Household Worship

Hestia worship is important in every home. As the goddess of the hearth, she is the home, and the family (be it either blood family, or chosen family). She is at the center of everything. For most people nowadays, the equivalent of the hearth may be the generator, or the cooking stove. I propose cleaning and maintaining these appliances as a form of offering to Hestia, and a way of acknowledging her importance in our lives. It is important to start off any offering by giving her her due part, and some may offer parts of their food to her before eating.

An altar toZeus Herkeios (Zeus of the Fence) outdoors, prayed to to protect the home. This can be next to an altar to Zeus Kataibates, the Zeus who protects from lightning falling on your house. Ideally this would be in the front yard, but for privacy’s sake I think the back yard is acceptable too, personally.

Apollo Agyieus was typically honored in the form of a cone-shaped stone in the street in front of a house. Naturally, this isn’t really practical for most people (or advisable), so you could put a stone cone that can withstand outdoor weather to some degree close to a street but within your property so people don’t accidentally drive over it or have to park their cars around it. For those living in apartments, you could put this immediately next to your front door on the inside, along with some statues/offerings to Zeus Herkeios and Zeus Kataibates.

Zeus Ktesios, Zeus Meilichios and Agathos Daimon are also protectors of the home, but they are instead worshipped inside the house, rather than outdoors. Agathos Daimon and Zeus Meilichios are represented as snakes. Ancient Greeks would pour some wine on their floors for Agathos Daimon before and after meals in thanks.

People would pray for protection from spells and curses for themselves and their families to Hekate and Herakles. Homes would sometimes have the inscription “Here the gloriously triumphant Heracles dwells; here let no evil enter.” An altar to Hekate was frequently erected in the front of a house, and women would pray to it before leaving the home. I don’t see any reason to keep the gender restriction intact, but having a separate altar for her for protection may be a nice idea.