Hekate’s Deipnon
Occurs during the dark phase of the moon, marking the end of the lunar month (any time before the first sighting of the new moon). According to the Liddell and Scott Greek-English Lexicon, Hekate means “bringer or giver of light” (‘Ekate phosphoros). As the month reaches its darkest point, we prepare our homes for the transition to a new month. Hekate’s Deipnon is a period of purification for oneself, the home, and one’s affairs. There are varying theories regarding the purpose of Hekate’s Deipnon; some believe it is solely a meal offered to Hekate, while others think it also serves the less fortunate. For instance, Aristophanes wrote in his play “Plutus” (trans. O’Neill, Greek comedy C5th to 4th B.C.):
“Ask Hekate whether it is better to be rich or starving; she will tell you that the rich send her a meal every month [i.e. food placed inside her door-front shrines] and that the poor make it disappear before it is even served.”
Due to this, a popular way to observe the Deipnon is by donating food or money to a local food shelf or other charitable organisation.
A Deipnon offering of an egg, a leek, and a cone of incense is placed on a home altar during the day and moved outside at night.
Traditional offerings for Deipnon include:
– Sweepings from the home
– Garlic
– Eggs
– Leeks
– Bird seed
– Herbs
– Items you don’t want to carry into the next month
Many modern Hellenes choose to place traditional offerings on an altar, leave them at a three-way crossroads, or at an intersection of air, water, and land—such as a rock jutting out of the water or a bridge over a stream or pond. Donating food, money, or time to a local food pantry or soup kitchen has become an increasingly popular offering.
*When leaving food at a crossroads on the walk their invoke Hecate through an invocation, (examples below). As you leave your offering then quickly leave and out of respect do not look back.
Make sure anything you leave is edible by animals and do not leave anything that may cause litter. For sweepings if you have a dog then dog fur you have brushed off is a good offering.
Additionally, many find Deipnon to be the perfect time of the month to clean out the refrigerator. Some also find it a good time to tend to the worm composter, dispose of the previous month’s contents of the Kathiskos, and take stock of the kitchen pantry. Ensuring all obligations, duties, promises, and debts (both financial and emotional) are fulfilled from the previous month is another common practice to ‘close the books’ and prepare for the new month. Some also use this time to review notes, check for missed promised thanks-offerings, and inspect offering dishes and burners for stray remnants, such as barley, to be burned off or placed in the composter or at crossroads.
An invocation to Hecate is a prayer or request for the blessing of the goddess of magic, witchcraft, and the crossroads.
“Queen of Witches, Keeper of Keys, Unlock the doors to my hidden potential”
“Hekate Chthonia, Goddess of the Dead, I call upon you now!”
“Hecate, bless my journeys, Through dark and dawn, day and dusk”
How to invoke Hecate:
Pray to Hecate
Make an offering to Hecate
Spend time with Hecate at night by meditating, talking to her, or being in silence
Share your experiences, especially painful ones, with Hecate
When to invoke Hecate:
During the dark moon, the liminal night between the old month and the new
During the Deipnon, a meal served to Hecate and the restless dead