Thursday, January 28, 2010

Hecate - The Triple Goddess

Hecate (pronounced he-KA-taye), the Patroness/Goddess of Witchcraft is the Goddess that stands on the cross roads patrolling the frontier between life and death, roaming the night with her hounds - and hails from ancient Turkey.  The daughter of Titan and confidante of Persephone and is often depicted as having three heads or three dog's heads or the heads of a dog, horse and snake.  She is supposed to see every crime at night time and can be called upon for justice against these crimes, winning a battle and to heal.


She was later adopted by Greek mythology, she was originally the prime Goddess of Caria which is now western Turkey.  She is the guardian of Istanbul having saved its people from the wrath of King Phillip II of Macedonia in 304BCE who was meant to attack on the dark of the moon, and Hecate, knowing this lit the sky with a crescent moon for one night whilst getting the Byzantines out of Istanbul before disaster struck.  In remembrance of her they put a crescent moon and two stars on their coins which still survives on the flag of Turkey.

Offerings are made to her by leaving food a the crossroads.

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