Temples are not required for Hellenismos, individual and collective worship can be conducted in any space as the ancient Hellenes believed the gods were everywhere. However it’s necessary to understand places of worship to complete our understanding of ancient Greek religion and honor the Gods. Temples are one of the highest offerings that humans can give to the Theoi; the sacrifice of a thousand bulls pales in comparison to a sanctuary that can endure for years.

The ancient Greeks built temples for each individual god rather than having temples for the entire pantheon since it was believed gods lived in the temples. Worship such as offerings were typically conducted outside the temple to avoid contaminating the holy place with miasma. Temples were built facing east so that the structure would receive Apollo’s blessing when the sun rose each morning. Doric architecture was sacred to Ares, Heracles and Zeus while Corinthian architecture was associated with Hestia and Iconic style corresponded to Apollo, Artemis and Dionysus.

Before entering a temple people had to purify themselves by sprinkling water on their persons: most holy sites kept water outside of the site for that purpose. An ancient decree forbade harming land or trees on sanctuary land which could punished by fines or flogging. An inscription forbade people from bringing horses, donkeys, mules or any other pack animals onto holy ground, it was also forbidden to bring in any object made of pig-skin. Holy places were purified by burning sulfur owing the substance’s association with Zeus and how it repulses insects. Holy sites were purified by crying “hekas, hekas, este O bebeloi” a formula from the Eleusinian mysteries which was believed to banish any miasma.

Altar spaces were the closest practice the Ancient Greeks had to modern places of worship (ie a single building where you can enter and worship all entities of the faith). Hellenes constructed altars surrounded by walls where people could worship any god, the buildings typically didn’t have roofs so that burnt offers would go up to the gods. Building an ancient temple replica would cost millions, an altar enclosed by walls would be cheap to construct and (unlike a temple) serve as an all purpose place of worship.

The altar of the twelve gods (pictured above) presents a model for building a single place to worship the entire pantheon without twisting Hellenic religion.

Modern Hellenists could build four walls around an altar or structures resembling neoclassical gazebos (a roof supported by pillars) to serve as a place for any religious activity. It would be best to label such buildings as ‘sanctuaries’ since that word served as a blanket term for any holy sites during classical antiquity. Sanctuaries could be next to community centers that would offer classical libraries, philosophy lessons, meeting halls and various events: it would cost as much as a typical church.

Certain online stories sell accurate replicas of ancient statues of the Gods, perfect for any place of worship. Though you need to understand that statues are merely a focus, the concept of ‘idol worship’ is an Abrahamic misconception. Polytheists don’t literally worship statues, they are something for you to concentrate on to keep your mind focused on a god during the process of worship. Assuming that people literally worshipped idols would be as ignorant as insisting that Catholics worship the cross and prayer beads.

Temples, sanctuaries and altars were inscribed with dedications ranging from short notes to complex invocations: the altar of the twelve gods simply reads: “Leagros, son of Glaukon, dedicated [this] to the Twelve Gods.” Other inscriptions were effectively invocations: “To Jupiter Best and Greatest, to the gods and goddesses of hospitality and to the Penates, for having kept safe the welfare of himself and of his household, Publius Aelius Marcianus, prefect of the cohort, had this altar set up.”

Inscribing and reciting dedications can serve as consecration of a place of worship, though it would be best to recite hymns first. If you’re dedicating a building to Athena recite her Homeric hymn first then speak the inscription. The Greek magical papyri features a ritual that can be used to consecrate anything, to perform the rite simply place your hands on the sacred structure or statue and recite these words.

“I invoke you, the greatest god, eternal lord, world ruler, who are over the world and under the world, mighty ruler of the sea, rising at dawn, shining from the east for the whole world, setting in the west. Come to me, you who rises from the four winds, joyous Agathos Daimon, for whom heaven has become the processional way. I call upon your holy and great and hidden names which you rejoice to hear. The earth flourished when you shone forth; the plants became fruitful when you laughed; the animals begat their young when you permitted. Give glory and honor and favor and fortune and power to this temple which I consecrate today for the honor of (god’s name here or name of every god in the pantheon).

