Hekate

Hekate is the goddess of witchcraft, ghosts, and necromancy. She is a psychopomp, meaning she leads the souls of the dead to the Underworld. She is mistakenly identified by many Wicca-influenced pagans as a "triple goddess" or crone; in reality, she is a virgin goddess of youthful appearance. Her threefold appearance mostly seemed to appear in the context of protecting three-way crossroads. She also protects the home, and was enshrined at the threshold in a shrine called the Hekataion.

Selected Epithets

Offerings

• Garlic
• Cypress
• Oak
• Saffron
• Rosemary
• Red mullet fish
• Amphiphon candies
• Styrax incense
• Bay laurel leaves
• Keys

Prayers and Hymns

“I call Einodian Hecate, lovely dame,

Of earthly, wat'ry, and celestial frame,

Sepulchral, in a saffron veil array’d,

Leas’d with dark ghosts that wander thro’ the shade;

Persian, unconquerable huntress hail!

The world’s key-bearer never doom’d to fail;

On the rough rock to wander thee delights,

Leader and nurse be present to our rites

Propitious grant our just desires success,

Accept our homage, and the incense bless.”

“Kourotrophe (Nurse of the Young) Hekate, give your ear to my prayer, and grant (your request here).”

“Lady Hekate of the heavens, Hekate of the Underworld, Hekate of the Crossroads, Hekate of the Triple-face, Hekate of the Single Face (statement here).”