Supreme Council of Ethnikoi Hellenes
Encyclopedia
The Supreme Council of Ethnikoi Hellenes (Ύπατο Συμβούλιο των Ελλήνων Εθνικών, Ýpato Symvoúlio to̱n Ellí̱no̱n Ethnikó̱n), commonly known as YSEE, is a non-profit umbrella organisation in Greece
established in 1997 to defend and restore the ethnic, polytheistic
, Hellenic tradition, religion and way in contemporary Greek society. The organization arose from the union of several other independent groups of Hellenic Revivalism. Since their founding, YSEE has distributed over 200 letters of protest and press releases aimed at increasing religious freedom for Ethnikoi Hellenes in Greece and hosted over 200 educational events.
The group itself estimates that perhaps 2.000 Greeks practice in the ethnic Hellenic tradition and another 100.000 have "some sort of interest". Though this has not been independently verified and the group admits that the numbers of adherents are difficult to estimate. These Ethnikoi Hellenes face varying degrees of discrimination
in Greece, which is overwhelmingly Orthodox Christian
. One of YSEE's main goals is to obtain legal recognition for their religion, which is not acknowledged as a "legal person of public law" in Greece. One consequence of this lack of legal recognition is that Ethnikoi Hellenes have been prevented from establishing permanent places of worship. Greek courts have recently unbanned the worship of polytheistic gods.
The YSEE is a founding member of the European Congress of Ethnic Religions and hosted the seventh annual WCER Congress in June 2004. YSEE is also a member of the European Union
's action programme to combat discrimination. In addition to their political activities, YSEE regularly holds traditional Hellenic rituals and ceremonies, including an annual Prometheia festival at Mount Olympus
. About 2500 people attended the Prometheia in 2005, making it easily the largest such gathering in the modern world. The festival includes talks on philosophical and religious topics, theatrical and artistic displays, and religious rituals and namegiving ceremonies.
The Supreme Council of Ethnikoi Hellenes has formed chapters in the United States
, Australia
, Canada
, Germany
and Brasil , offering lectures, events, and support for practitioners of Hellenism outside of Greece.
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
established in 1997 to defend and restore the ethnic, polytheistic
Polytheism
Polytheism is the belief of multiple deities also usually assembled into a pantheon of gods and goddesses, along with their own mythologies and rituals....
, Hellenic tradition, religion and way in contemporary Greek society. The organization arose from the union of several other independent groups of Hellenic Revivalism. Since their founding, YSEE has distributed over 200 letters of protest and press releases aimed at increasing religious freedom for Ethnikoi Hellenes in Greece and hosted over 200 educational events.
The group itself estimates that perhaps 2.000 Greeks practice in the ethnic Hellenic tradition and another 100.000 have "some sort of interest". Though this has not been independently verified and the group admits that the numbers of adherents are difficult to estimate. These Ethnikoi Hellenes face varying degrees of discrimination
Religious discrimination against Neopagans
Neopagans are a religious minority in every country where they exist, and have been subject to religious discrimination. The largest Neopagan communities are in North America and the United Kingdom, and the issue of discrimination receives most attention in those locations, but there are also...
in Greece, which is overwhelmingly Orthodox Christian
Church of Greece
The Church of Greece , part of the wider Greek Orthodox Church, is one of the autocephalous churches which make up the communion of Orthodox Christianity...
. One of YSEE's main goals is to obtain legal recognition for their religion, which is not acknowledged as a "legal person of public law" in Greece. One consequence of this lack of legal recognition is that Ethnikoi Hellenes have been prevented from establishing permanent places of worship. Greek courts have recently unbanned the worship of polytheistic gods.
The YSEE is a founding member of the European Congress of Ethnic Religions and hosted the seventh annual WCER Congress in June 2004. YSEE is also a member of the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
's action programme to combat discrimination. In addition to their political activities, YSEE regularly holds traditional Hellenic rituals and ceremonies, including an annual Prometheia festival at Mount Olympus
Mount Olympus
Mount Olympus is the highest mountain in Greece, located on the border between Thessaly and Macedonia, about 100 kilometres away from Thessaloniki, Greece's second largest city. Mount Olympus has 52 peaks. The highest peak Mytikas, meaning "nose", rises to 2,917 metres...
. About 2500 people attended the Prometheia in 2005, making it easily the largest such gathering in the modern world. The festival includes talks on philosophical and religious topics, theatrical and artistic displays, and religious rituals and namegiving ceremonies.
Outside of Greece
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and Brasil , offering lectures, events, and support for practitioners of Hellenism outside of Greece.
See also
- Polytheistic reconstructionismPolytheistic reconstructionismPolytheistic reconstructionism is an approach to Neopaganism first emerging in the late 1960s to early 1970s, and gathering momentum in the 1990s to 2000s...
- Hellenism
- Religion in Greece
- Separation of church and state in Greece
- European Congress of Ethnic Religions