just below the Akropolis, and the burial that they believed to be His. We know where this religious center stood as well. But the Palace of Theseus is an even greater mystery because there is so little of it remaining, due to the passage of time and the evolution of the citadel.

However, the Megaron that could have very well belonged to the legendary Hero still looks at us from the rocky history of the hill. We can walk upon the steps or floor that Theseus Himself may have, and all of the ancestors before us who walked in to consult or ask for His help. Today, there may no longer be a great throne at the end of the Great Hall, but upon those ruins, we can still look up to the heavens, on top of the sacred fortification, and pray to Theseus.

In the Goodness of the Gods,

I'll see you at the next Herm down the road,

Chris Aldridge.