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queen of fates, crone aspect, goddess of the underworld, daughter of demeter

Hecate: Patroness Of Witchcraft and Witches

Author: Zandra Nightmoon

Witches Moon Web Zine

Myth of Hecate

Hecate is known as the dark Goddess of the moon. She witnessed the abduction of Persephone, daughter of Demeter. She was able to act as a mediator when Demeter bargained with Zeus to rescue her daughter. Hecate herself, presided over Persephone's initiation into the mysteries of the underworld and went with her on her return to the upper world.

In ancient Greece, Hecate was the Goddess of the underworld. She represents the dark phase of the moon, also known as the Crone aspect of the triple Goddess. Later she was made into the child of Hera and Zeus. In this myth...she caused the anger of her mother by stealing Hera's rouge, and then hid in the bed of a woman who was giving birth. The contact with the blood of the birth...rendered Hecate impure in everyone's eyes and so she was plunged into the Acheron, one of the rivers leading to Hades, to be cleansed. But she ended up being swept away in the river's flow. Her stealing Hera's rouge seems to be a metaphor for the stopping of Hera's bleeding, leading to menopause, and which also led to the onset of Hecate's menstruation...Hence the stealing of her Mother's blood. Hera is powerful and does not take kindly to the changes and onset of menopause. Like any dominant female, she made Hecate the "scape-goat" and is blamed for her Mother's loss of menses.

Celebrations of Hecate

The night of August 12/13 in the times of old, was a night that the Greeks used to honor Hecate in her Goddess of the Storm form. They would leave offerings of honey and cakes, in the center of a crossroads. These offerings were meant to please Hecate into not bringing any devastating storms to kill their crops for that year.

The night of November 16/17 is called Hecate's Night. This is the night that Hecate, Queen of Fates would roam the earth with her familiars. This is the night of initiation for witches who follow Hecate. If you leave an offering outside your home...Hecate is said to bless those who reside within.

Facts about Hecate

She is the patroness of witches and the Craft. She was vilified in the Burning Times and made into the Crone, the Hag by the church.

Ancient Goddess of the crossroads, she is the all seeing watcher who can see into the past, present, and future.

Hecate is also the goddess of illumination and purification. She rules Heaven, Earth, and the Underworld.

She holds the key to birth, death, and rebirth. She is the shamaness who stands at the point where all the four directions meet. Also she is the goddess of magic and prophesy.

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