Welcome to Orphicaeum! 

We are a modern Orphic Temple & Academy, dedicated to the reconstruction and revival of the ancient religion called Orphism. If you are interested in remembering the Mysteries of the Universe and the Soul, welcome home.

Our Beliefs

Across the relatively wide reach and almost thousand-year history of ancient Orphism, a set of stable core beliefs can be identified. These beliefs are what hold up Orphism; without them, something cannot be called “Orphic” in the religious sense. We affirm and uphold these core tenets of ancient Orphism, which are as follows:

The Universe is part of a single, complex, divine entity, full of Gods.

Every living thing within the Universe has a mortal body and an immortal Soul.

Souls undergo a process of transmigration through many mortal lives.

The purpose of each mortal life is to purify the Soul.

Each time a Soul reaches the afterlife, its purity is assessed.

Pure Souls are freed from the cycle of transmigration.

Freed Pure Souls ascend in unity to the Gods forever.

These beliefs act as a foundation which grounds the perspective and the life of an Orphic. The specific path of purification is different for each Soul, but the process remains the same: the Orphikos bios or “Orphic life” is mindful and full of important choices. In total respect of the Soul, the Orphic life is a Vegetarian one, which in modern terms is closer to Veganism: no meat, no eggs, and no leather or wool. Milk is a common libation, and there are no negative mentions of it in surviving Orphic texts or fragments, so it is safe to assume that dairy is okay.

Our Mission

Orphicaeum is a modern Orphic Temple & Academy, dedicated to the reconstruction and revival of the ancient Orphic religion.

Our mission statement holds reconstructionism and revivalism as co-equal.

‘Reconstructionism’ is a method of dealing with ancient religions: In the case of Orphicaeum, it means that teachings are derived from primary sources (i.e. ancient texts, the archaeological record) if at all possible, from scholarly/historical secondary sources when primary sources are lacking, and from innovation based on the first two when necessary.

That does not mean, however, that Orphicaeum aims to be frozen in time. Orphism itself evolved in the ancient world over the course of roughly a thousand years, and various attempts have been made since then to revive the religion, each met with varying success. Thus, we do not aim to be reconstructionist at the expense of the revival of the religion. In other words, living and practicing the religion are equally as important as reconstructing it.

Your Path Begins Here

Please feel free to browse our website, which will act as a freely-accessible "Orphic Encyclopedia" (Under Construction). If you are looking for deeper engagement, the best way to get started is to join our Discord and introduce yourself. You may also explore our Library of carefully-researched essays on Orphism, although it is mostly members-only. We are also working hard on a members-only Academy. 

For questions or concerns, do not hesitate to contact us.