The Hellenion Calendar H

This calendar is the working calendar of Hellenion, a diverse group of Hellenic polytheists sharing the common goal of living a life of piety and proper respect for the Gods of Olympos and ancient Hellenic tradition. The calendar is based on the monthly and annual observances and festivals of the ancient Athenians from about 800 BCE to 323 BCE. This version was created using information derived from http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SKYCAL/SKYCAL.html?cal=2011#skycal and from www.timeanddate.com/calendar/moonphases.html as well as the sources Greek Religion by Walter Burkert (Harvard University Press, 1977, English translation: Basil Blackwell Publisher and Harvard University Press, 1985), Old Stones, New Temples; ancient Greek paganism reborn, by Drew Campbell (Xlibris Corporation, 2000), Festivals of the Athenians, by H. W.Parke (London, Thames and Hudson, 1977) and HMEPA at www.numachi.com/~ccount/hmepa. One of our associated projects, the creation of an on-line version of this calendar, is almost complete and is now available at the Hellenion web site: http://www.hellenion.org. That version contains links to descriptions of all the special days noted on this calendar and suggestions about how to observe them in the 21st century. You are under no obligation to observe all the occasions and days mentioned here; in fact, that would be all but impossible at present, since none of us live in a wholly polytheistic city. Every observance is optional. This calendar is made available to you as a learning tool, and as a framework to begin or extend your practice of ancient Hellenic religious tradition. Needless to say, ancient Hellenic religion involved many more practices than are implied by this calendar, which is adapted to the modern secular calendar. The calendar outlines ancient monthly practices, such as Hekates Deipnon Noumenia (the visible crescent moon) and the Agathos Daimon. It also lists ancient Athenian festivals on the exact dates where these are known. Where the exact date has not been revealed by research, a question mark follows the name of the festival. Information about the specific observance can be found in the references mentioned above and on the on-line version. Note that the date of the new moon is determined by when the crescent is visible in the EST/EDT time zone; notes for other North American Time Zones are included. In addition to ancient festivals and observances, certain modern occasions are listed as well. This includes the Hellenion monthly libation (ensuring that at least one day a month is shared by the community, albeit scattered, at the same time, and also ensuring that each of the twelve Olympians is honored at least once during the year). Note that this libation is not an official practice of Hellenion but a voluntary activity endorsed by many Hellenion members. Some modern festivals are also listed, such as Heliogenna in December, and Prometheia, held in Greece on the summer solstice near Mt. Olympos (see www.ysee.gr/index-eng.php for more information about this festival). Remember that, among the ancient Greeks, the day begins at sundown of the previous day. Days in gray indicate the new moon/beginning of Greek month and the Hellenion monthly libation date. Transliteration of Greek month names and festivals below used y to represent the short u of Greek, kh is used to represent chi (), a sound which does not exist in English, and e represents both epsilon () and eta (). ! The cover illustration is the Celebration of Anthesteria by the Proto-Demos Hellenic Spirit, Toronto; photo from Melissa Gold, copyright 2010.

January 2011
Poseideon - Gamelion - Year 2 of the 697th Olympiad Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 26 Poseideon
Haloa

= full moon 3 28 Poseideon 4 29 Poseideon 5 30 Poseideon

Hekate's Deipnon

2 27 Poseideon

6 1 Gamelion
Noumenia

7 2 Gamelion
Agathos Daimon

8 3 Gamelion
Libation to Hera

9 4 Gamelion

10 5 Gamelion

11 6 Gamelion

12 7 Gamelion

13 8 Gamelion

14 9 Gamelion

15 10 Gamelion

16 11 Gamelion

17 12 Gamelion
Lenaia

18 13 Gamelion
Lenaia

19 14 Gamelion
Lenaia

20 15 Gamelion
Lenaia

21 16 Gamelion

22 17 Gamelion

23 18 Gamelion 30 25 Gamelion 24 19 Gamelion 31 26 Gamelion 25 20 Gamelion 26 21 Gamelion 27 22 Gamelion 28 23 Gamelion 29 24 Gamelion

