A New Ritual of the Orphic Mysteries
Michael TierneyThe Classical Quarterly
Vol. 16, No. 2 (Apr., 1922), pp. 77-87
p 5 the Orphic movement began as ritual for purification and a rule of life. It changed over time incorporating other religions, it was heavily influenced by the Eleusinian religion and exerted influence on the Kabeiroi and Sabazios. It may never had had a temple and was served by wandering priests
p 79 Demeter as called Brimo on account of her wrath
the central part of the ritual is eating a goat and a ram
when Zagreus is eaten by Titans his heart is saved by Pallas, or his sister Minerva, the cista in which his heart is carried in the procession
p 82 but the ram sacrifice is more likely with Hermes he is worshipped as the ram god. and played a large part in the mother mysteries and the Kabeiroi at Samothrace, and then he became identified with Thoth and Hermes Trismegistus. He is worshipped as a chthonic god., his is a sin offering. He is slain as Eubouleus, the chthonic Hades- Dionysos
p83 there are two sacrifices, One is sacremental and enacts he death of he god, the lamentation and the rebirth
the other sacrifice is piacular an atonement or peace offering for the death. Here the Orphic mystery- one take par in it, the Eleusinian mystery,one only gets to see it.
they drew the snake through the garments, equating the snake and the god Zagreus.
p 84 Zagreus is born again from his heart
p 85 the galli of the later cult whitened their faces like the Titans did with chalk
there is clear Phryigian influence esp the ass which comes from the Near East
the Orphics wore white garments
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