Hecate is said to be a protector of women and of all things newborn. She is said to guard over life's transitional points, such as life and death.
Aristophanes, Plutus 410 ff (trans. O'Neill) (Greek comedy C5th to 4th B.C.) :"Ask Hekate whether it is better to be rich or starving; she will tell you that the rich send her a meal every month [i.e. food placed inside her door-front shrines] and that the poor make it disappear before it is even served." - http://www.theoi.com/Cult/HekateCult.html
Public Domain - Wikicommons
This quote leads me to believe that Hecate was concerned with the care of those less privileged. She makes reference to how the rich feed the poor in her honor. I believe that she could be referring to people or animals in this case. As part of my devotion to Hecate, I do a lot of work with local animal fosters and rescues.
“Hekate Kourotrophos” – nurse to all living beings.
"She ... out of Erebos and Chaos called Nox (Night) and the Di Nocti (Gods of Night) ... stones brayed and bellowed, dogs began to bark." - Ovid, Metamorphoses 10.403
Recently I even started a feral rescue to help collect money to provide food and medical care for animals in my area in her honor called Renee’s Rescues.
(Update for 2023) - We are currently working with a local rescue called Furever Paws of Goldsboro. This is a playlist of all of the videos we made for both Renee's Rescues before it retired and Furever Paws over the last 10 years.
Originally published on Blogger - 4/4/14 8:00 AM
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