Calendar of the Moon
16 Muin/Boedromion

Greater Mysteries Day 2: Washing the Flesh

Colors: Gold and black
Element: Earth
Altar: Upon cloth of black and gold set a single white candle to burn, with incense of myrrh. Before the altar lay the Kistai, the round box of holy objects, and the figures of pigs. Each pig should be handmade of some waterproof material by one member of the house, and should represent all that they would have purified. In front of the altar set a great basin of seawater, or salt water.
Offerings: Pork and grains.
Daily Meal: Pork and grains.

Mysteries Invocation II:

Call: How shall you come unto the Mysteries?
Response: We shall come as one newborn, pure of heart!
Call: How shall you approach the Mysteries?
Response: With the feet of children on a new path!
Call: How shall you see the Mysteries?
Response: With the eyes of ones newly open to wonder!
Call: How shall you sing of the Mysteries?
Response: With tongues that have not yet learned to speak!
Call: How shall you hear the Mysteries?
Response: With ears newly opened to the voices of the birds!
Call: How shall you open your hearts to the Mysteries?
Response: With hands open to all that may come!
Call: Who shall cleanse your hands of all that has been?
Response: The sea, from whence we once came!
Call: Come forward, then, and be made pure!

Chant:
We carry the Land to the Sea
We carry the Sea to the Land
We are the living bridge of the flesh
That spans life from hand to hand.

(As the chant is sung, each of the folk comes forth and takes their pig, and washes it in the sea water, and places it back upon the altar. They then stay and wash the hands of the next one to come forth. The final one to come up washes the hands of the first one. The seawater is then poured, cup by cup, by all the members of the House into the libation well.)


[Pagan Book of Hours]