The Thracian Mystery Rites Drama

Following the Thracian Tradition, during the ancient Thracian feasts and festivals, the Sacred Mystery Rites of Thrace were performed – a reenactment of the Creation of the Upper, Middle and Lower Land by the power of the Divine Word of God, His Birth, Sacrifice, and Victorious Resurrection, were marking His Rising as the Sun-God who defeats all darkness and the enemies of humankind, thus bringing eternal gifts to the Initiated Ones in the form of healing and all kinds of worldly and heavenly blessings.

The various parts of the Mystery Drama of Thrace were practiced together or independently in the everyday life of the Thracian and their families since most ancient times, and some of these sacred practices have continued to this present day. And conversely, all of these spiritual practices and rites constitute together the Sacred Thracian Mystery drama, which is a vivid manifestation of the Divine Creative Word. Thus, the ancient Sacred Drama of Thrace expresses spiritual and socio-cultural phenomena in the life of Bulgarians and human society, which are primal components, manifestations and emanations of the Divine Logos. There is a cosmic connection and a cause-and-effect sequence between the different parts of the Thracian Sacred Mystery Drama, which correspond to the gradual unfolding of the Scroll of the Divine Word in space and time. In this manner, the intimate inner contents of its primal forms and images produce countless myriads of new derivative forms and images, which constitute new sentences of the Eternal Speech of God…

Тракийска Мистерийна Драма - Академия Орфика
Тракийска Мистерийна Драма - Кръвта на Лозата
Тракийска Мистерийна Драма - Академия Орфика

The Thracian Epic Story represents the Cosmic Battle of Good versus Evil, which culminates in the Victory of the Good God – the Creator over the evil dragon – the Chaos. This makes the Mystery Rites of Thrace special events of joyful celebration of the Triumph of Life over death and destruction, and this fact explains the ecstatic dancing and jubilation by its initiated participants, crowning the occasion by a great joint “horo” dance which marks the grand finale of the festivities. Thus, every single Act in this most unique Drama can and should be viewed as a direct sequence triggered by the pronouncement of the Divine Speech, chronologically preceding it.

Following this logic, it is the Primal Song of the legendary Orpheus – a grand exultation of the omnipotent power of the Divine Word of God, which marks the beginning of the sacred drama and triggers the unfolding manifestation of the genesis of existence of all the visible and invisible worlds, lifted above the chaos and founded upon the Divine Speech of God-the-Word. Thus, the ensuing sacred frenzy dance of the “rusaliiki” maidens, circling around the Runic Pictogram representing the Name of the Three-One God, is a joyful manifestation of the cosmic birth of the Divine Omnipresent Life.

Next is the entrance of the Insignia of the Divine Logos – the Triumphant Sun, and of His power as Providence and eternal Fate. The Mystery of giving gifts, praise and glory to the Son-God represents the pre-gospel cosmic event of worshiping the Son of God, preceding the historical succession. The sacred drama action reaches its climax at the point where a funeral procession of a new adept, “fallen asleep” just like Lazarus from the Gospel story, is about to be “awaken” to a new life by the kiss of his Beloved Bride-to-be, and thus to become a truly initiated one. The newly revived and now initiated neophyte receives the Bread of Life from her, while the other dancing maidens distribute it among the rest of the people.

The Sacred Mystery of Eternal Love and the Divine Bridal Chamber are ultimately revealed in the Sacred Matrimony procession of the Divine Wedding. It is best expressed in the orphic iconography (orph-iconic) dance of the Rusaliiki maidens, making a holy offering to God in the “self-outpouring” prostration (orphi-static) stance, before the Throne of the Divinity. This signals the beginning of a devotional celebration of the Wedding Mystery by the followers of God and the initiated ones in His intimate secrets, and the people partake of the Sacred Wine – “the Blood of the Vine”, which is the symbol of the New Divine Nature, imparted to all faithful ones.

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