Many of us live far away from any other Hellenic polytheist. Yet we still want to celebrate festivals, both for our own pleasure and that of the gods. Whether we are reconstructing a specific ancient Greek festival or trying to create a new one in the right spirit, we face the problem of what exactly to do, all by ourselves.

First, let me quickly go over some of the ritual acts that can be performed by a solitary worshipper: You can start with a bath or shower and put on fresh clothes. You can wear a wreath on your head of leaves or flowers. You can go through the basic sacrificial ritual - washing your hands in khernips, saying prayers and hymns, throwing barley, burning incense, making offerings and sacrifices. You might, depending on the festival, make a special dish to eat, go to the theatre, play a sport or game, or many other activities.

Even with all these things, though, I found myself looking for something more to do, something that would symbolize each individual festival and satisfy my sense of ritual and my obligations to the gods. What I have come upon, after some thought, is the practice of building small, temporary shrines for each festival. I did not invent this, but rather I noticed other Hellenic pagans doing it, and I have been doing it occasionally for festivals for years, without really pausing to consider why; it just felt right.

Analyzing the practice in context, it still makes sense to me. Ancient Greeks would go to a god's temple to celebrate that god's festival, but we do not currently have temples available. So why not create a small bit of "sacred space" which honors that god and gives them a place to inhabit for the duration of the festival, in much the same way as they were believed to inhabit their temples in ancient times. This shrine can also become the focal point for the ritual, the place to set up offerings and pour libations.

Creating the shrine is also a devotional act in itself. Carefully choosing which objects will be part of it causes you to really think about the god in question and all of his or her attributes, as well as the reason for the festival. For instance, on the Oskhophoria - which celebrates the vine harvest and Dionysos - the shrine could include grapes, a bottle of wine, a statue or mask of Dionysos if you have one, silk ivy or grape leaf garlands (which are readily available at every craft store), a glass or bowl in which to pour libations to Dionysos, as well as the items needed for basic Hellenic ritual (purified water, barley, etc). It can be as simple or ornate as you wish. You don't even have to have a space specially set aside for such a shrine - a small folding tray table can be covered with a cloth and erected anywhere for that one day, or even only for a couple of hours while you celebrate the festival.

You may wish to leave the temporary shrine in place for at least a few days, to remind you of the festival and the god(s) involved. But make sure that you respectfully dismantle it before the next festival (at the very latest), and in the meantime clear away any perishable items such as food offerings so that the shrine remains clean and fresh.