In the
Eleusinian Mysteries
The Eleusinian Mysteries ( el, Ἐλευσίνια Μυστήρια, Eleusínia Mystḗria) were initiations held every year for the cult of Demeter and Persephone based at the Panhellenic Sanctuary of Elefsina in ancient Greece. They are th ...
, the bakchoi were the branches of initiates that carried out the procession along the Sacred Way, the twenty-one kilometer hike from
Athens
Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital and largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh largest city in the European Union. Athens dominates ...
to
Eleusis. The term is sometimes distinguished from ''mystai'' (initiate), specifically the Eleusinian initiate, only for the purpose of emphasis since the two words are considered synonymous. The bacchoi was considered a transformed state after performing initiations and this was described by Euripides in the case of his Cretans, who proclaimed they were made holy – ''mystai'' and ''bacchoi'' – after cleansing themselves through initiation.
Bacchoi is sometimes attached to other terms. For instance, there is ''Iacchoi-Bacchoi'', where ''Iacchos'' served as a synonym for
Bacchus
In ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, myth, Dionysus (; grc, wikt:Διόνυσος, Διόνυσος ) is the god of the grape-harvest, winemaking, orchards and fruit, vegetation, fertility, insanity, ritual madness, religious ecstas ...
.
See also
*
List of Greek mythological figures
The following is a list of gods, goddesses, and many other divine and semi-divine figures from ancient Greek mythology and ancient Greek religion.
Immortals
The Greeks created images of their deities for many purposes. A temple would house the ...
References
Eleusinian Mysteries
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