[Rite] Consecration of the Cella

This ritual was written to consecrate the room that will serve as the temple-space to Our Lady Amaranthine. Though honored, this temple-space is not "set apart" in any capacity - in fact, the more use it sees as the axis of our household, the better we are revering it, for Our Lady Amaranthine has made clear that she is the goddess of our household, and uninterested in being "set apart."

In this ritual, there are several names used, but I have removed them from here. They are specific to our household goddess and her servant spirits. Thus, I have rendered them as a bracketed term where appropriate, usually replacing the goddess' name with [Our Lady Amaranthine] and simply replacing spirit names with [Redacted].

Consecration of the Cella

This rite governs the preparation of the room which will house the altar to [Our Lady Amaranthine] to act as the cella or inner temple space for that altar. The cella should be reconsecrated every year at Nemoralia (August 13th).

Light of the Moon
This rite requires a tool called the "Light of the Moon," which is simply a candle or other light source of open flame that is crafted with symbols appropriate to the moon, and has been lit outside under the light of the moon. As it is lit, the one doing so should hold it so that the flame dances in front of the moon, even melding into it, so that the light of the candle and the light of the moon are one.

The Rite
Let all passages into the room be sealed, by doors and hanging cloth over open doorways. There should be no lit source of light in the room, though there are unlit candles scattered through it. Additionally, a candle should be placed before each of the doorways.

The priest should say:

In ancient darkness sits the world, where no light can be found.
In these places dwell things profane, from dark sky to blackened ground.
With noise and smoke, and hue and cry, we give the ancient shout.
Henceforth let them be banished, and forevermore cast them out!

The room should be censed by an incense appropriate to [Our Lady Amaranthine], using a chant of "Hekas, Hekas Este Bebeloi!" If possible, this should be accompanied by a drum, rattle or other percussion.

Returning to the center of the room, where the altar will sit, say:

Spin and swirl, burn and smoke, by cry and fire burnt away!
Let a cleansing settle on this place, Oh Ancients do we pray.
Now cast the profane to Outer Dark, nevermore to haunt us here
By burning smoke and maenad's cry, we banish pain and fear.

Open the main door, and direct the smoke out of that door. Open all the other doors, and let an attendant enter, carrying the Light of the Moon. Say:

Come into this place, O Light of the Moon, Bless and cleanse this fane
Fill the void, O Light of the Moon, And out-cast ye Profane.

Process around the room, lighting all the corners with light. As unlit candles are arrived at, they should be lit from the Light of the Moon. Return to the center of the room, saying:

Behold.
The Light of the Moon, shining silver, enchanting, cold and pure.
Let its light shine with strength and power, here forever more.

Go then to the portal of Love, bearing the Light of the Moon. Knock once on the door-frame and light the candle there, saying:

Knock of One, the Call's Begun,
The light draws Love unto it.
A beacon shines, in darkened shrine,
let Love this Portal admit.
Adoration golden, as ages olden,
Of gods and spirits and men
Brought to this place, with Love's embrace
To bless and bless again.
I name thee [REDACTED]!

This door is opened.

Go then to the portal of Health, bearing the Light of the Moon. Knock twice on the door-frame and light the candle there, saying:

Knock of Two, the Call Renewed,
The light draws Health unto it.
A beacon shines, in darkened shrine,
let Health this Portal admit.
Ancient strength, in body and mind,
Of gods and spirits and men
Find here a home, never to roam
To bless and bless again.
I name thee [REDACTED]!

This door is opened.

Go then to the portal of Laughter, bearing the Light of the Moon. Knock thrice on the door-frame and light the candle there, saying:

Knock of Three, Call Joyously,
The light draws Laughter to it.
A beacon shines, in darkened shrine,
let Laughter this Portal admit.
Sadness destroy'd, by wine-sweet joy
Of gods and spirits and men
Bring laughter's grace, and friendship's face
To bless and bless again.
I name thee [REDACTED]!

This door is opened.

Go then to the portal of Wisdom, bearing the Light of the Moon. Knock four times on the door-frame and light the candle there, saying:

Knock of Four, Call'd Evermore,
The light draws Wisdom to it.
A beacon shines, in darkened shrine,
let Wisdom this Portal admit.
From ancient age, we seek the sage
Of gods and spirits and men
Discerning thoughts, and cleverness sought
To bless and bless again.
I name thee [REDACTED]!

This door is opened.

