Calendar of the Moon

5 Muin/Boedromion

Kharisteria

Colors: Red and Yellow
Elements: Fire and Earth
Altar: Upon cloth of yellow and red place a bow and arrows, three torches, wreaths of twigs, cookies shaped like goats or deer, a flaming brazier, and a chalice of Greek wine.
Offerings: Goat cookies and wine.
Daily Meal: Goat meat or venison, if possible.

Kharisteria Invocation

We hail on this day Artemis Agrotera,
Divine Huntress of the forests.
Lady who roams the high mountains,
Lady who delights in the circle dance,
Light-Bringer, Silver Bow,
Huntress of the deep Arcadian woodlands,
Leader of nymphs, and first among them,
Ever-virgin, enclosed within yourself,
Lady of Munikhia, Harbor Watcher,
You whose bow lies always before Ephesus,
All hail, Goddess, and be gracious to our song!
We sing of Artemis, whose shafts are of gold,
Pure maiden who cheers on the hounds,
Shooter of stags who delights in archery,
The protectress of young suckling creatures,
We call you on this day!
For long ago when they called upon you
For protection, you saw that many were slaughtered,
Too many even to give sacrifice!
So we ask also protection from you,
For us, for our haunts, for the creatures
Under our care, O Divine Huntress,
Whose silver tracks range far and wide.

(One who has been chosen to do the work of the ritual shall pass around first the basket of cookies, and all shall take one, and then the chalice of wine, and all shall toast to Artemis. Then all shall cry out together, “Artemidae!” and snap the heads off of their cookies, and throw them into the brazier as sacrifice. The rest shall be eaten, and the wine poured out as a libation.)

[Pagan Book of Hours]