Hestia’s Influence

Hestia’s Influence

Hestia’s influence in the Greek society was very great, and some traditions have even stayed with us in modern times. One example is the right of “sanctuary.” It was an offense to the goddess Hestia to refuse a stranger lodging, or a place to rest for a while. It was considered a sacred obligation to Hestia to receive a stranger as one would any other guest and give them shelter, and protect them from any ill-treatment on injury. It was especially emphasised not to ever take advantage of any female guest; not to molest, or try to interfere with their feelings of safety. This is most likely a concept derived from Hestia’s experience with near rape from the lustful god Priapus.

The Olympic Torch is also one of the great traditional concepts derived from the legends of the goddess Hestia. Just as the Olympic Torch is never allowed to die out, neither was Hestia’s flames in the hearth of Olympus, being tended to constantly. Also related to the goddess Hestia is the tradition of a bride and groom lighting a candle together; although this is not observed as often as it once was. It’s to symbolize the act of creating a new family from two separate families. The old tradition among the Hellenes was to bring a flame from the home of the bride’s mother in order to assure safe passage for the bride, and the blessing of Hestia on the marriage.

Hestia was also a goddess of architecture, or at least similarly connected to it. Because the hearth was Hestia’s altar in each home, and the center of the home, it was supposedly a decree of the gods that the hearth was to be built first. After the hearth was first constructed, then the rest of the house would be built around it. Other traditions among the Hellenes were to bring their newborns to Hestia’s altar as part of the children’s naming ceremony. The mothers would stand with their infants in the circle surrounding Hestia’s altar to secure the goddess’s blessings on their children.