goddess spirituality

Hekate Kleidoukhos

/ The Torch and Key: Melissa M. / Leave a comment
Image of a torch and key motif found on a column at the Temple of Hekate in Lagina. Photo from Anatolian Archaeology, photographer unknown

This post is part of a series regarding Hekate’s epithets, and the full list may be found here. This is a work in progress.

“Kleidoukhos” (sometimes spelled “Kleidouchos”) is one of Hekate’s more well-known epithets, and it translates to “Keeper of keys”. In ancient times, the role of “Kleidophoros” (Key-bearer) of the temple was an important one; the key that the priestess (or priest) carried signaled the authority that person had over the temple and sanctuaries, and the duties they were responsible for as guardian of this sacred space. Besides the obvious need to protect valuable artifacts (such as cult statues) and money within the sanctuary, keys have a metaphorical / symbolic meaning beyond the mundane demands of security.

The Orphic Hymn to Hekate, dated to about the 3rd century BCE to 2nd century CE, first mentions Hekate as Kleidophoros. I am sharing the more well known translation by Thomas Taylor below, as there are many translations out there:

“Hekate Einodia, Trioditis [Trivia], lovely dame, of earthly, watery, and celestial frame, sepulchral, in a saffron veil arrayed, pleased with dark ghosts that wander through the shade; Perseis (daughter of Perses), solitary goddess, hail! The world’s key-bearer, never doomed to fail; in stags rejoicing, huntress, nightly seen, and drawn by bulls, unconquerable queen; Leader, Nymphe, nurse, on mountains wandering, hear the suppliants who with holy rites thy power revere, and to the herdsman with a favouring mind draw near.”

“The world’s key-bearer“. That statement is a mighty one, and conveys the enormous regard and responsibility bestowed upon Hekate in the ancient world. Hesiod’s Theogony is perhaps the oldest written record (dates to approximately 700 BCE) mentioning Hekate, and describes how Zeus honored Hekate above others by giving Her dominion over the three realms – the heavens, earth, and sea:

“Hecate whom Zeus the son of Cronos honoured above all. He gave her splendid gifts, to have a share of the earth and the unfruitful sea. She received honour also in starry heaven, and is honoured exceedingly by the deathless gods.” – Hesiod, Theogony

Keys are symbolic, and represent access. Access to knowledge, spaces, relationships, crossing boundaries, etc. As a liminal goddess of boundaries, Hekate – in Her role as Propylaia – holds these keys and grants access to those who are ready for Her mysteries. Hekate grants access from liminal, in-between spaces to more defined spaces with doorways and keys acting as metaphorical symbols of these liminal qualities. There are numerous ancient reliefs and sculptures that depict keys in relation to Hekate, such as the image at the top from a column found at Her temple in Lagina.

The Greek Magical Papyri (also known as simply “The PGM”) has several spells that mention Hekate and keys as magical/symbolic objects, and here is one excerpt from PGM IV. 2241-2358, “Document to the waning moon” that mentions keys (there are a few different mentions in this particular spell):

“Then, too, I’ll speak the sign to you:
Bronze sandal of her who rules Tartaros,
Her fillet, Key, wand, iron wheel, black dog,
Her thrice-locked door, her burning hearth, her shadow,
Depth, fire, the governess of Tartaros”

In addition to keys, other symbols of Hekate appear in this PGM passage: bronze sandal, iron wheel (iynx, perhaps), and black dog.

Kleidos Agoge
The Propylaea to Hekate’s temple at Lagina, photo from Wikimedia Commons

Stratonikeia was a very important city in what is now modern day Türkiye, located in the western Anatolian region of Caria. Nearby, at Lagina, are remains of a great temple that was built to honor Hekate. This temple is currently the only known temple dedicated solely to Hekate that remains partially standing. It is also the only temple that functioned as a state-sponsored center of worship of Hekate.

