On the altar let there be placed a cup of spring water, a stone,
a vessel of grain, a pot of burning incense, and a phial of oil. By the altar let there be placed a crown, a stole and a wand.
Let the temple of the Goddess be filled with flowers, plants and lighted candles. if out-of-doors, the altar may be a dolmen
and lanterns may be used.
The participants wear their appropriate robes. The Scribe holds a scroll
containing a record of the qualifications and works of the Candidate. The Temple, Maidens carry their offerings. The Guardian
of the Gate admits those invited to attend the Rite. Music is Played. The priestly procession approaches the temple. The Guardian
of the Gate stands aside. The Scribe heads the procession, followed by the Temple Maidens. Now follow the visiting Priestesses
and Priests, the Priest and Priestess of the Goddess. The Guardian now enters, standing by the entrance.
Priest: Honoured
Priestesses and Priests, and all our guests, you are welcome to this Holy Temple of the Goddess. You are invited to join with
us in the Ordination of a Priestess/Priest.
Scribe: The
Candidate awaits without.
Priest: Worthy Guardian of the
Gate guide her/him hither.
Processional music. The Guardian leaves the Temple. He returns with the Candidate. He conducts
her/him through the assembly to the altar. The Temple Maidens stand behind her/him.
Priest: (to the
candidate) Do you wish to be Ordained as Priestess/Priest of the Goddess?
Candidate: I do.
Priest: So be it.
May the Hierophant make Invocation to Deity.
(Hierophant faces North and makes the sign of the planet Uranus with her
wand.)
Priestess: I invoke
the Goddess Isis and her son the God Horus. May Wisdom and Harmony prevail.
(Priestess faces East and makes the sign of the planet Venus with her
wand.)
Priestess: I invoke
the Goddess Kwan Yin and the Bodhisattva Maitreya. Let compassion and serenity be bestowed.
(Priestess faces North. She makes the sign of Neptune with her wand.)
Priestess: I invoke
the Goddess Dana and the God Mananan mac Lir. May joy and Beauty be granted.
Priest:
Hear the words of a Bard of Eire, James Stephens. He tells of the Happy March of the immortal Sidhe, to bring joy to race
of humans. Angus Og, the Irish God of Love, leads the way with his Bride, Caitilin ni Houlihan, she who is the land of Eire.
"We will go down to the world of men and women," said Angus Og to Caitilin
his Bride from our quiet dwelling among the hills to the noisy city and the multitude of people. This will be our first journey,
but at a time not distant we will go to them again, and we will not return from that journey, for we will live among our people
and be at peace."
"May the day come soon," said she. And so the Gods and Goddesses left
their hollow hills and came from the mountains to the City of the Hurdles. And One came also to whom the hosts shouted with
mighty love, even the Serene One, Dana, Mother of the Gods, steadfast for ever."
Priestess: Thus spake
the Goddess Dana: "My breath is on the morning, my smile is summer, From my hand the birds of the air take their food. The
mild ox is my friend, and the wolf trots by my friendly side: at my voice the daisy peeps from her cave and the nettle couches
his lance. The rose arrays herself in innocence, scattering abroad her sweetness with the dew, and the oak tree laughs to
me in the air. The lambs follow my footsteps, they crop my bounty in the meadows and are not thwarted: the weary cling to
my bosom everlasting, Through me proceed all actions and all deeds, through me voices come to teach and aid, from me cometh
the Divine Promise and the Breath from afar laden with promise."
Priest:
Let us seek communion with the Goddesses, whose attributes are Wisdom Compassion and Beauty, So may we find our own true parts
in the Divine Drama.
Priest: (to Scribe) Honoured
Scribe, what work has this Candidate to offer, that she/he may best serve Deity?
(The Scribe reads from his scroll the qualification and works of the Candidate,
with reference to the virtues of Wisdom, Compassion and Beauty.)
Scribe: In token
of her/his dedication to the Divine Service, the Candidate offers incense to Isis, flowers to Kwan Yin, and a work of Art
to Dana.
(The Candidate receives her/his offering from the Temple Maidens and places
these gifts upon the altar.)
Priestess: It is
good to give, It is also necessary to receive.
(Priestess takes the stone from the altar and presents it to the Candidate.)
Priestess: (to the
candidate) Take this stone from Isis. May you discern the spark of life within all existence.
(Priestess takes the vessel of grain from the altar and presents it to
the Candidate)
Priestess: Receive
these grains of corn from Kwan Yin. May you protect all growing things.
(The Priestess lifts the cup of water from the altar and dips her finger
into it. and touches the candidate on the brow.)
Priestess: Accept
this water from Dana. May you receive True Vision.
Priest:
The purpose of Deity unfolds itself through us in many ways. Manifold are the virtues of the Goddesses.
Priest: (to candidate) Which Goddess do you choose to follow as Priestess/Priest that you
may aid her in her work?
(The Candidate declares the name of the Goddess whose path she/he would
follow.)
Priest: So may it
be. May the Hierophant ordain you before us all.
