Eleusinian Mysteries

• The Eleusinian Mysteries were an annual pilgrimage held in Eleusis, near Athens in Ancient Greece.
• The Mysteries were passed by oral tradition. As it was forbidden to reveal the secrets, the script was never written down, and they are now lost.

Description

• The Mysteries were Initiation Ceremonies held for the Cult of Demeter and Persephone.
• The Mysteries were an ancient tradition, thought to have been practiced for 2,000 years, since the Mycenaean Period.
• They were written about in the Homeric Hymns dating from c. 650 BCE.
• They offered the hope of Immortality through Initiation.
• In an annual pilgrimage from all over Greece, people flocked to Eleusis, 18 miles (30 km) northwest of Athens.

Hercules

• In one of the Twelve Labours of Hercules, he had to capture Cerberus, the three headed dog, which guarded Hades the Underworld. Cerberus prevented the Dead from escaping and the Living from entering.
• Hercules had to be initiated in the Eleusinian Mysteries in order to learn how to enter and leave Hades alive.

The Myth

• Demeter’s Daughter Persephone was seized by Hades.
• Demeter spent a long time searching for Persephone and had various adventures whilst on her travels. Eventually she asked Zeus to release Persephone, as her absence was causing a drought, making the people suffer.
• Zeus sent Hermes to collect her, but Hades retained his hold over Persephone by making her eat 4 (or 6) Pomegranate seeds.
• This had the effect of forcing her to return to Hades for 4 to 6 months of the year.

The Meaning

• Whilst Persephone is reunited with Demeter, Demeter is happy and tends to the growth of Plants. This corresponds to the Mediterranean 6-8 months of summer and Growth.
• Whilst Persephone is underground with Hades, Demeter is unhappy and neglects the Plants. This corresponds to the 4-6 months of winter.
• The Return of Persephone is symbolic of the rebirth of Plant life in Spring and Summer. Her departure symbolises the end of Plant life in Autumn and Winter.

Attendees

• The Chief Priest
  • Known as the Hierophant,
• The Priests and Priestesses
  • The Explainers of the Mysteries.
• First time Initiates.
• Experienced Initiates.
• Initiates who had achieved ‘Contemplation’, and learnt the Mysteries of Demeter.
  • Some of the most famous Roman Initiates were:
  • Augustus (in 21 BCE according to Suetonius), Marcus Aurelius and Commodus.

The Secrets

• The secrets were passed by oral tradition and never written down, so we can only guess.
  1. The Initiates were shown the contents of a sacred chest (Kiste), and a sacred basket (Kalathos).
  2. These may have contained a Serpent, an Egg and the Pomegranite seeds that Persephone ate, all made of Gold.
  3. The Mysteries were Spiritual, to do with advancing the Soul and leading to the advancement of civilised life.
  4. Initiates were passed these secrets by the Priests, through an oral tradition.
  5. Possibly, the secrets were told in the form of a Religious Drama, similar to a Passion Play, with the Priests re-enacting the Myth by taking the roles of Persephone, Hades and Demeter whilst the Initiates formed the audience.

Dates of the Festival

• The Lesser Mysteries:
  • These took place annually during the Full Moon in February or March.
  • To qualify for the Greater Mysteries, participants sacrificed a pig to Demeter and Persephone, then they were immersed in the River Illisos. After this they became ‘Initiates’.

• The Greater Mysteries:
  • These were celebrated every four years in September.
  • They started at Sunset on the 12th of September and lasted for another nine days.
  • The Sacred Objects were brought from Eleusis to the Eleusinion, a Temple below the Acropolis in Athens.
  • The Procession of Initiates walked the 18 miles (29km) from Athens to Eleusis along the ‘Sacred Way’.
  • When they reached Eleusis, they were shown the secrets during various Rites:
    • ‘Things done’, ‘Things Shown’ and ‘Things Said’.
  • On the Tenth day the Mysteries ended and everyone returned to their homes.

End of the Eleusinian Mysteries

• Theodosius I closed the Sanctuaries in 392 CE, because they contradicted Christianity and were too Pagan.
• Alaric, King of the Goths, desecrated the Sanctuaries in 396 CE.

Eleusis