Editing Hellenism (modern religion) (section)

===21st century and official recognition===
====2004 Olympics controversy====

The [[2004 Summer Olympics]] stirred up several disputes concerning Hellenic polytheistic religion.
* Professor Giorgos Dontas, president of the [[Archaeological Society of Athens]] expressed public outrage at the destruction of ancient archaeological sites{{which|date=June 2016}} around the [[Parthenon]] and [[Acropolis]] in preparation for the games.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2002/jul/15/internationaleducationnews.artsnews|title=Drills and axes ravage ancient Greek site|first=Helena|last=Smith|date=15 July 2002|work=[[The Guardian]]|access-date=7 May 2015}}</ref>
* Prior to the Olympic Games, [[MSNBC]] correspondent [[Rehema Ellis]], in a story called "It's Greek to Me: Group Tries to Restore Pagan Worship", documented the vandalism and arson of a bookstore in Athens which sold books promoting ancient Greek religion. She also interviewed several adherents who were upset about the current state of affairs in Greece. Ellis said: "A contrast in this place where the Olympic Games were created to honour [[Zeus]] – now those praying to the ancient gods are criticized for putting too much faith in the past."
* The Greek Society of the Friends of the Ancients objected to the commercial use of [[Athena and Phevos]] as the official mascots of the [[2004 Summer Olympics]] held in Athens. They felt that the caricatured representations of the Greek gods [[Athena]] and [[Phoebus]] were disrespectful and culturally insensitive.<ref>[http://users.forthnet.gr/ath/heliodromion/e_nea1.htm Extrajudicial protest – denunciation – statement of Greek Citizens, concerning the 2004 Olympics' "mascot" choice] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061218003151/http://users.forthnet.gr/ath/heliodromion/e_nea1.htm|date=18 December 2006}}</ref> In a BBC Radio interview on 26 June 2004, Dr. Pan. Marinis President of the {{lang|la|Societas Hellenica Antiquariorum}} said that the mascots "mock the spiritual values of the Hellenic civilization by degrading these same holy personalities that were revered during the ancient Olympic Games. For these reasons we have proceeded to legal action demanding the punishment of those responsible."

====Recognition and places of worship====

In May 2006 an Athens court granted official recognition to the veneration of the Ancient Greek pantheon. Soon afterwards, on 22 January 2007, the Hellenist group [[Ellinais]] held a ceremony at the historic [[Temple of Olympian Zeus, Athens|Temple of Olympian Zeus]] in Athens. It was the first such rite performed at the temple since the ancient Greek religion was outlawed by the Roman government in the late 4th century.<ref>Associated Press, "Zeus Worshippers Demand Access to Temple". ''The New York Times'', 19 January 2007</ref> The ceremony involved participants dressed as ancient warriors who left their swords and spears outside the sacred site, to represent the laying down of arms before the Olympic games. The [[BBC]] referred to the event as a show of "intentional publicity". The event caught the attention of the Greek Orthodox Church. Reporters at the event suggested the church might step up their opposition to the legitimizing of Hellenism. Father Eustathios Kollas, who presided over a community of Greek Orthodox priests, said: "They are a handful of miserable resuscitators of a degenerate dead religion who wish to return to the monstrous dark delusions of the past."<ref name="Ancient Greek gods' new believers">[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6285397.stm "Ancient Greek gods' new believers"]. ''BBC News''. Retrieved 10 February 2007.</ref> Despite the 2006 court ruling, the Greek [[Ministry of Culture and Sports (Greece)|Ministry of Culture and Sports]] continued to disallow ceremonies of any kind at archaeological sites, and some early 21st century Hellenic rituals therefore took the form of protests. In August 2008, a group of adherents, again organized by Ellinais, gathered at the [[Acropolis]] both to give libations and other offerings to the goddess [[Athena]], and to protest the removal of architectural pieces from the temples to a new museum at the site.<ref>Carassava, A., [https://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/01/arts/design/01arts-PROTESTERSBE_BRF.html "Protesters Beseech the Gods at the Acropolis"]. ''The New York Times'', 31 August 2008</ref>

[[File:Temple of the Hellenic Gods in Oraiokastro, Thessaloniki, Greece.png|thumb|The Temple of the Hellenic Gods in [[Oraiokastro]], [[Thessaloniki]]]]

The first modern Hellenic temple dedicated to the [[Twelve Olympians|Hellenic gods]] was started in 1994 just outside [[Thessaloniki]] in the village of [[Oraiokastro]] and completed in 2009. 

Another temple, dedicated to [[Alexander the Great|Alexander]] and [[Dionysus]] opened in the nearby village of [[Mesaio]] in 2019.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.vice.com/el/article/sth-8essalonikh-yparxoyn-dyo-naoi-afierwmenoi-stoys-arxaioellhnikoys-8eoys/|script-title=el:Στη Θεσσαλονίκη Υπάρχουν Δύο Ναοί Αφιερωμένοι στους Αρχαιοελληνικούς Θεούς |website=Vice |date=21 March 2019 |access-date=2020-02-18|language=el}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://prometheia.wordpress.com/2009/01/09/naos/|title=The first modern Hellenic Temple! In Thessaloniki, Makedonia!|date=9 January 2009|website=Prometheia 2019|language=en|access-date=2020-02-20}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newsbeast.gr/weekend/arthro/2008926/mithi-ke-alithies-gia-tin-elliniki-omada-e|script-title=el:Μύθοι και αλήθειες για την ελληνική Ομάδα Ε|date=31 October 2015|website=Newsbeast.gr|language=el|access-date=2020-02-20}}</ref>

A third temple, and the first in the [[Peloponnese]], dedicated to [[Zeus]], [[Dionysus]] and [[Pan (god)|Pan]], opened in the village of [[Kalliani]], Arcadia in 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kokkinidis |first=Tasos |date=2025-03-10 |title=First Ancient Greek Temple in 1,700 Years Opens in Arcadia |url=https://greekreporter.com/2025/03/10/first-ancient-greek-temple-after-1700-years-opens-arcadia/? |access-date=2025-03-11 |website=GreekReporter.com |language=en-US}}</ref>

A modern Hellenic temple in [[Athens]] is still in the planning stages, <ref>{{cite web | url=https://theoutline.com/post/2843/hellenism-legalized-greece?zd=1&zi=owk674p2 | title=Greece's old gods are ready for your sacrifice }}</ref> and worshippers meet at a temporary temple at the headquarters of the [[Supreme Council of Ethnikoi Hellenes]] (YSEE) at an apartment building on Aristotelous street in [[Central Athens (regional unit)|central Athens]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ysee.gr/|title=Ύπατο Συμβούλιο των Ελλήνων Εθνικών|website=ysee.gr|access-date=2020-02-18}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://theoutline.com/post/2843/hellenism-legalized-greece?zd=1&zi=owk674p2 | title=Greece's old gods are ready for your sacrifice }}</ref>