Dark of the moon: Jan 4 4:03 am EST; 3:03 am CST; 2:03 am MST; 1:03 am PST

February 2011
Gamelion - Anthesterion - Year 2 of the 697th Olympiad Sunday Monday Tuesday 127 Gamelion
Theogamia

Wednesday 2 28 Gamelion

Thursday 3 29 Gamelion

Friday 4 30 Gamelion
Hekate's Deipnon

Saturday 5 1 Anthesterion
Noumenia

6 2 Anthesterion
Agathos Daimon

7 3 Anthesterion

8 4 Anthesterion

9 5 Anthesterion

10 6 Anthesterion

11 7 Anthesterion

12 8 Anthesterion
Libation to Aphrodite

13 9 Anthesterion

14 10 Anthesterion

15 11 Anthesterion
Anthesteria Pithiogia

16 12 Anthesterion
Anthesteria - Khoes

17 13 Anthesterion
Anthesteria - Khutroi

18 14 Anthesterion

19 15 Anthesterion

25
21 Anthesterion Lesser Mysteries

20 16 Anthesterion

21 17 Anthesterion

22 18 Anthesterion

23 19 Anthesterion

24 20 Anthesterion
Lesser Mysteries

26 22 Anthesterion
Lesser Mysteries

27 23 Anthesterion
Lesser Mysteries & Diasia

28 24 Anthesterion
Lesser Mysteries

= full moon

Dark of the moon: Feb 2 9:31 pm EST; 8:31 pm CST; 7:31 pm MST; 6:31 pm PST Note: the crescent moon may be visible in some regions on Feb 4.

March 2011
Anthesterion - Elaphebolion - Year 2 of the 697th Olympiad
Last month / Next month

Sunday

Monday

= full moon

Tuesday 1 25 Anthesterion
Lesser Mysteries

Wednesday 2 26 Anthesterion
Lesser Mysteries

Thursday 3 27 Anthesterion

Friday 4 28 Anthesterion

Saturday 5 29 Anthesterion

6 30 Anthesterion
Hekate's Deipnon

7 1 Elaphebolion
Noumenia

8 2 Elaphebolion
Agathos Daimon

9 3 Elaphebolion

10 4 Elaphebolion

11 5 Elaphebolion

12 6 Elaphebolion
Libation to Hephaistos

13 7 Elaphebolion

14 8 Elaphebolion
Asklepieia

15 9 Elaphebolion

16 10 Elaphebolion
Dionysia ta astika

17 11 Elaphebolion
Dionysia ta astika

18 12 Elaphebolion
Dionysia ta astika

19 13 Elaphebolion
Dionysia ta astika

20 14
Elaphebolion Dionysia ta astika Equinox

21 15 Elaphebolion
Dionysia ta astika

22 16 Elaphebolion
Dionysia ta astika

23 17 Elaphebolion
Dionysia ta astika & Pandia

24 18 Elaphebolion

25 19 Elaphebolion

26 20 Elaphebolion

27 21 Elaphebolion

28 22 Elaphebolion

29 23 Elaphebolion

30 24 Elaphebolion

31 25 Elaphebolion

Dark of the moon: Mar 4 3:46 pm EST; 2:46 pm CST; 1:46 pm MST; 12:31 pm PST; daylight savings time begins March 13. Note: the crescent moon may be visible in some regions on Feb 6.

April 2011
Elaphebolion - Mounykhion - Year 2 of the 697th Olympiad Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday 1 26 Elaphebolion Saturday 2 27 Elaphebolion

