Religious Festivals in Greek Religion

Ancient Greek Mythology, Religion, Art

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As Greece prospered, so did their religious rituals. Before the 8th century BCE festivals and games were primarily local affairs, but over time wealthier cities began to host larger and larger celebrations that incorporated an ever wider audience. There was always a religious element to these celebrations, even if the dominant theme appeared to be something else - like athletic competitions at the Olympics

Whatever the festival, the Greeks were typically honoring one god in particular. At the Olympics it was Zeus and at the Panathenaea it was Athena. For the ancient Greeks such festivals were essentially celebrations of thanksgiving to this god. Festivals were always seasonal, marking the passage of the years according to lunar calendars.

Dramas often played an important role at ancient Greek festivals. People today tend to see theater as a form of entertainment, but for the Greeks it carried special religious significance as well. Drama competitions were held to honor particular gods and were used as a type of confessional: through their emotional participation in the theatrical event, one could be cleansed and purified of their own sins or faults. By depicting important religious stories, moreover, dramas served to reinforce many of the basic values important to Greek society.

Among the best known festivals were the Eleusian Mysteries which occurred at Eleusis (near Athens), one of Demeter's most important temple sites. Initiates to the Eleusian Mysteries were guaranteed the favor of the goddess Demeter, promised an improved fate after death, and of course increased prosperity before death. The exact nature of these rituals remains a mystery today because no one seems to have ever broken the bond of silence surrounding them. Only hints were ever let slip, mostly in the form of Roman mosaics.

We know, for example, that men and women of all ages were admitted on an equal basis - not even the distinction between rich and poor was maintained. Induction into the mysteries consisted of three stages: meusis (initiation), teleth (perfection), and epopteia (beholding). The Eleusian Mysteries were held every year but preparations for would-be initiates started the year before when they began elaborate purification rituals.

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