Worship of the Old Gods is illegal in Greece. Greek Pagans aren't even permitted to have private gatherings in their homes. The Christian majority actively supresses the traditional sect, which is fighting for the right to simply worship according to their own conscience. At a time when similar forces threaten to take over the American government, this is a chilling representation of what happens when one's most personal choices are subject to government interference.
Imagine for a minute that the primarily Protestant sect that holds sway in America gains absolute power. They don't approve of Catholicism; they don't approve of Judaism; they actively oppress Islam and they've already sworn to drive Paganism out of America. In a democracy without established civil liberties, the majority rules. How would you feel if you were told that your own spiritual connection was in violation of national law? What happens if YOU become the minority when no legal protection of human rights exists?
This film has an intimate feel, as we are included in individual conversations about personal faith and participate in the beauty and charm of ritual that reaches back to the birth of Western culture. It's heavy on subtitles if you don't speak Greek, but you still feel connected to the struggle of the Pagans interviewed. We hear the sincerity in their voices as they describe their personal connections to the twelve deities. As we follow a consultation with the Oracle of Delphi, a profound sadness that this ancient practice - so much a part of Greek history and sensibility - isn't embraced and encouraged among the people.
They were here first. They are still with us. They deserve the freedom to honor their traditions and their revelations as freely and openly as any other citizen.
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