On this Venus day ( also known as Friday ), let's talk pagan rituals turned Christian.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Below pictured are what we call Stefana (Στέφανα) in Greek, a word that shares the word root with crown (στεφάνι) or wreath. As you may see, they're made of dried berries and wood, they are painted, and they are joined together by ribbon and lace.
JOINING IN WEDLOCK
Stefana are used during the wedding ceremony, to express the bond between the partners joining in wedlock. They are blessed by the priest while held together to make the sign of the cross, and the priest then uses them to cross the pair. The best man or the maid of honor (or both), alternate the stefana from bride to groom and back again (the Orthodox Church is still very heteronormative), to show the connection the wedding pair share.
The couple is then bonded to each other by way of stefana and the wedding rings, and they take their first steps together in a walk around the altar known as the Dance of Isaiah (btw, sound Jewish much? There are many similarities between Jewish practices and Orthodox ones. I will discuss in future posts).⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
HONORING APHRODITE
This practice of the Stefana seems to have originated in ancient Greece. In order to celebrate a union, the ancients would collect nuts, seeds, and berries and create these wreaths as a way to honor Aphrodite and get her attention to bless the couple/union.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
The ribbon and lace are probably a later addition but definitely along the Venusian themes of sensuality, connection, romance, beauty, and the work that goes into all of those. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Do you know of any other Abrahamic religions that do this? Where are they based? Was there a similar native practice that was incorporated into Christian tradition?⠀
Share your insights with me on IG and let’s continue to explore the rich tapestry of spiritual practices and their evolution.
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