Ways of Worship: Epona

Epona is the Greek Goddess of fertility and protector of horses, ponies, donkeys, and mules. Epona is also said to have been the one to lead the soul into the afterlife on her horses. She was the only Celtic God to be worshipped in Rome and was so widespread. She is from a religion known as Gallo-Roman which was a mix of a traditional religion practiced by the Gauls (Celtics) and the Roman Hellenic traditions.

While there are no concrete myths about Epona her image or name is seen through art and literature, even now. In The Golden Ass by Apuleius, a famous Roman writer and philosopher, where an aedicular (small shrine) niche with her image on a pillar in a stable has been garlanded with freshly picked roses. In Victor Hugo's Les Misérables a character was named after her, Éponine. The Roman satirical poet Juvenal also links the worship and iconography of Epona to the area of a stable in many of his poems. And for all of you video game fans Epona was the name of Link's horse.

Altar, Offerings, and Symbols

General Symbols: Cornucopia, patera, horses, horse shoes

Gems/Crystals: Clear quartz, moonstone, turquoise, unakite

Animals: Horses, ponies, donkeys, and mules

Plants: Grain, apples

Scents: Fresh air, floral, wet earth

Colors: Brown, white, gold, black, grey

Prayers

Things to Pray For: health of farm animals, fertility, safe passage to the after life,

Prayers

Hail Epona Rigantona! Rigantona Epona Hail!

Epona of Horses, I praise you!

Rigantona of the Land, I praise you!

Epona of Sovereignty, I praise you!

Rigantona of Journeys, I praise you!

Epona of Stables, I praise you!

Rigantona of the Otherworld, I praise you!

Epona, Great Mother, I praise you!

Rigantona of the Singing Birds, I praise you!

Epona Rigantona, guide, guardian and teacher, I praise you!

Epona of Horses, I honour you!

Rigantona of the Land, I honour you!

Epona of Sovereignty, I honour you!

Rigantona of Journeys, I honour you!

Epona of Stables, I honour you!

Rigantona of the Otherworld, I honour you!

Epona, Great Mother, I honour you!

Rigantona of the Singing Birds, I honour you!

Epona Rigantona, guide, guardian and teacher, I honour you!

Epona of Horses, I thank you for your presence in my life.

Rigantona of the Land, I thank you for the stability in my life.

Epona of Sovereignty, I thank you for the choices you bring to my life.

Rigantona of Journeys, I thank you for your guidance through my life.

Epona of Stables, I thank you for the security in my life.

Rigantona of the Otherworld, I thank you for the mysteries in my life.

Epona, Great Mother, I thank you for your nurturing presence in my life.

Rigantona of the Singing Birds, I thank you for the beauty you bring to my life.

Epona Rigantona, guide, guardian and teacher, I thank you for being with me through my life.

Hail Epona Rigantona! Rigantona Epona Hail!

Invocation

Hail, Mother of horses!

Hail, Lady whose children

Are the embodiment of the wind

And come like fire and thunder

Across field and plain.

Carry us, Lady,

As you carried our ancestors

Across rivers and continents,

As you carry our dreams

And nightmares,

Carry our wishes and hopes,

Bear us to adventure

And safely back home again,

And may we never stop running

Toward the far horizon

Of possibility.