practice

Initiation

Rituals

A rite that changes a person’s status: into a cult, a craft, or an age-grade. Eleusis is one famous house of that change, not the template for all.

Hellenic religion

  • Initiation is associated with Demeter.

    The Homeric Hymn ties Demeter to the founding of Eleusinian rites. Initiation here has a Greek address.

    from Anonymous (Homeric hymn) · Homeric Hymn to Demeter, c. 7th–6th century BCE

    associated with · partially sourced · documented

  • Initiation is associated with Knowledge.

    A mystery claims to give a knowledge that is not for the uninitiated. The claim is institutional, not a proof of content.

    from Anonymous (Homeric hymn) · Homeric Hymn to Demeter, c. 7th–6th century BCE

    associated with · partially sourced · documented

  • Demeter is associated with Initiation.

    The hymn ends by founding rites at Eleusis. Initiation here is a named Greek mystery, not a generic coming-of-age.

    from Anonymous (Homeric hymn) · Homeric Hymn to Demeter, c. 7th–6th century BCE

    associated with · partially sourced · documented

  • Veil is associated with Initiation.

    What is hidden from the uninitiated is sometimes literally cloth. Eleusis is one famous house of that hiding; not every veil is Eleusis.

    from Anonymous (Homeric hymn) · Homeric Hymn to Demeter, c. 7th–6th century BCE

    associated with · partially sourced · culturally specific

  • Rite contains Initiation.

    Initiation is one species of rite: a change of status with a sequence of acts.

    contains · interpretive · documented

sources