Rite of Hekate

Begin the ritual by bathing and preparing the altar. Regardless of where the shrine is an altar should be set up low to the ground and a bowl or exposed earth should be present. Light the lamps on the altar as well as an incense of benzoin styrax, frankincense, and myrrh. The lamp represents the goddess so light an additional candle from the lamp’s flame, raise it toward the East or to the cult agalma, icon, or xoanon (either a statue, image, or natural representation) holding it in your left hand with your right hand gestured toward the earth and address Hekate, recite any of the following hymns:

“Io Brimo, Io Aidonaia, Io Hekate of many names, lend Your attention to this rite! Come, Hekate, with bare breast writhed in serpents, your voice is the nocturnal bellowing of hounds and wolves, the dead flock to You, Unconquerable Queen who sets men free, attend here and rejoice in my sacrifice! Come crowned with the Dark Moon, Great Goddess of Nightly Sabbath, Goddess of the Wayside, brandish your dim lamps, the Giant Slayers, and move the cold earth and wind, specters howl lamentations for You! Your procession is heralded by singing dogs and the heavy chains of Kronos bound, sweet music echoing through Darkness! Three-faced Titaness, Goddess of Crossroads, may my invocation be worthy of You!”“Hekate Einodia, Trioditis, lovely dame, of earthly, watery, and celestial frame, sepulchral, in a saffron veil arrayed, pleased with dark ghosts that wander through the shade; Perseis, solitary goddess, hail! The world’s key-bearer, never doomed to fail; in stags rejoicing, huntress, nightly seen, and drawn by bulls, unconquerable queen; Leader, Nymphe, nurse, on mountains wandering, hear the suppliants who with holy rites thy power revere, and to the herdsman with a favouring mind draw near.”

(Orphic Hymn 1 to Hecate)

Or create or use your preferred one.

Welcome the goddess and extinguish the candle flame in a bowl of spring water. Use this water to consecrate the temple area and the participants using a branch of laurel or sprig of wormwood.

Pour honeyed red wine to the spirit of the house and the ancestors then offer triple tribute to Her of honeyed red wine, milk, and honey in the bowl(s) by the floor or by pouring directly to the earth.

Go on to perform the Invocation of Hekate by Ovid:

O night, most faithful guardian of my secrets,
and golden stars who, moon-wed, succeed the brightness of the day;
You, Hekate, three-formed goddess, who knows my achievements and ordeals and comes to aid my spells and works of magic art;
And you, O Gaia, your garden of herbs potent for the wise in sorcery;
you also, breezes and winds, mountains, rivers and lakes;
all ye gods of the groves and all ye gods of the night, attend here!

With your aid I can turn rivers to run backwards to their source
between their astonished banks;
I can soothe the stormy seas,
or rouse their placid surface with my songs;
The clouds will flee or thicken at my whim;
The winds will howl or disappear;
My spells and incantations could burn a dragon with its own fire or harness it for me to ride.
The living rocks and trees would march if I willed it,
the oaks would uproot themselves, even whole forests;
At my bidding the mountains tremble,
the earth is twisted by dull rumblings,
and the ghosts arise from their tombs.

I draw down bright Selene from the sky,
though brazen cymbals crash and thunder to keep her in her place.
Even the chariot of Helios grows pale at my song,
and I drain the colour from the Dawn for my potions.

Lo! I am (NN), the witch, your adorer, great Hekate!

Now, patron, we offer to you and ask:

(Each participant asks for a blessing from Hekate and offers at the low altar any kind of offering such as water, red wine, garlic, eggs, figures of limbs to be healed, herbs, flowers, olives, red grapes, jewelry, coins, or perfumes.)

This you will do!
Not for nothing have the stars flashed in answer to my call!
Not for nothing have you sent your chariot,
drawn by winged serpents!
Hail Hekate! May our sacrifice be worthy as we celebrate in thanks to you!

The spirits invoked in this rite should always be around you as your household gods and spirits so there is no need for closing the ritual. It should become a party with feasting and drinking, music and dancing in the company of the goddess and any gods or spirits who attended. There can also be a procession to the crossroad where the offerings will be left. The party space should be decorated and lit with candle and lamp fire. Try to keep unnatural light dim or off. Light torches, do divination, and perform magic, or simply just socialize.