Calendar of the Moon
14 Muin/Boedromion

Day of Hades

Color: Black
Element: Earth
Altar: Upon a black cloth set several black candles; incense of vervain, agrimony, and rue; a chalice of red wine, a jewel, and a life-size skull.
Offerings: Drops of blood. Tend to the dead in some way.
Daily Meal: Red meat.

Invocation to Hades

Dark Lord of the Underworld,
We stand trembling at your approach.
King of the uncounted legions of the dead,
Ruler of the hidden wealth
That bejewels the caverns beneath
The Earth our Mother’s skin,
Darkened by the ashes
Of a thousand cremations,
Invisible One, passing through
The chaos of humanity unseen
In your helm of obscurity,
You see us from a more distant place,
A world of ephemeral life.
We come and go, but you, Lord,
Are eternal in your watching.
Help us to see the darkness
Of endings as part of the cycle,
And to mourn our losses
In a way that does them honor.
And should we journey to your dark realm,
In life or after it,
Do not keep us past our endurance
But give us gracious passage
Out into our new lives.

Chant: Pluto Dominum Pluto Dominum

(Pour out the wine as a libation. Let all come forth and sit around the altar and meditate on Death, and let the candles be put out one by one until the room is in darkness, and one candle only be carried to light the way to the door.)



[Pagan Book of Hours]