For more than three decades, hundreds of people from Greece and abroad have been gathering every summer on the foothills of Mount Olympus to take part in events inspired by ancient Greek tradition and its ritual practices.
Litochoro and the Prometheus Grove are meeting points for thousands of visitors seeking deeper knowledge and understanding of Dodekatheism, the worship of the twelve Olympian gods, also known as Greek polytheism.
The ceremonies and events are held over four days and organised by Prometheus, the Fire Bringer, a cultural association named after the Titan deity who, according to Greek mythology, stole the sacred fire from Mount Olympus to give to mankind, in defiance of Zeus, the king of the gods.
Participants join processions, torch relays and symbolic ceremonies held near the archaeological site of Dion, while many choose names inspired by antiquity, which they use for the duration of the events.
“It is a celebration with a distinctly Greek-centred character. We honour our gods, we honour nature, as you can see around us, because for the ancient Greeks nature itself was their temple,” says one of the participants.
New year, new beginning
Most members of the association change their first names following a ceremony and subsequently address one another using names inspired by antiquity.
“My official name is Triantafyllos, but here I’ve taken the name Hermodoros (“gift of the god Hermes”),” said Triantafyllos Athanassoulas who took part in a torchlight procession.
The programme also includes a gathering on the banks of the Enipeas river, where symbolic events dedicated to nature are held, as well as to the Nymphs and Nereids of Greek mythology.
“Polytheism is not a religion. We are talking about the Greek worldview, a cosmological way of understanding how we perceive the divine around us. The divine element is present everywhere,” says Georgia Altintasiotou, president of Prometheus, the Fire Bringer.
The events conclude with theatrical performances, dances and festivities inspired by antiquity, set against the natural backdrop of Mount Olympus’s forests.