Holy Places in Portland, Maine : Virtual Tour

Holy Places in Portland, Maine : A Virtual Tour

Deering Oaks -

This beautiful 51-acre park is framed by Park and Deering Avenues and is the largest public park in Portland. It was also the scene of a 1690 battle between colonists and the French and Indians.

Due to its history, the park makes a good place to honor those who died in battle, an important class of people in most ancient cultures, as well as gods of war such as Ares and Mars. Also, the oak is the sacred tree of many gods associated with thunder and lightning, such as the Greek Zeus, the Slavic Perun, and the Norse Thor.

Western Cemetery -

If you walk uphill from the park on Deering St. and then on to Vaughan St. all the way towards the West End, you'll find this 15-acre cemetery, which was also used until recently as a dog park. The cemetery was started in the 1830's and contains many notable Portlanders, including members of Longfellow's family.

This is an ideal spot to pay honor to the spirits of the dead, and to gods and goddesses of the dead such as Hades and Osiris. Another beautiful graveyard to visit is Evergreen Cemetery on Stevens Avenue.

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Hanging Site -

Coming back on Vaughan St. towards intown, take a right down Congress St. A few blocks down you'll come to the Fire Station, and right in front there is a plaque commemorating a hanging.

Hanging sites are sacred to the Norse god Odin, who was hung on a tree for nine days and nights to learn the secrets of the runes.

Longfellow Square -

Further down Congress St. you'll pass through Longfellow Square, home to a huge statue of a seated Longfellow. The poet is one of the most famous people ever to reside in Portland (his childhood home is further down the street near the library).

The cult of heroes was very important to many ancient cultures - in ancient Greece they were considered semi-divine. Heroes are not only military, but can be found in other cultural contexts as well. Figures of such artistic renown as Longfellow surely qualify as our culture's modern-day heroes.

Our Lady of Victories -

Even further down Congress St. in the heart of downtown Portland is Monument Square, where this late 19th century bronze statue commemorates the veterans of the Civil War. The sides of the pedestal are adorned with castings of soldiers and sailors in uniform.

Lady Victory can be seen as the patron goddess of Portland, as she looms over the central business and arts districts. She can also be likened to goddesses of victory and battle from various cultures, like Nike or the Norse valkyries. This is also a good place to pay homage to those who died in battle, called the einherjar in Norse custom.

Portland Public Market -

If you take a short detour down Elm St. (next to the library, across from Monument Square) you'll come to this market, which opened in 1998. Although it has the reputation of being an expensive, somewhat snobby establishment, it nonetheless captures some of the spirit of an ancient Greek agora - the outdoor marketplace central to a community.

Hermes is the god of the marketplace in the Hellenic tradition. I have adapted an ancient oracular ritual (to accomodate the modern lack of public shrines) and have used it at this market very successfully. Go to the crossroads in front of the main entrance, leave a coin there for Hermes and pray to him for an answer to your question, then close your ears, walk into the market and open them. The first words you hear someone say are your oracle (this is called a cledon in Greek; the crossroads and coin also belong to Hermes).

Garden of Dionysus -

Walk back up to Congress St. and continue one more block until you come to the Unitarian Universalist Church, next to which sits this small, pretty garden with benches and a modest statue. Some local teenagers have begun referring to it as the Garden of Dionysus, probably due to the influence of certain pagans in the area.

No matter how it got started, it is traditional in pagan cultures that once a location becomes associated with a god somehow, it is considered sacred to that god. Therefore I think it is reasonable to use this space to leave offerings to Dionysus, the Greek god of wine, vegetation and ecstasy.

Theatre Mask of Bacchus -

Take a right down Temple St. and stop in front of Bagelworks to see this stonework mask which was found during the excavation of the Portland Public Library, having once adorned the Elm Theater.

The mask's open mouth is perfect for leaving offerings to Bacchus, especially in his role as god of the theatre.

The Lobsterman -

Further down Temple St., in front of the movie theatre, you'll see the bronze Lobsterman statue, which was erected in honor of the local lobster and fishing industries.

Not only can the Lobsterman be viewed as the spirit of Casco Bay as well as the guardian of our fishing industry, but his inherent numinous power seems to have been recognized independently by a variety of young people in Portland, as there is a widespread custom of leaving spare change as an offering in his cupped hand and making a wish.

Dolphin Statue -

Take a left down Middle St., the next right down Exchange St., and then a left down the cobblestone Milk St. until you see this beautiful statue in front of the Regency Hotel. From here it is also only a few blocks down to the waterfront.

The dolphin is sacred to the Greek god Apollon. It also represents the ocean, sacred to a number of sea gods and goddesses (the waterfront is a good place for worshipping these gods too, of course). The statue is surrounded by a pool perfect for leaving coin offerings.

