Last year we did the Handfasting of the Deities for a year and a day. This year we came together to formalize the handfasting and marry. Iacchus created a myth based on the idea of an ancient matrilineal peoples with their Elder deities of Sky Goddess (like Nuit) and Earth God (like Geb) and the Younger deities of Sun Goddess and Moon God and the patrilineal peoples with their Elder deities of Sky God and Earth Goddess and their Younger deities of Sun God and Moon Goddess. Because of their different orientations they were at odds with each other which caused great unhappiness among the people and the land.
In ancient times treaties were made through marriages. This would make opposing sides one family, joined together. This ritual brings about the sacred union of the opposing tribes to become one tribe in peace and harmony.
After the circle is drawn and the 7 directions are invoked the Priest draws down the Sun Goddess. As Iacchus had recently been ordained as a priest in the CAW he asked Her if she would bless his priesthood. Then the Moon God is drawn down into Iacchus. Alternating male and female, they go the place in the circle where the others are who are going to assume Deity aspects, and draw down the Sun God and Moon Goddess, then Sky God and Earth Goddess, then Earth God and Sky Goddess, ending with a representative of the Ancestral Deities of the matrilineal peoples and a representative of the Ancestral Deities of the patrilineal peoples.
After each deity is drawn down they are given a chalice of water and they speak of their qualities, who they are, and what gifts they bring to the wedding. When they have spoken all that they desire to say they pour the now charged water into a large iron cauldron which has been placed to the north of center and prefilled with some spring water. Then the next deity is drawn down.
The Younger deities come to gather around the cauldron with the Elder deities arrayed in a crescent to the North of them. The Priestess gives the Marriage Vows and the Younger deities respond "Aye Ay" to signify their acceptance. The vows are as follows:
Then the priestess asks those assembled if they have anything to say. After waiting a moment she calls to Eris, "Oh Great Eris! We respectfully request your blessing for this marriage."
Eris says whatever comes to her to say and puts a pinch of salt into the waters in the cauldron with her blessing (In this enactment of the ritual Eris said, "Go forth and struggle.")
Then she calls upon Silenus the Satyr to speak. He says what he feels called to say.
Then the priestess says, "By the powers vested in me, I pronounce the Younger Deities, these stewards of the Aquarian Age, MARRIED unto one another!" (This is a group marriage.)
Finally the Married deities take the stang and stir the water in the cauldron to charge up the water and energize all the gifts. Everyone chants and directs the energy to the cauldron. The chant used was:
"Make yourself a power spot. Bring in a spoon and a cooking pot. Bring Air, bring Fire, bring Water, bring Earth. You, a new universe shall birth!"
After the Married deities each take a taste of the water dripping off the stang they fade back into the circle and let the deities go. Then the CAW rite of water sharing takes place using the charged waters of the cauldron. The directions are thanked and released and the circle undrawn.
Copyright © 2000 Kyril Oakwind