"Know Thyself"
"Know thyself" was the ancient saying carved on the entrance to the oracle at Delphi in Ancient Greece. The prophetess of Apollo, known as the Pythia, spoke the will of Apollo for visitors and devotees for many centuries. Her place as the oracle was preserved by the Greeks from worships that had taken place at the oracle in Delphi dating back to the worship of Gaia, and the female goddesses that preceeded the Greek pantheon.
In the Winter months, when Apollo was said to have deserted his temple, his place was taken by his half-brother Dionysus, who had his tomb within the temple. The male priests may have had their own secret rites to the dying god during the winter months.
These ancient Dionysian mysteries of initiation into secret rites are honored in this replica called the "Tyler's Chair", which is placed just outside the doors to the Temple Room in the Masonic House of Temple of the Scottish Rite in Washington DC.
"Know Thyself"
"Know thyself" was the ancient saying carved on the entrance to the oracle at Delphi in Ancient Greece. The prophetess of Apollo, known as the Pythia, spoke the will of Apollo for visitors and devotees for many centuries. Her place as the oracle was preserved by the Greeks from worships that had taken place at the oracle in Delphi dating back to the worship of Gaia, and the female goddesses that preceeded the Greek pantheon.
In the Winter months, when Apollo was said to have deserted his temple, his place was taken by his half-brother Dionysus, who had his tomb within the temple. The male priests may have had their own secret rites to the dying god during the winter months.
These ancient Dionysian mysteries of initiation into secret rites are honored in this replica called the "Tyler's Chair", which is placed just outside the doors to the Temple Room in the Masonic House of Temple of the Scottish Rite in Washington DC.