Sacred Britain ToursResearch & ArticlesAncient Greek Gods' New BelieversFrom an article by Malcolm Brabant, BBC News |
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Followers of the twelve Greek Gods, who, according to mythology, ruled the Ancient World from Mount Olympus, have held their first legal ceremony at one of their temples for over 1,600 years. Hundreds of followers of Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Artemis, Aphrodite and Hermes stood in a circle, a mile from the Acropolis after the culture ministry was obliged to grant permission for the event when a court last year legitimized the religion. "I feel very emotional," said Ms Peppa, a writer. "We have been persecuted for 16-and-a-half centuries but now we are here. This is our human right. And we shall carry on worshipping at our temples. They have now been put to proper use." Believers dressed as ancient warriors left their spears, swords and shields at the entrance before entering the Temple. This was to represent the truce between warring states that took place during the games. And it was a symbolic message sent to the rest of the world calling for peace in 2008 when the Olympic Games takes place in Beijing. After successfully staging the landmark ceremony at the Temple of Olympian Zeus in Athens, their leader pledged to fight for the right to conduct baptisms, marriages, and funerals according to the rites of the ancient religion. "We are a legitimate religion. But the authorities don't let us do this, but we shall claim this right through the European Union," said Doretta Peppa, the high priestess, who led the prayers next to the 15 remaining columns of the temple. The move is bound to aggravate the highly conservative Greek Orthodox church, which strongly disapproves of what it regards as paganism. "They are a handful of miserable resuscitators of a degenerate dead religion who wish to return to the monstrous dark delusions of the past," said Father Efstathios Kollas, the President of Greek Clergymen. "This is as important to us, as prayers are for Muslims, Christians or Hindus," said Apollonius. He abandoned the Church for the 12 Gods, because 'they make me feel whole, they make me feel part of the universe." In the face of strong opposition from the all-powerful Orthodox church one of the participants has appealed for tolerance. Wearing a crown of daisies and a flowing white gown, a red haired woman, who identified herself only as Artemis, said: "This is the land which has given birth to freedom and democracy. If we really want to say that we are democratic and we have freedom, then we have to be allowed to practise our religion." This is a precise of an article written by Malcolm Brabant BBC News, Athens |
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