= full moon
3 28 Elaphebolion 4 29 Elaphebolion
Hekate's Deipnon

5 1 Mounykhion
Noumenia

2 Mounykhion Agathos Daimon

3 Mounykhion

4 Mounykhion

9 5 Mounykhion
Libation to Artemis

10 6 Mounykhion
Delphinia

11 7 Mounykhion

12 8 Mounykhion

13

9 Mounykhion

14

10 Mounykhion

15 11 Mounykhion

16 12 Mounykhion

17 13 Mounykhion

18 14 Mounykhion

19 15 Mounykhion

20 16 Mounykhion
Mounykhia

21 17 Mounykhion

22 18 Mounykhion
Earth Day

23 19 Mounykhion
Olympeia

24 20 Mounykhion
Leukaspis

25 21 Mounykhion
Tritopatores

26 22 Mounykhion

27 23 Mounykhion

28 24 Mounykhion

29 25 Mounykhion

30 26 Mounykhion

Dark of the moon: Apr 3 10:32 am EDT; 9:32 am CDT; 8:32 am MDT; 7:32 am PDT

May 2011
Mounykhion - Thargelion - Year 2 of the 697th Olympiad Sunday 1 27 Mounykhion Monday 2 28 Mounykhion Tuesday
3 29 Mounykhion

Wednesday 4 30 Mounykhion
Hekate's Deipnon

Thursday 5 1 Thargelion
Noumenia

Friday 6 2 Thargelion
Agathos Daimon

Saturday 7 3 Thargelion

8 4 Thargelion
Mother's Day

9 5 Thargelion

10 6 Thargelion
Thargelia

12 7 Thargelion
Thargelia

12 8 Thargelion

13 9 Thargelion

14 10 Thargelion
Libation to Apollon

15 11 Thargelion

16 12 Thargelion

17 13 Thargelion

18 14 Thargelion

19 15 Thargelion

20 16 Thargelion
Zeus Epakrios

21 17 Thargelion

22 18 Thargelion 23 19 Thargelion
Bendideia Victoria Day (Canada)

24 20 Thargelion

25 21 Thargelion

26 22 Thargelion

27 23 Thargelion

28 24 Thargelion

29 25 Thargelion
Kallynteria

30 26 Thargelion
Plynteria Memorial Day (US)

31 27 Thargelion

= full moon

Dark of the moon: May 3 2:51 am EDT; 1:51 am CDT; 12:51 am MDT; May 2 11:51 pm PDT Note: the crescent moon may be visible in some regions on May 4.

June 2011
Thargelion - Skirophorion - Year 2 of the 697th Olympiad Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday 1 28 Thargelion Thursday 2 29 Thargelion
Hekate's Deipnon

Friday 3 1 Skirophorion
Noumenia

Saturday 4 2 Skirophorion
Agathos Daimon

= full moon

5 3 Skirophorion
Arrephoria

6 4 Skirophorion

7 5 Skirophorion

8 6 Skirophorion

9 7 Skirophorion

10 8 Skirophorion

11 9 Skirophorion
Libation to Zeus

12 10 Skirophorion

13 11 Skirophorion

14 12 Skirophorion
Skira

15 13 Skirophorion

16 14 Skirophorion
Bouphomia & Dipolieia

17 15 Skirophorion

18 16 Skirophorion
Prometheia

19 17 Skirophorion
Fathers' Day

20 18 Skirophorion

21 19 Skirophorion
Solstice

22 20 Skirophorion

23 21 Skirophorion

24 22 Skirophorion

25 23 Skirophorion

26 24 Skirophorion

27 25 Skirophorion

28 26 Skirophorion

29 27 Skirophorion

30 28 Skirophorion

Dark of the moon: Jun 1 5:03 pm EDT; 4:03 pm CDT; 3:03 pm MDT; Jun 1 2:03 pm PDT

July 2011
Skirophorion - Hekatombaion - Year 2-3 of the 697th Olympiad Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday 1 29 Skirophorion
Canada Day

