Calendar of the Moon
9 Fearn/Elaphebolion
Dionysia Polis I
Color: Purple
Element: Earth
Altar: Upon a purple cloth lay a chalice of red wine, grapevines, a fawnskin, masks, and the
thyrsus of Dionysus.
Offering: A mystery play on some instructive subject should be rehearsed during these five days,
and on the fifth day it should be performed for some outside audience, whether invited in or
taken elsewhere.
Daily Meal: Wine. Grapes. Goat meat. Figs. Dates. Lentils. Meat or rice wrapped in grapeleaves.
Invocation to Dionysos
IO Dionysos, Lord of the Vine,
We call upon the Womanly One,
child of Zeus and Semele.
We drink from your cup and join
The maenad train, O Lord of Masks
That teach the truth. In your cup we gain
Escape from care and ecstasy in the vine,
Your blessing under which
The sacred and profane became one
And the gods' wedding party never ends.
Twice-born, we will give thanks,
We'll tell our stories again and again
Of running with maenads
Of the secrets of the earth
And the heavens, and all that lies between,
Of fate, and time, and how to slip
Beyond their confines into immortality.
We'll teach your mysteries,
Which teach other mysteries,
To all who will listen.
We'll testify
To the gift of the Womanly One
Dionysos.
Chant: Io Dionysos Io Dionysos
(Pass around the chalice of wine and then pour the rest out as a libation. All should then go to
rehearse the mystery play, performed in his honor.)
[Pagan Book of Hours]