Kleidous Agoge — Procession of the Key

Athenian Calendar Dates: 30 Pyanepsion – 5 Maimakterion
Honouring: Hekate
Origin: A festival of the same name was said to take place at Hekate’s temple in Lagina, connected to Stratonikeia.

The Temple of Hekate at Lagina is the only temple dedicated to Hekate that is still upstanding. The temple’s most significant ritual was the Kleidous Agoge, also Kleidos Pompe, known as the Procession of the Key.

• Annual festival. Most commonly attributed to the first new moon in Spring.
• A cult object (presumably a sacred key) was processed (walked or marched) from the temple sanctuary into the civic centre of Stratonikeia.
• It is likely the key served both a physical and metaphysical purpose for the cult. Perhaps being the means by which initiates could access the cult’s hidden mysteries.
• The key was carried by the Kleidophoros or “Key Bearer” (a young, usually unmarried woman related to the Priest)
• In the city, the key was installed within the bouleuterion, central council or civic assembly house, for several days whilst celebratory feasts and games were held.

This information was sourced from: https://knotmagick101.wordpress.com/2019/07/20/hekate-at-lagina

What is Kleidous Agoge?

As with many festivals in modern hellenic polytheism, we aim to reconstruct Kleidous Agoge based on the information we have, and revive it by adapting celebrations to our modern times.

As this festival takes place on the first new moon of Spring/Autumn (depending on your hemisphere), the sanctuary regards this as a festival of renewal and abundance in honour of Hekate.

Inspired by Hekate’s role in the Homeric Hymn to Demeter, this festival also celebrates Hekate as the Torchbearer (Phosphorus or Daduchos) and Companion (Propolos) of Persephone and Demeter.

With the Key being significant to the celebration, this is a time of unlocking doors, opening paths, and inviting the wisdom and guidance of Hekate Kleidouchos into our lives.

A Twice Annual Festival

Our celebrations of Kleidous Agoge at the Sanctuary of the Crossroads will take place twice a year, according to the seasons of each hemisphere, starting on the New Moon and celebrations lasting for a week.

The channel #┆・festivals can be used to participate in some activities. Other activities may take place in voice chat or independently in your own space and time.

In 2025, this event is taking place on:

• March 29th – April 4th 2025. The first new moon of Spring in the Northern Hemisphere.
• October 22nd – October 27th 2025. The first new moon of Spring in the Southern Hemisphere.

Schedule

Day One: Crossroads Ritual

On day one or throughout the week, you are invited to participate in a crossroads ritual uniquely written in recognition of this festival.

You can do this in your own time and place, with the materials that work best for you.

Items that are recommended include:

• Key (an antique key, modern unused key, a drawing or depiction of a key)
• 1 – 3 candles (any colours you associate with Hekate, any size)
• Representation of a crossroads. Some ideas:
  • Salt or dirt on a plate or tray. Trace in a crossroads with your finger or form a crossroads with these materials.
  • Two sticks arranged as a crossroads.
  • A drawing (on paper, on surface). You can use chalk, pencil, or a preferred medium (perhaps one with ritual significance).
  • An actual crossroads.
• Offerings for Hekate (incense, libations, food)
• Purification items for self and space (e.g. khernips, separate incense, sound cleansing items)
• Optionally, herbs, crystals, and other ingredients associated with opening roads, opportunities, and abundance.

You can find the full ritual script here.

Share your ritual experience and photos in #┆・festivals!

Day Two: Devotional Writings

In #┆・festivals, a thread will be created called “KA 2025 Devotional Writings”.

We invite you to write a devotional piece based on the themes and observances of the festival.

These can be poems, prayers, stories, personal recounts or anything that resonates with you to create in devotion to Hekate.

You can send your pieces in the thread anytime during the week, and we will also have an event later in the week for anyone who would like to present their pieces in voice chat.

Day Three: Acts and Offerings

On this day, you may catch up on any activities such as completing your crossroads ritual or writing a devotional piece.

You can also continue honouring Hekate on this day by completing some intentional devotional acts for her or bringing her offerings.

Here are some ideas for devotional activities:

• Sometimes on day three, we watch movies to honour the theatre aspect of ancient festivals. You could watch a movie that reminds you of Hekate!
• Visiting a local crossroads and leaving a wildlife and nature safe offering.
• Learning something new about Hekate.
• Focusing on an epithet of hers for a day by learning more about it or reflecting on its significance to you. How might you be able to embody this epithet for a day?
• Doing divination with Hekate.
• Journalling about Hekate’s presence in your life.
• Working on your goals in relation to your worship of or work with Hekate.
• Dedicating jewelry to Hekate or wearing your devotional jewelry.
• Doing spellwork with Hekate.
• Working with her on protection (as she is a protector goddess)
• Honouring your transitions and changes in your life.
• Learning about her historical context (e.g. Ancient Greece, Ancient Anatolia)

Ideas for offerings:

• Water
• Milk
• Honey
• Wine
• Olive oil
• Grains
• Eggs
• Leeks
• Garlic
• Pomegranates
• Cakes (such as small honey cakes)
• Bread
• Plants and herbs associated with the underworld (e.g. asphodel, cypress, mint)
• Plants and herbs associated with your spellwork (pharmakeia)
• Candles or torches
• Keys
• Dark chocolate
• Flowers
• Crystals
• Incense
• Snake shed
• Ethically sourced animal remains

Day Four: Presentation of Writings

On this day you can join us in VC 1 to present your writings about Kleidous Agoge and Hekate.

Come along to share your writing aloud, or to listen to others. You can present multiple pieces if you’d like!

All you need to do is show up (so technically you can write something right before the event or during it to share!)

Day Five: Games

On this day we’ll be continuing with entertainment by playing some fun Discord activities! (Games built into Discord that don’t require you to install anything!)

Some other games we might play:

• Jackbox Party Pack
• Gartic Phone
• Quiz Planet
• Putt Party
• Death by AI
• Sketch Heads

Day Six: Time Capsule

Nearing the end of the festival, a new channel will be created as a time capsule.

On this day, we will mark the beginning of the time capsule with an announcement/message in the channel and members of the Sanctuary are invited to write letters to their future selves with the option to send memes and pictures if they’d like. The time capsule will remain open to letters + media until Friday evening, when the festival concludes.

It will be reopened for participants to look back on next Kleidous Agoge (approx. March – TBC).

Day Seven: Conclusion

This is the last day of Kleidous Agoge!

We have no planned activity for this day, so it can be a good time to finish up anything from the festival, such as your devotional writings, time capsule submissions, or rituals.

You can also journal on your activities from the festival and what they mean to your devotional connection with Hekate.

The Sanctuary’s Gift

In reviving Ancient Greek festivals for modern hellenic polytheism, we commemorate one of the most significant aspects of Ancient Greek Religion — communal worship.

This is the sanctuary’s gift to you and Hekate: bringing communal worship to our members, through shared activities that honour our goddess, the changing of seasons, and the mysteries of ancient cults (despite how little we know of them).

We hope that this festival brings you closer to Hekate and each other.