Saturday 2 30 Skirophorion
Hekate's Deipnon

= full moon

3 1 Hekatombaion
Noumenia Athenian New Year

42

Hekatombaion Agathos Daimon US Independence Day

5 3 Hekatombaionn

6 4 Hekatombaion

7 5 Hekatombaion

8 6 Hekatombaion

9 7 Hekatombaion
Libation to Athena

10 8 Hekatombaion

11 9 Hekatombaion

12 10 Hekatombaion

13 11 Hekatombaion

14 12 Hekatombaion
Kronia

15 13 Hekatombaion

16 14 Hekatombaion

22 20 Hekatombaion 23 21 Hekatombaion

17 15 Hekatombaion

18 16 Hekatombaion
Synoikia

19 17 Hekatombaion

20 18 Hekatombaion

21 19 Hekatombaion

24 22 Hekatombaion 31 29 Hekatombaion
Panathenaia ta megala Hekate's Deipnon

25 23 Hekatombaion
Panathenaia ta megala

26 24 Hekatombaion
Panathenaia ta megala

27 25 Hekatombaion
Panathenaia ta megala

28 26 Hekatombaion
Panathenaia ta megala

29 27 Hekatombaion
Panathenaia ta megala

30 28 Hekatombaion
Panathenaia ta megala

Dark of the moon: Jul 1 4:54 am EDT; 3:54 am CDT; 2:54 am MDT; 1:54 am PDT Dark of the moon: Jul 30 2:40 pm EDT; 1:40 pm CDT; 12:40 pm MDT; 11:40 pm PDT Note: the crescent moon may be visible in some regions on July 2.

August 2011
Metageitnion - Boedromion - Year 3 of the 697th Olympiad Sunday Monday 1 1 Metageitnion Tuesday Wednesday 3 3 Metageitnion Thursday 4 4 Metageitnion Friday 5 5 Metageitnion Saturday 6 6 Metageitnion

= full moon

2 2 Metageitnion Noumenia Agathos Daimon Civic Holiday in Canada Herakleia? 8 8 Metageitnion 9 9 Metageitnion

7 7 Metageitnion

10 10 Metageitnion

11 11 Metageitnion

12 12 Metageitnion

13 13 Metageitnion
Libation to Hermes

14 14 Metageitnion 15 15 Metageitnion 16 16 Metageitnion

Kourotrophos, Hekate and Artemis

17 17 Metageitnion

18 18 Metageitnion

19 19 Metageitnion
The Heroines

20 20 Metageitnion
Hera Telkhinia

21 21 Metageitnion

22 22 Metageitnion

23 23 Metageitnion

24 24 Metageitnion

25 25 Metageitnion
Zeus Epoptes

26 26 Metageitnion

27 27 Metageitnion

28 28 Metageitnion

29 29 Metageitnion

30 30 Metageitnion
Hekate's Deipnon

31 1 Boedromion
Noumenia

Dark of the moon: Aug 28 11:04 pm EDT; 10:04 pm CDT; 9:04 pm MDT; 8:04 pm PDT Note: the crescent moon may be visible in some regions on Aug 30.

September 2011
Boedromion - Pyanepsion - Year 3 of the 697th Olympiad Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday 1 2 Boedromion
Agathos Daimon Niketeria

Friday 2 3 Boedromion

Saturday 3 4 Boedromion

= full moon

4 5 Boedromion
Genesios

5 6 Boedromion
Artemis Agrotera Labor Day

6 7 Boedromion

7 8 Boedromion

8 9 Boedromion

9 10 Boedromion

10 11 Boedromion
Libation to Demeter & Persephone

11 12 Boedromion
Demokratia

12 13 Boedromion

13 14 Boedromion

14 15 Boedromion
Eleusinia ta megala

15 16 Boedromion
Eleusinia ta megala Hellenion membership renewals due

16 17 Boedromion
Eleusinia ta megala Epidauria?

17 18 Boedromion
Eleusinia ta megala

19 20 Boedromion
Eleusinia ta megala

18 19 Boedromion
Eleusinia ta megala

20 21 Boedromion
Eleusinia ta megala

21 22 Boedromion
Equinox

22 23 Boedromion

23 24 Boedromion

24 25 Boedromion

25 26 Boedromion

26 27 Boedromion
Sacrifices to Nymphs, Akhelos, others

27 28 Boedromion

28 29 Boedromion
Hekate's Deipnon

29 1 Pyanepsion Noumenia

30 2 Pyanepsion
Agathos Daimon

Dark of the moon: Sep 27 7:09 am EDT; 6:09 am CDT; 5:09 am MDT; 4:09 am PDT

October 2011
Pyanepsion - Maimakterion - Year 3 of the 697th Olympiad Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 3 Pyanepsion