One major aspect of rites honoring Hekate at Lagina was the “Kleidos Agoge” – the “Procession of the Key” (some references may call it the “Festival of the Key”). This festival took place every year and spanned a few days; games were played, music and hymns were offered to Hekate, and the Kleidos Agoge was the highlight of this multi-day annual celebration. A Kleidophoros, usually the young daughter of the temple priest, carried the temple key in a procession on the sacred road from the temple in Lagina to Stratonikeia. The key was brought to an altar dedicated to Hekate within an official council building in Stratonikeia, and visitors would then bring offerings and make sacrifices at this altar while the key was on display. The key was then returned to Lagina in another procession on the sacred road, and celebrations would then continue.

© Melissa M. / The Torch and Key

Sources:

Betz, Hans Dieter, editor. The Greek Magical Papyri in Translation, Including the Demotic Spells. Vol. 1, 2nd ed., University of Chicago Press, 1997. 

HERRING, AMANDA. “Reconstructing the Sacred Experience at the Sanctuary of Hekate at Lagina.” Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians, vol. 79, no. 3, 2020, pp. 247–63. JSTOR, https://www.jstor.org/stable/48740836. Accessed 16 May 2026.

The Covenant of Hekate, https://www.facebook.com/CovenantOfHekate/posts/epithetshekate-kleidouchos-the-bearer-of-the-keysthe-term-kleidouchos-means-the-/4581834658503710/

The Covenant of Hekate, https://www.hekatecovenant.com/post/the-cult-of-hecate

Hekate Propolos: Companion and Guide to the Mysteries of Life

/ The Torch and Key: Melissa M. / Leave a comment
Vischer Ferry Nature Preserve, Clifton Park NY / © Melissa M.

One of Hekate’s most well-know epithets is “Propolos”, which means “companion” or “guide”. I began actively honoring Hekate about 15 years ago, though She made an entrance in my life many years before that, however I was not fully aware of it at that time. Fast forward to the Spring of 2010, when I sought out Sorita d’Este on social media after reading her book on Artemis and discovered a project she was working on that was dedicated to Hekate – “Her Sacred Fires” anthology due to be published, with a global “Rite of Her Sacred Fires” being planned for the May Full Moon to coincide with the book’s release. I took an interest in that, and I can say that my life has never been the same since.

I learned a lot about myself while I explored a relationship with Hekate, and incorporated daily devotionals to Her in my day to day life. To say it was transformative is an understatement. I read everything I could get my hands on about Hekate – modern books by modern authors, ancient texts, the PGM, scholarly papers and books written by some of those scholars, poetry, classical texts by Hesiod and others from that time, and connecting with other devotees of Hekate from all sorts of backgrounds through my (past) involvement with the Covenant of Hekate, which I applied to be a member after the first RoHSF in 2010. Learning about the “historical” Hekate, and ancient practices and researching known sites of cults/worship was an integral part of this process for me. I was like a sponge, soaking up every bit of information I could and learning as much as possible about historical and modern practices.

Aside from that, She was ever-present in my life and She always will be. There were times when She “went dark”, and was largely silent and there were gaps in devotionals. But I know Her presence and guiding force is always with me, and I carry that knowledge every day. Hekate’s torches burn bright no matter what, just waiting for that moment where Her devotee borrows it to rekindle that spark and illuminate their path. Everything I do, everything I say – has intent, and She is there.

In classical literature, Hekate was Persephone’s companion and guide as she traveled between the realms of the living and dead to be with Demeter part of the year, and with Hades in the Underworld for the other part of the year. The Homeric Hymn to Demeter tells this story, and the presence of Hekate at major sanctuaries to Demeter and Persephone is documented with archaeological evidence.

Today, as I write this, I am undertaking some transformative projects for myself. I am returning to college after many (many) years of putting that on the back-burner to care for my family. I am going to finish my degree; I am determined to see this through. What will come of that once I finish – I don’t know. But I will do it. The other project is in the very, very early stages of planning, and it involves the eventual building of community. Strangely, there are no goddess-centered devotional temples in my area despite the widespread Pagan community in New York. I want to change that. I want to create a space where the sacred, divine feminine is honored in all of Her forms and names, with Hekate as Propolos. I expect the beginnings of this will involve meeting in a dedicated public space that will have to be reserved as needed. My ultimate dream is to have a permanent space of our own for this, and hopefully this will be manifest one day. The seeds have been planted, and I will make this a reality one day in the near future, however long it takes.

© Melissa McNair / The Torch and Key