(Candidate hands her/his stone and vessel of grains to the Temple Maidens,
Hierophant takes the phial of oil from the altar, She anoints head, heart and hands of the Candidate.)
Priestess: In the
name of the Goddess.....(Hierophant names the chosen Goddess.) I ordain thee Priestess/Priest.
(Hierophant takes up the crown and places it upon the new priestess/priest
head.)
Priestess: With this
crown I dignify thy head.
(Priestess takes the stole and places it about the Priestesses/Priests
allowing one part to cover her/his heart.)
Priestess: With this
stole I hallow thy heart.
(Priestess takes the wand and hands it to the Priestess.)
Priestess: With this
wand I strengthen thy will for good. May you be blessed by the Goddess...... (Hierophant
names the Goddess Chosen.)
Receive now the blessings of the Goddesses ....(Hierophant names the
other two Goddesses.) Daughter/Son of the Goddess ...(Hierophant names the Primary Goddess chosen.) Reflect thy
Mother's Glory!
Priest: (holding
hands of Candidate within his own) In the name of the Priesthood of the Great Goddess of the Pantheon, I accept the ordination
of this Priestess/Priest!
(Priestesses and Priests present also express acceptance of the Ordination,
holding Candidates' hands. One among them may here give an Address.)
In place of an Address, these readings may be given:
Scribe: Hear ye the
words of Julian, Pontifex Maximus, Emperor of Rome. He writes to the Priestess Theodora.
Scribe reads: "I have received from you who are wisdom itself your letter telling me of the fair and blessed
promises and gifts of the Deities to us. I now say plainly that .... all who aspire to priestly office must ... engage with
greater energy in the Temple worship of the Deities."
Scribe reads: Also the supreme Pontiff
writes thus to a priest of the Olympian Religion: "I shall describe what manner of man a priest should be, that he may be
justly honoured. He should teach reverence towards the Deities. It is fitting that we should perform our services to the Deities
as though They were Themselves present with us; and though not seen by us we may direct Their gaze, which is more powerful
than any light, even penetrating our hidden thoughts. It is our duty to venerate the images of the Deities, Their temples
and holy precincts and altars. It is our duty to maintain all the rituals of the temples. You must above all exercise Philanthropy
for from it result many other blessings, and that choicest blessing of all, the good will of the Deities. Philanthropy is
of many kinds: you see how varied are the gifts of Athena the craftswoman!"
Priest of Dana: Hear
the words of Aon, Bard of Ireland as he tells of the Earth Goddess, by whose favour we dwell upon this earth.
First
Temple Maiden: "She is rapt in dreams divine.
As her clouds of beauty
pass
On our glowing hearts they shine,
Mirrored there as in a glass."
Second Temple Maiden: "Earth whose dreams are we and they
With her deep heart's gladness fills
All our human
lips can say
Or the dawn-fired singer trills".
Priest: Harken to the words of Aon. as he tells of a true daughter of the Goddess, described by her
friend. "Aoife passed like a gay transfiguring fire through life. She could with a word, a laugh, crumble whole lofty Himalayas
of pretence, breaking up the moulds of mind in which so many imprison themselves. But she did not drive the soul naked out
of the house of its self-imagings but gave to each a star by which they might be guided. She spoke to others as if they were
immortals, as if she saw seraph kings glowing through the earthly body. She told me I was to recognise the immortal in people.
Once I slept in the same room and had a dream which was, I think, more
than a dream. There rose out of her sleeping body a glorious creature like the sun for brightness. I said calmly, as one who
knew, to another who was with me in my dream. 'She is one of the Dawn Maidens', and after that her body to me was only a lovely
disguise. She was a divine comrade who overlooked none and who heaped precious things on others."
Scribe: A vision
was given to Aon Bard of Eire of a son of Dana:
"In this meditation I was brought to a wooded valley beyond which was a
mountain, Ben Bulben in the West, and between heaven and earth over the valley was a vast figure aureoled with light, and
it descended from that circle of light and assumed human shape and stood before me and looked at me. This being vanished,
and was instantly replaced by another vision of a woman with a blue cloak around her shoulders, who came into a room and lifted
a young child upon her lap, and from all Ireland rays of light converged upon that child. I saw the whole of Ireland lit up
from mountain to sea, spreading its rays to the heavens."
Priestess: May the
new Priestess/Priest give us the Blessing.
New Priestess/Priest:
(faces outwards, palms outstretched:) In the name of the Goddess whose attributes are Love, Beauty and Truth, may all
beings be blessed: the Sidhe and humans, animals, birds, reptiles, fishes, insects, trees, plants, this earth and all the
elements.
Omnes: So mote it be.
(All send healing.)
Priestess: (turning
North) We give thanks to Isis and Horus. (turning East) We give thanks to Kwan Yin and Maitreya. (turning North-East)
We give thanks to Dana and Mananan.
New Priestess/Priest:
May we go forth with the Divine Blessing.
Back to Ordination of Priestesses and Priests
