Dionysos came home!

Tonight, I consecrated and blessed a statue of Dionysos I procured this weekend, thanks in part to a close friend of mine (who I call my soul-sister, because really, we were sisters at some point in one of our lives).  The ritual itself was a hodgepodge of ADF style ritual, with Greek influences: Calling Hestia before the Earth Mother, using an omphalos instead of a world tree, and a few other odds and ends.  For the first time, I actually created and used chernips--a small vial of water, into which I dropped a burning incense match, and then washed myself with it.  It was powerful, and something I think I'll do more often.

The working to bless the statue, was, honestly, something I kind of came up with on the spot.  After having stated my intentions and made offerings, I took an omen.  The omen was as follows:

• Have my offerings been accepted?  ~Khi: "Succeeding, friend, you will fulfill a golden oracle."  Positive omens to start off with.
• What do the Kindreds offer to me?  ~Beta: "With the help of fortune, you will have an assistant, Apollo."  Assistance, guidance.  I had asked for this earlier in the day, but had sensed the Kindreds wanted something more before they were willing to offer me specifically what I was asking for, which I won't go into here.
• What further needs do the Kindreds have of me?  ~Delta: "In customs, inopportune strength is weak."  I have always had trouble interpreting this particular oracle.  In this one, however, the message seemed clear: timing is everything.  Persistence and patience will win the day, don't try to do everything at once.

Those omens received, I opened a new bottle of local Ohio wine, poured a libation to the Lord of the Vine, and poured a small cup for myself.  After sharing the wine with him, I took the statue, and anointed it with both the chernips and the wine, blessing it as a home for Him, a place of His worship and His rest.  I dedicated this shrine to him, with its own offering bowl, and His flame (a candle I have had for quite some time, before I was able to get a direct representation of Him).  I asked Him to remind me of His love and His joy each time I gaze upon the statue, and welcomed Him to His permanent place in my home.  Given the aforementioned omens, I think he was pleased.

Cue the reversal of the ritual (thanking everyone, closing the gates, thanking Gaia, thanking Hestia), I poured the offerings I gave upon the stone that's set in the ground outside my apartment (since I couldn't actually DO the ritual outside, they went into a cup and got poured out after the fact).

I have some pictures of the shrine below.  One where the candle is unlit, one where the candle is lit (because the light made it too hard to see the candle holder, which I wanted to share because hey, it's pretty).  Eventually, a Thyrsus will be added.

Let me know what you think!