Voice of Olympus Interviews Rebecca

Hercules: Greetings Rebecca! Thank you very much for granting us this interview. I am very impressed with Neos Alexandria/Biblioteca Alexandrina's efforts to keep the wisdom-seeking spirit of the ancients alive and relevant to moderns…

Rebecca: Thank you for the opportunity to be interviewed. :)

And I absolutely cannot take credit for Bibliotheca Alexandrina. It’s success, and the quality of our publications, are due entirely to the many talented people who contribute to our anthologies.

Hercules: Please tell us a little about yourself and what first drew you to Hellenistic Spirituality…

Rebecca: I was raised Catholic, but even as a child I loved fairy tales and mythology, especially Greek mythology. I eventually broke from the Church and tried a sort of generic Wicca-flavored Paganism with a focus on Apollo and Artemis. Then I stumbled onto a discussion group of Hellenic polytheists and realized “Oh! I’m not alone!” I’ve been a happy Hellenic polytheist ever since, going on … oh, over twenty years now.

Hercules: I remember when Neos Alexandria was a wispy concept, way back in the Yahoo Groups days, and it is very satisfying to see it made manifest. What first drew you to this endeavor?

Rebecca: Hhmm, good question. I was on the HellenicPagan Yahoo group at the time, along with Sannion, Dver/Sarah Kate Istra Winter, and many other people. Sannion created Neos Alexandria, but I honestly can’t remember if he posted a general call for people with an interest in Hellenic-Kemetic syncretism to join or if he invited me. Either way, I was intrigued by the idea of NA. While my primary focus was and is the Greek pantheon, I love the whole Hellenistic era and I have an abiding interest in world mythologies (similarities, differences, overlap, mutual influence, et cetera). I found my home in NA.

Hercules: At which point did you take the helm, so to speak?

Rebecca: Sannion eventually left to pursue other interests (he went on to found Thiasos of the Starry Bull, which is doing amazing work). He left Bibliotheca Alexandrina in the hands of another member, but that person departed after only a few months. He asked me to step up as Editor-in-Chief, and I took over in early 2010. I’ve been happily overseeing the production of devotional anthologies ever since.

Hercules: Can you provide us with an overview of Neos Alexandria and its mission?

Rebecca: Our mission is pretty straightforward: to celebrate the Gods and Goddesses and spirits and heroes of Alexandria, and promote knowledge of them and the revival of their worship in the modern world. We do this by publishing poetry, fiction, essays, artwork, rites, and so on, and by donating to charitable organizations in their name. BA is an entirely volunteer organization, so all proceeds from the sale of the anthologies goes to production costs and charitable donations.

I should pause here to make the distinction between Neos Alexandria and Bibliotheca Alexandrina. NA is a loose affiliation of like-minded co-religionists; there is no formal leadership or spokesperson for the group. We only seek to honor the Gods and share what we have learned, and learn from one another. BA is a 501(c)3 non-profit publisher, which produces devotional anthologies, and which is run by a voluntary Board of Directors. BA is often described as the publishing arm of NA, but the two are not synonymous.

Hercules: What differentiates Neos Alexandria from other Hellenistic Paths?

Rebecca: It’s syncretic nature, and its focus on the pantheon of ancient Alexandria. The official pantheon of NA consists of Deities for whom we have archaeological, textual, or other evidence of their worship in the ancient metropolis of Alexandria, Egypt. An ethnically and religiously diverse city, Alexandria was home to Greeks, Romans, Egyptians, Jews, Christians, et cetera; even Buddhist monks! So, we honor Gods whose homelands include Greece, Rome, Egypt, Mesopotamia, Asia Minor, and further afield.

In many cases, too, the ancient Alexandrians syncretized some of these Deities. So, for example, you’ll see idols of Zeus-Ammon or hymns in honor of Antinous Osiris.

I suppose our informal nature distinguishes NA, too. There are no dues or vows required. Only a sincere interest in honoring the Gods, and sharing that love and knowledge with others.

Hercules: What does it offer to those seeking ancient wisdom?

Rebecca: The opportunity to ask questions without judgment or censure; to learn from other devotees of the Gods; to teach others who are interested in honoring the Gods; and to participate in a community of co-religionists (which is markedly different from the secular-monotheist society in which many of us live). Arguments are fine (as they can lead to new insights and total agreement on everything is unrealistic), but disagree respectfully. Everyone is welcome to join, regardless of nationality, ethnicity, political affiliation, sexuality, gender, you name it.

Hercules: What is your vision for its growth and development?

Rebecca: NA will grow and develop as its membership desires; I have no control over that, nor do I want such control. As for BA … I would like to see us continue publishing devotionals in honor of the Gods; maybe three or four per year. I would like to see *all* of the Deities of ancient Alexandria (and the broader Mediterranean region) honored in their own books. We’re planning books for Kybele and Attis, Hades, the Titans, Horus, Anubis, the Ennead, Deities of magic, and equine Deities, as well as polytheist-themed romance and mystery anthologies. Once we’ve worked our way through the whole pantheon (or as much of it as we reasonably can), we might go back and release second volumes for Deities such as Dionysus, Hekate, Isis and Osiris, and so on.

Hercules: What role do you see Neos Alexandria playing in the overall history of Hellenistic Spirituality?

Rebecca: I would love to see NA recognized as a vital element in the preservation and revival of the worship of the Gods. But only time will tell if that is the case.

Hercules: How can people learn more about Neos Alexandria?

Rebecca: NA can be found online at https://neosalexandria.org, and on FaceBook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/24893808890/). We also have an online discussion list through YahooGroups (https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/neos_alexandria/info).

Hercules:Thank you Rebecca! I enjoyed interviewing you and wish you well with all your endeavors. Please keep us posted on any new developments with Neos Alexandria.

Rebecca: I will, and thank you!

Revecca's Addendum 7/23/17: As always happens, plans change. The Divine Romanceanthology fell through (hopefully, only temporarily) and the Devotional for Helios was pushed back to make room for new projects. We now have devotionals for Sobek and Greek Nature Spirits in the queue, as well as a nonfiction anthology on Paganism and theology. Frankly, I can't wait to see what happens next!

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