Return to Holy Places in Portland, Maine

	Deering Oaks - This beautiful 51-acre park is framed by Park and Deering Avenues and is the largest public park in Portland. It was also the scene of a 1690 battle between colonists and the French and Indians. Due to its history, the park makes a good place to honor those who died in battle, an important class of people in most ancient cultures, as well as gods of war such as Ares and Mars. Also, the oak is the sacred tree of many gods associated with thunder and lightning, such as the Greek Zeus, the Slavic Perun, and the Norse Thor.
	Western Cemetery - If you walk uphill from the park on Deering St. and then on to Vaughan St. all the way towards the West End, you'll find this 15-acre cemetery, which was also used until recently as a dog park. The cemetery was started in the 1830's and contains many notable Portlanders, including members of Longfellow's family. This is an ideal spot to pay honor to the spirits of the dead, and to gods and goddesses of the dead such as Hades and Osiris. Another beautiful graveyard to visit is Evergreen Cemetery on Stevens Avenue.
picture unavailable	Hanging Site - Coming back on Vaughan St. towards intown, take a right down Congress St. A few blocks down you'll come to the Fire Station, and right in front there is a plaque commemorating a hanging. Hanging sites are sacred to the Norse god Odin, who was hung on a tree for nine days and nights to learn the secrets of the runes.
	Longfellow Square - Further down Congress St. you'll pass through Longfellow Square, home to a huge statue of a seated Longfellow. The poet is one of the most famous people ever to reside in Portland (his childhood home is further down the street near the library). The cult of heroes was very important to many ancient cultures - in ancient Greece they were considered semi-divine. Heroes are not only military, but can be found in other cultural contexts as well. Figures of such artistic renown as Longfellow surely qualify as our culture's modern-day heroes.
	Our Lady of Victories - Even further down Congress St. in the heart of downtown Portland is Monument Square, where this late 19th century bronze statue commemorates the veterans of the Civil War. The sides of the pedestal are adorned with castings of soldiers and sailors in uniform. Lady Victory can be seen as the patron goddess of Portland, as she looms over the central business and arts districts. She can also be likened to goddesses of victory and battle from various cultures, like Nike or the Norse valkyries. This is also a good place to pay homage to those who died in battle, called the einherjar in Norse custom.
	Portland Public Market - If you take a short detour down Elm St. (next to the library, across from Monument Square) you'll come to this market, which opened in 1998. Although it has the reputation of being an expensive, somewhat snobby establishment, it nonetheless captures some of the spirit of an ancient Greek agora - the outdoor marketplace central to a community. Hermes is the god of the marketplace in the Hellenic tradition. I have adapted an ancient oracular ritual (to accomodate the modern lack of public shrines) and have used it at this market very successfully. Go to the crossroads in front of the main entrance, leave a coin there for Hermes and pray to him for an answer to your question, then close your ears, walk into the market and open them. The first words you hear someone say are your oracle (this is called a cledon in Greek; the crossroads and coin also belong to Hermes).
	Garden of Dionysus - Walk back up to Congress St. and continue one more block until you come to the Unitarian Universalist Church, next to which sits this small, pretty garden with benches and a modest statue. Some local teenagers have begun referring to it as the Garden of Dionysus, probably due to the influence of certain pagans in the area. No matter how it got started, it is traditional in pagan cultures that once a location becomes associated with a god somehow, it is considered sacred to that god. Therefore I think it is reasonable to use this space to leave offerings to Dionysus, the Greek god of wine, vegetation and ecstasy.
	Theatre Mask of Bacchus - Take a right down Temple St. and stop in front of Bagelworks to see this stonework mask which was found during the excavation of the Portland Public Library, having once adorned the Elm Theater. The mask's open mouth is perfect for leaving offerings to Bacchus, especially in his role as god of the theatre.
	The Lobsterman - Further down Temple St., in front of the movie theatre, you'll see the bronze Lobsterman statue, which was erected in honor of the local lobster and fishing industries. Not only can the Lobsterman be viewed as the spirit of Casco Bay as well as the guardian of our fishing industry, but his inherent numinous power seems to have been recognized independently by a variety of young people in Portland, as there is a widespread custom of leaving spare change as an offering in his cupped hand and making a wish.
	Dolphin Statue - Take a left down Middle St., the next right down Exchange St., and then a left down the cobblestone Milk St. until you see this beautiful statue in front of the Regency Hotel. From here it is also only a few blocks down to the waterfront. The dolphin is sacred to the Greek god Apollon. It also represents the ocean, sacred to a number of sea gods and goddesses (the waterfront is a good place for worshipping these gods too, of course). The statue is surrounded by a pool perfect for leaving coin offerings.