Go then to the portal of Prosperity, bearing the Light of the Moon. Knock five times on the door-frame and light the candle there, saying:

Knock of Five, the Call's Alive,
The light draws Prosperity to it.
A beacon shines, in darkened shrine,
let Prosperity this Portal admit.
Called up by witches, the ancient riches
Of gods and spirits and men
Prosperity's wealth, for all and self,
To bless and bless again.
I name thee [REDACTED]!

This door is opened.

Return to the center of the cella, bearing the Light of the Moon:

Behold! O Cella Lux - thou Silver Temple of Light.
With ancient Names we consecrate thee upon this night.
By witchery be thou a proper adytum for our Queen
By [Our Lady Amaranthine], Our Lady Amaranthine.

Place the five Attendant candles along the bottom row of the Altar:

Let the five spirits we have invoked to mingle here
See in Her their Queen
May they bow in Her honor
May they kiss Her silver brow
May they worship at Her altar
May they work forever Her Will.
May they guard her adytum
In all the seasons and all the days

Then, with a bow to all five open doorways, the priest sets the Light of the Moon in the place where the altar will be, and says:

The Temple is consecrated - So Mote It Be.
The Cella is blessed - So Mote It Be.
The Spirits are in attendance - So Mote It Be.
The Rite is Ended - So Mote It Be.

Afterwards
The now-consecrated space should be properly warded (through Setting Watchers & Wards), permitting the spirits called during the rite to pass through them.

Author's Notes
This rite is written for five doorways, because the foyer chosen to act as cella in Moonhaven has five doorways: one to the den and ritual area (Love), one to the kitchen (Health), one to the back parts of the house where we tended to congregate day-to-day (Laughter), one to the library (Wisdom) and one to the out doors, through which we normally left to go to work (Prosperity).

For a cella with fewer doors, some of these might be combined - Laughter and Love, for instance, or Health and Prosperity. One should change the rite appropriately. Alternately, those who dwell there may choose other attributes: justice, peace, fertility, for instance. Let the temple reflect the priests and worshipers.

The spirits that are called are an excellent opportunity for exploration and communion - each rite and location will call different spirits of those themes, and the priesthood is encouraged to interact with those spirits, and get to know them. They are the servants of [Our Lady Amaranthine] - the Lady's household, if you will - and will work hard to fulfill their duties according to her will.

[Sunday Bonus!] Gathering the Light of the Moon

So, in preparing for tomorrow's post, I realized that there is one aspect of it that wouldn't make any sense to folks reading it without posting something extra. So, consider this a Sunday bonus, if you will. Nothing major, just a simple rite intended to prepare a tool for working in the liturgy I'm developing for Moonhaven's goddesses.

Gathering the Light of the Moon

This rite uses candles to "capture" the light of the moon for ritual purposes. As such, it requires a single candle of white color. Although white is always appropriate, it is also possible to imbue candles with the light (or lack thereof) of specific phases of the moon, using a different color: red for the waxing moon, white for the full moon, gray for the waning moon and black for the new moon.
Such candles have use beyond simply that of Moonhaven's liturgy, obviously - the would be an excellent addition to any spell that depends on or is empowered by a specific phase of the moon.
Tools: Diana Oil, candle (white, black, grey or red), cloth large enough to wrap the candle in (of a color the same as that as the candle), box or other container large enough to hold wrapped candles

Anointing the Candle
Outside under the moon of choice, anoint the candle with eyes fixed on the moon - or on a place in the darkened sky with no stars for the new moon. While anointing, speak the following rune:

Black spirits and white,
Red spirits and grey,
Hearken to the rune I say.
Bless ye this vessel, this darkened night
Make it a lantern for Diana's light!

Touching the Moon
Once the candle is anointed, take it up in the left hand, and salute the moon with it. Turn its point in a clockwise spiral, as though "swirling" the moon's surface (this should be counter-clockwise if imbuing a red or black candle) and say:

Argent barque on star-tossed sea,
Be thou a flame against the sky
Flicker with life and enflam'd be
And in this vessel, never die.

Then, light the candle with the right hand. Allow the flame the settle in and burn well on the wick, before extinguishing it by flicking or snuffing the candle.

Now sleep, thou moon, away from sun
And wait the witch's call.
Now slumber, thou light, the two-from-one
Burning spark of silvery All.

Storing it Away
Store away the candle in a box or other container, wrapped in cloth colored appropriate to the moon's phase. Never let the light of the sun touch it, lest its charm be lost.