Three Cranes Grove invites you to join us for a celebration of the Hilaria (Spring Equinox), honoring Kybele, in the Cedar Ridge Lodge at Batelle—Darby Creek Metro Park. This ritual is free, public, and open to all.
The Hilaria is a modern day Hellenic celebration, modeled on ancient Greek and Roman festivals, in honor of Kybele, Mother of the Gods. We emerge from the winter transformed and new, in the form of our choosing, and we who are born of the divine Mother seek Her blessing. We will honor her with a ritual procession at the height of our ritual, in which we will pour libations over her statue and ask her to send on us and the tools of our work.
This rite will be held hybrid — all are welcome to join us in person, but we will also stream over Zoom. We strive to weave all attendees into our magic, no matter how they join us, and we invite all remote participants to pray at their home shrines along with us if they have them, or in the shrine of their heart if they do not, and to join with us in offering.
Special item for this ritual
In addition to the usual ritual items (see below!): since we are conducting a tool blessing, bring a representative tool of your work. Ideally this would be something you can carry with you as you process — remember, you don’t need to bring everything you use, just a representative item! A woodworker might bring a file or chisel, a writer a pencil or tablet, a medical worker a bandage or stethoscope, etc. The magic will flow through that item 
Schedule
While our ritual activities begin with conviviality at 2:30pm and continue with potluck after the rite, ritual is scheduled for 3:30 sharp (or as close as we can manage).
2:30 — Social hour/gathering
3:00 — Zoom meeting begins
3:15 — Pre-ritual briefing
3:30 — Ritual begins
Potluck to follow ritual
If you can’t make it in-person, we’d love to see you via Zoom.
Meeting ID: 337 362 382
Passcode: 477818
What should I have with me?
If you’re new to all this, check our information for first-time attendees!
But in general, there’s not much you need to have. Zoom attendees are welcome to give offerings at their home shrine, or in the shrine of their hearts. In-person attendees are welcome to bring physical offerings. If you’ll be joining in person, we also invite you to bring a dish to share at potluck. Not sure what to bring? Anything will be welcome, but hearty main dishes are always especially welcome. Many people have dietary restrictions, so if you’d like to be especially hospitable, it’s great to have a label for your dish, especially if a dish may be appealing to a particular population (vegetarian, gluten-free, etc.).
Location
Batelle Darby Creek Metro Park: Cedar Ridge Lodge
1775 Darby Creek Dr.
Galloway, OH 43119
Batelle Darby Creek Metro Park is on the west side of the Columbus metro area, and is the largest of the Metro Parks, with many different entrances. The Cedar Ridge area is south of the Nature Center area, but north of Alkire Rd., at roughly 1775 Darby Creek Dr.
Take the first right off the park road into the Cedar Ridge Lodge area. The lodge and handicapped parking is down the hill a bit, but a large parking lot can be found by bearing to the right. (See park map for details.)
Header image credits
- “Statue of a seated Cybele with the portrait head of her priestess.” Roman, ca. 50 AD. J. Paul Getty Museum, 57.AA.19. Via Wikimedia.
- Gradients composited from multiple images by Codioful (formerly Gradienta), via Pexels.
