Equinox of the Gods Liturgy

As presented this past Saturday in my living room (first time in 8+ years that I've had ritual there, yowza!).

Thanks, all who attended, for making it a success.

     - M

THE EQUINOX OF THE GODS

Liturgy

SOLEMN BEGINNING OF THE VIGIL
THE SERVICE OF LIGHT

All the lights of the Temple are put out.

A large fire is prepared in a suitable place outside the temple. When the PEOPLE have assembled, the CELEBRANT goes thither with the DEACON and ASSISTANTS, one of whom carries the Equinox candle.

The Celebrant greets the Congregation,

In the name of Nuit , and of Hadit, and of Ra Hoor Khuit.

Brothers and sisters in the Law of Thelema, on this most holy night, when the old and dying world gave way to renewal by fire, the one Gnostic and Catholic Church of Light, Life, Love and Liberty bids the children of the Light come together in vigil and meditation.

This is the Equinox of The Gods.

Let us honor the memory of this day when force and fire overcame death and dying, that we, by hearing the Word of the Law, and celebrating the Mysteries of Horus, may wax strong, and attain the accomplishment of our True Wills, and the Life which abideth in Light.

Let us recollect ourselves in silence, in meditation upon this holy mystery.

(pause for a moment of silence)

Crowned and Conquering Child
Lord of Silence and of Strength,
whose nemyss shrouds the night blue sky,
We share in the light of thy glory,
Who art the light of the world
Make this new fire  +  holy, and kindle in us
O Lord, the fire of thy love, and the flame
Of thine eternal ardor.

Purify our minds by this feast of the Equinox of the Gods, and bring into our hearts the glory of the Stars.

PREPARATION OF THE CANDLE

After the blessing of the new fire, an Acolyte or one of the Ministers brings the Equinox candle to the Celebrant, who cuts a cross in the wax with a stylus. S/he then traces Α above the the cross, Ω below it and the numerals of the current year between the arms of the cross, as described below.

Celebrant: Heru Ra Ha

(Scribing the vertical arm)
Yesterday and today

(Scribing the horizontal arm)
The beginning and the end

(Scribing the Α)
Alpha

(Scribing the Ω)
And Omega

All time belongs to Him (IV in upper left)

And all the ages (x in upper right)

To him be the glory and power (9 in lower left)

Unto the ages of ages (8 in lower right)

AUMGN

When the cross and other marks have been made, the Celebrant inserts 5 grains of incense (or five incense nails) into the cross, saying:

The Celebrant lights the candle fromthe new fire, saying:

May the rising light of the Crowned and Conquering Child, rising in Glory, dispel the darkness of our hearts and minds.

Then the Deacon takes the Equinox candle, singing alone:

Nu is our refuge;

(lifts it high)

Hadit our Light.

All reply:

And Heru Ra Ha the strength, force, vigor of our arms.

PROCESSION & MAIN SERVICE

Then all enter the temple, led by the Deacon with the Equinox Candle. If incense is used, the Thurifer goes before the Deacon.

The Refugiumis repeated at the temple door a 2nd time, at which point all light their candles from the Equinox candle, and continue in the procession.

When the Deacon arrives before the Altar, he faces the people a 3rd time and repeats the Refugium.

All the lights in the temple are then put on.

The Celebrant then goes to the altar, and sits. The Deacon places the Equinox Candle on a stand in the middle of the sanctuary or near the lectern. The Celebrant puts some incense in the censer, then blesses the Deacon, saying,

May the Lord Tahuti be in your heart and on your lips, that you may worthily proclaim the Equinox of the Gods.

In the name of Nuit, and of Hadit, and of Ra Hoor Khuit.

All respond:

So mote it be.

All rise with lighted candles; the book and the candle are censed, and the Deacon sings the Equinox proclamation at the pulpit, saying:

This is the night Darkness gave birth to Light;
When Death gave way to Life, Fear to Love, And Slavery to Liberty

This is the night when the power of the Slave Gods was broken.
This is the night when the old and dying world gave way to renewal by fire

This is the Equinox of the Gods.

The Celebrant sounds the gong or bell once, letting the tone die completely away before continuing:

Ra-Hoor-Khuit hath taken his seat in the East at the Equinox of the Gods.

Hoor in his secret name and splendour is the Lord initiating.

The Deacon replies:

There is a word to say about the Hierophantic task. Behold! there are three ordeals in one, and it may be given in three ways. The gross must pass through fire; let the fine be tried in intellect, and the lofty chosen ones in the highest. Thus ye have star & star, system & system; let not one know well the other!

The Deacon then leads the Congregation in the Invocation of Horus, as follows (the music setting for this is on a separate page:

V. Thou only-begotten-child of Osiris Thy Father and Isis Thy Mother. He that was slain; She that bore Thee in Her womb flying from the Terror of the Water.

R. Thee, Thee, I invoke!

 

V. O Thou whose Apron is of flashing white, whiter than the Forehead of the Morning!

R. Thee, Thee, I invoke!

 

V. O Thou who hast formulated Thy Father and made fertile Thy Mother!

R. Thee, Thee, I invoke!

 

V. O Thou whose garment is of golden glory with the azure bars of sky!

R. Thee, Thee, I invoke!

 

V. Thou, who didst avenge the Horror of Death; Thou the slayer of Typhon!
Thou who didst lift Thine arms and the Dragons of Death were as dust;
Thou who didst raise Thine Head and the Crocodile of Nile was abased before Thee!

R. Thee, Thee, I invoke!

 

V. O Thou whose Nemyss hideth the Universe with night, the impermeable Blue!

R. Thee, Thee, I invoke!

 

V. Thou who travellest in the Boat of Ra, abiding at the Helm of the Aftet boat and of the Sektet boat!

R. Thee, Thee, I invoke!

 

V. Thou who bearest the Wand of Double Power!

R. Thee, Thee, I invoke!

 

V. Thou about whose presence is shed the darkness of Blue Light,
the unfathomable glory of the outermost Ether,
the untravelled, the unthinkable immensity of Space.
Thou who concentratest all the 30 Ethers in One darkling Sphere of Fire!

R. Thee, Thee, I invoke!

Here follows the Lection, in this case from The Heart of the Master -- "The Temple of Truth".

The Deacon rings the bell 333-55555-333, and recites:
Now I begin to pray. Thou child!
Holy Thy name and undefiled!
Thy reign is come; thy will is done.
Here is the Bread, here is the Blood.
Bring me through midnight to the Sun!
Save me from Evil and from Good!
That Thy one crown of all the Ten
Even now and here be mine. AMEN.

The Celebrant gives the benediction:

+   Let Ra Hoor Khuit bless you!
+   Let His light shine perpetually in your darkness.
+   Let his force eternally brace up your weakness!
+   Let His blessing be upon you for ever and ever!
+   Yea, Verily and Amen, let His blessing be upon you for ever and ever

THE END

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