FAQ

  • In the early 00’s, Lady Cyn DeFay of Portland, OR created a Priestesses of Pan course, of which Courtney Weber was a Votary. Being one of a few women who completed Lady Cyn’s training, she was Ordained as a Priestess of Pan.

    After moving to New York City and starting Novices of the Old ways and its Lunar Temple Coven, Courtney further developed the training course she had been a part of and developed it into the Votary Training program.

    We currently have three Ordained Priestesses -

    Tamrha Gatti Richardson, 2014, Priestess of Hekate

    Elizabeth La Barca, , Priestess of Hekate

    Sarah Bitner, 2018, Priestess of Hekate.

    There are currently 8 Votaries from around the country working through their training.

  • The training is 3 years at a minimum, with each year having a specific focus. While Year 1 has 12 monthly assignents, Years 2 and 3 will have required and suggested book reviews, interviews, research and community service projects. Details are available in the Training description in the ‘Learn More’ section.

    Mentor Priestesses understand that Votaries may have work responsibilities, personal lives and times where surprise things just come up. It might take someone a bit longer than 3 years to complete the work. In fact, both Tamrha and Elizabeth took about 3.5 years from start to finish! In the end, it’s all about balance and communication with your Mentor Priestess if you need additional time to complete the work.

  • We will be announcing this shortly. Stay tuned.

  • Our Votaries can work with European Gods and Goddesses from pantheons such as the Greek, Irish, Norse, Roman, Welsh and Slavic. This is because our background and initiation lineage comes from European Witchcraft.

    Those drawn to working with Deities and Spirits from other paths like the Hindu gods, various Asian or Central American cultures or the Lwa or Orisha of African Diasporic Religions will need to seek training from teachers and clergy of those paths as it would be misappropriative of us to attempt such an Ordination. For example, if you wanted to be a Catholic Priest or a Rabbi you would need to go to the proper places for such training and go through their living, traditional processes.

  • This is a important question and not one to decide on flippantly. Votary training with ToHG that leads to Ordination is a deep and life changing relationship between the Priest/ess/ix and their Deity. Just ‘liking’ a God or Goddess is not enough.

    Our current Priestesses and various Votaries would probably tell you different stories of how they dedcided. Some just knew right away which Deity it would be. Others knew they were chosen by their Deity first and then made their decision. However they decided, it was a well thought out process.

    However and whoever you decide, the decision should be a solid and unwavering one. For those still unsure, or even unsure if Votary Training is the right path for them, working through our “Deity Year and a Day Dedication” course may be a way to not only learn more about a particular Deity, but decide whether or not you want to work towards becoming their Clergy.

  • The Temple of the Hallowed Gods understands that some Witches may identify as non-binary. Therefore, we have chosen to recognize this with the word Priestix.

    We honor the use of Votary Priest, Votary Priestess or Votary Priestix, and later Priest, Priestess or Priestix for any of our Votaries and Ordained clergy. We also require that all of our Votaries honor these choices and titles at all times and in all environments, be it online or in-person without exception.

  • The key word in this question is ‘need’. Let’s dig into that.

    If we take the meaning of the word ‘need’ to be that Witches require clergy to have a relationship and/or connection with their Gods, then no. Witches do not ‘need’ clergy for this. Many organized religions have dogma that require clergy for this and other aspects. This is not that. Your relationships are your own, between you and your Gods.

    If we take the meaning of the word ‘need’ to mean that our local and wider Witchcraft (and even our non-Witchcraft) communities can and do benefit from trained, dedicated clergy, then yes, clergy is needed. Our clergy serve in prisons, in coven settings, offer public rituals, run popular podcasts, give lectures to college students, are published authors, support animal welfare organizations and have helped school children learn to read.

    This service, be it inwardly directed to the Witchcraft community or outwardly directed into the wider, local community of the Votary and future Ordained Priest/ess/ix, is the core of this training program.

  • While our Ordinations do culminate with a ritual in which we crown a new Priest/ess/ix, in many witchcraft circles and traditions, the more familiar term is initation.

    ini·​ti·​a·​tion | \ i-ˌni-shē-ˈā-shən \

    Definition of initiation

    1a: the act or an instance of initiating

    b: the process of being initiated

    c: the rites, ceremonies, ordeals, or instructions with which one is made a member of a sect or society or is invested with a particular function or status

    2: the condition of being initiated into some experience or sphere of activity

    A Votary who has reached Ordination is crowned a High Priest, Prestess or Priestix within the Temple of the Hallowed Gods and a Priest, Prestess or Priestix of their chosen Deity.

  • Yes! Absolutely!

    While Votaries who reach Ordination will be required to travel to either Indiana or Connecticut one time for their Ordination ritual, the entire program is done virtually through email and Zoom.

    In circumstances where a Votary has physical limitations and absolutely cannot travel for health and safety reasons, your Mentor Priestess may travel to you, at the expense of the Votary. Ideas for fundraising for this expense, if necessary, can be discussed and planned for.

  • No, not everyone who starts this program decides to complete it.

    There are various and individual reasons for why someone who starts out ends up leaving the program, but overall the common thread is that the work shows some people that Ordination and all that comes along with it is, in fact, not what they want afterall. And that is not only perfectly okay, but absolutely respected.

    This isn’t a program just to obtain a title or a pretty crown. It’s easy enough to simply call yourself a High Priestess and buy a lovely circlet off Etsy. Instead, this is a program that will test, stretch, alter, confront, strengthen and provide tools of empowerment to those who feel it is the right path for them. Once Ordained, that person has continued work to do.

    Really, Ordination is the beginning, not the end.

  • Please visit the ‘Learn More’ tab to review the program details and application process.

    Currently, cohorts start twice a year at the Summer and Winter Solstices.