Orphic Mysteries

Orphism or Orphic Mysteries is the name given to a set of religious beliefs and practices originating in the ancient Greek and the Hellenistic world, associated with literature ascribed to the mythical poet Orpheus, who descended into Hades and returned. Orphics also revered Persephone (who annually descended into Hades for a season and then returned) and Dionysus or Bacchus (who also descended into Hades and returned). Orpheus was said to have invented the Mysteries of Dionysus. Poetry containing distinctly Orphic beliefs has been traced back to the 6th century BC or at least 5th century BC, and graffiti of the 5th century BC apparently refers to "Orphics".

Classical sources, such as Plato, refer to "Orpheus-initiators", and associated rites, although how far "Orphic" literature in general related to these rites is not certain. As in the Eleusinian Mysteries, initiation into Orphic mysteries promised advantages in the afterlife.

Distinctively Orphic views and practices are attested as early as Herodotus, Euripides, and Plato. Orphic views and practices have parallels to elements of Pythagoreanism. The main elements of Orphism differed from popular ancient Greek religion in the following ways:


 * by characterizing human souls as divine and immortal but doomed to live (for a period) in a "grievous circle" of successive bodily lives through metempsychosis or the transmigration of souls.
 * by prescribing an ascetic way of life which, together with secret initiation rites, was supposed to guarantee not only eventual release from the "grievous circle" but also communion with god(s).
 * by being founded upon sacred writings about the origin of gods and human beings.