I couldn’t sleep so I decided to put together the festival calendar of the thiasos of the Starry Bull for the year to come.
2014
March 8: Pannychis of Ariadne
An all-night vigil in honor of the apotheosis of Ariadne and the placement of her crown in the heavens.
March 17: Liberalia
Phallic processions to bring fertility and protection to the fields; also honors the nymphs, nurses and companions of Dionysos.
April 12: Anthesphoria
Commemorates the abduction of Kore while gathering flowers and her transformation into Persephone, Queen of the Underworld.
May 2: Maiuma
Celebrates the union of Dionysos and Aphrodite with baptism and drunken revelry.
June 28-29: Arachneia
The transformation of Arachne into a spider is commemorated through dance.
July 3: Feast of the Dionysian Prophets
A time for ecstatic worship and divination.
August 1: Feast of the Dionysian Kings
The triumphant procession of the New Dionysoi.
August 13: Hekatesia
A festival for Hekate.
September 9: Melinoeia
Commemorates the birth of Melinoë.
September 23: Praxidikaia
Sacrifices on behalf of the ancestors are made to the Erinyes and underworld powers.
October 7: Feast of the Dionysian Martyrs
All those who suffered for Dionysos are remembered.
October 27: Katabasia
Commemorates Dionysos’ descent at Lerna to bring up Semele and the phallos as a pledge to the deceased.
November 4: Hermaia
Honors Hermes as guide of souls and lord of dream and magic.
November 24: Agrionia
A festival of wild revelry celebrating Melampos’ cure of the Proitides’ madness through dance.
December 8: Feast of the Dionysian Artists
Honors Dionysos as god of creative inspiration and all of those who have served him through their art.
2015
January 1: Kalends
Ringing in the new year with masks, drunkenness, divination and obscene songs and dances.
January 5-6: Epiphany
Wine miracles and baptism.
January 9: Agonalia
Celebrates Orpheus’ destruction of the bees of Aristaios in punishment for his role in the death of Eurydike.
February 1: Lenaia
The priestesses of the winepress call Dionysos up from the underworld with their songs and dances.
March 1-3: Anthesteria
A feast of flowers, wine, sex and death.
Tagged: festivals, thiasos of the starry bull
