The Wiccan “Great Rite”— Hieros Gamos in the Modern West

Abstract

This paper deals with the core of the Wiccan religion—the small group based practices which define Wicca as an initiatory Mystery religion practiced by clergy. At the centre of Wiccan ritual and theology is an ancient idea—the hieros gamos / sacred marriage. The hieros gamos ritual, called by Wiccans The Great Rite, is a ritual of sexual magic involving intercourse between the Goddess of fertility, embodied by Her Priestess, and Her Consort, present in the Priest. It is an egalitarian erotic mystical path open to both genders and all sexual interests, most often expressed as heterosexual, valuing sexuality and the female body and challenging the sexual power dynamics in Western culture. The paper begins by outlining the theology and history of the Great Rite, Wiccan ritual in general and the Rite, then excerpts from primary documents of Priestesses and Priests reporting on their experiences of the Rite, before concluding. The sacred marriage in Wicca confirms and seals the highest level of religious initiation, third degree, and has the mystical meaning of a loving union with Godhead. Wiccan Initiates are taught the skills needed to enter into and leave mystical states of consciousness. The connection between the Wiccan religion, a feminist-influenced religion, and the practice of sexual ritual is not unexpected. What can hieros gamos be in the modern age? Why is it a central symbol and frequent practice in a modern religion? What does the practice bring to its participants?