= full moon 3 5 Pyanepsion 4 6 Pyanepsion

Proerosia

2 4 Pyanepsion

5 7 Pyanepsion
Pyanepsia

6 8 Pyanepsion
Theseia

7 9 Pyanepsion
Stenia

8 10 Pyanepsion
Libation to Poseidon

9 11 Pyanepsion
Thesmophoria

10 12 Pyanepsion
Thesmophoria Thanksgiving (Canada)

11 13 Pyanepsion
Thesmophoria

12 14 Pyanepsion
The Heroines

13 15 Pyanepsion

14 16 Pyanepsion

15 17 Pyanepsion

18 20 Pyanepsion 19 21 Pyanepsion 20 22 Pyanepsion 21 23 Pyanepsion 22 24 Pyanepsion

16 18 Pyanepsion

17 19 Pyanepsion

23 25 Pyanepsion 30 2 Maimakterion
Agathos Daimon

24 26 Pyanepsion 31 3 Maimakterion

25 27 Pyanepsion

26 28 Pyanepsion

27 29 Pyanepsion

28 30 Pyanepsion
Hekate's Deipnon

29 1 Maimakterion
Noumenia Khalkeia

Dark of the moon: Oct 26 3:56 pm EDT; 2:56 pm CDT; 1:56 pm MDT; 12:56 pm PDT Note: the crescent moon may be visible in some regions on October 28.

November 2011
Maimakterion - Poseideon - Year 3 of the 697th Olympiad Sunday Monday Tuesday 1 4 Maimakterion Wednesday 2 5 Maimakterion Thursday 3 6 Maimakterion Friday 4 7 Maimakterion Saturday 5 8 Maimakterion

= full moon

6 9 Maimakterion

7 10 Maimakterion
Pompaia?

8 11 Maimakterion

9 12 Maimakterion

10 13 Maimakterion

11 14 Maimakterion
Remembrance Day Veterans Day

12 15 Maimakterion
Libation to Ares

15 18 Maimakterion 16 19 Maimakterion 17 20 Maimakterion

13 16 Maimakterion

14 17 Maimakterion

18 21 Maimakterion

19 22 Maimakterion

20 23 Maimakterion

21 24 Maimakterion

22 25 Maimakterion

23 26 Maimakterion

24 27 Maimakterion
Thanksgiving (USA)

25 28 Maimakterion

26 29 Maimakterion
Hekate's Deipnon

27 1 Poseideon
Noumenia

28 2 Poseideon
Agathos Daimon

29 3 Poseideon

30 4 Poseideon

Dark of the moon: Nov 25 1:10 am EST; Nov 25 12:10 am CST; Nov 24 11:10 pm MST; Nov 24 10:10 pm PST Daylight savings time ends November 6.

December 2011
Poseideon - Gamelion - Year 3 of the 697th Olympiad Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday 1 5 Poseideon Friday 2 6 Poseideon Saturday 3 7 Poseideon

= full moon

4 8 Poseideon

5 9 Poseideon

6 10 Poseideon

7 11 Poseideon

8 12 Poseideon

9 13 Poseideon

10 14 Poseideon
Libation to Dionysos

11 15 Poseideon 12 16 Poseideon 13 17 Poseideon

Poseidea

14 18 Poseideon

15 19 Poseideon

16 20 Poseideon

17 21 Poseideon

18 22 Poseideon

19 23 Poseideon
Heliogenna

20 24 Poseideon
Heliogenna

21 25 Poseideon

22 26 Poseideon
Haloa
Solstice

23 27 Poseideon

24 28 Poseideon

25 29 Poseideon

26 30 Poseideon
Hekate's Deipnon

27 1 Gamelion
Noumenia

28 2

Gamelion Agathos Daimon

29 3 Gamelion

30 4 Gamelion

31 5 Gamelion
New Year's Eve

Dark of the moon: Dec 24 1:06 pm EST; 12:06 pm CST; 11:06 am MST; 10:06 am PST Note: the crescent moon may be visible in some regions on December 26.