I invoke you, the greatest in heaven, ΗΙ ΛΑΝΧΥΧ ΑΚΑΡΗΝ ΒΑΛ ΜΙΣΘΡΗΝ ΜΑΡΤΑ ΜΑΘΑΘ ΛΑΙΛΑΜ ΜΟΥΣΟΥΘΙ ΣΙΕΘΩ ΒΑΘΑΒΑΘΙ ΙΑΤΜΩΝ ΑΛΕΙ ΙΑΒΑΘ ΑΒΑΩΘ ΣΑΒΑΩΘ ΑΔΩΝΑΙ, the great god, ΟΡΣΕΝΟΦΡΗ ΟΡΓΕΑΤΗΣ ΤΟΘΟΡΝΑΤΗΣΑ ΚΡΙΘΙ ΒΙΩΘΙ ΙΑΔΜΩ ΙΑΤΜΩΜΙ ΜΕΘΙΗΙ ΛΟΝΧΟΩ ΑΚΑΡΗ ΒΑΛ ΜΙΝΘΡΗ ΒΑΝΕ ΒΑΙΝΧΧΥΧΧ ΟΥΦΡΙ ΝΟΘΕΟΥΣΙ ΘΡΑΙ ΑΡΣΙΟΥΘ ΕΡΩΝΕΡΘΕΡ, the shining Hēlios, giving light throughout the whole world. You are the great Serpent, leader of all the gods, who control the beginning of Egypt and the end of the whole inhabited world, who mate in the ocean, ΨΟΙ ΦΝΟΥΘΙ ΝΙΝΘΗΡ. You are he who becomes visible each day and sets in the northwest of heaven, and rises in the southeast.

In the first hour you have the form of a cat; your name is ΦΑΡΑΚΟΥΝΗΘ (PHARAKŪNĒTH).

Give glory and favor to this temple.

In the second hour you have the form of a dog; your name is ΣΟΥΦΙ (SŪPHI).

Give strength and honor to this temple to (god’s name here)

In the third hour you have the form of a serpent; your name is ΑΜΕΚΡΑΝΕΒΕΧΕΟ ΘΩΥΘ (AMEKRANEBEKHEO THŌUTH).

Give honor to this temple dedicated to (god’s name here)

In the fourth hour you have the form of a scarab; your name is ΣΕΝΘΕΝΙΨ (SENTHENIPS).

Mightily strengthen this temple for that which it is consecrated.

In the fifth hour you have the form of a donkey; your name is ΕΝΦΑΝΧΟΥΦ (ENPHANKŪPH).

Give strength and courage and power to this temple

In the sixth hour you have the form of a lion; your name is BAI SOLBAI, the ruler of time.

Give success to this temple and glorious victory.

In the seventh hour you have the form of a goat; your name is ŪMESTHŌTH.

Give sexual charm to this temple.

In the eighth hour you have the form of a bull; your name is DIATIPHĒ, who becomes visible everywhere.

Let all things done by the use of this temple be accomplished.

In the ninth hour you have the form of a falcon; your name is PHĒŪS PHŌŪTH, the lotus emerged from the abyss.

Give success and good luck to this temple

In the tenth hour you have the form of a baboon; your name is BESBYKI.

Give power and wisdom in all things to the god (god’s nam here) for whom this temple is consecrated.

In the eleventh hour you have the form of an ibis; your name is ΜΟΥ ΡΩΦ (MŪ RŌPH).

Protect this great temple rom this present day for all time.

In the twelfth hour you have the form of a crocodile; your name is ΑΕΡΘΟΗ (AERTHOĒ).

Give the greatest protection to this temple

You who have set at evening as an old man, who are over the world and under the world, mighty ruler of the sea, hear my voice in this night, in these holy hours, and let all things done by this charm be brought to fulfillment, and especially for the need for which I consecrate it, for the sake of NN. Please, lord KMĒPH LŪTHEŪTH ORPHOIKHE ORTILIBEKHŪKH IERKHE RŪM IPERITAŌ YAI, I conjure earth and heaven and light and darkness and the great god who created all, SARŪSIN, you, Agathon Daimonion the Helper, to consecrate this place as a temple for (god’s name here).”

When I you complete [the consecration], say: “The one Zeus is Serapis.””

Or you could consecrate a place of worship with this hymn from the Karanis papyri.

“Let this be a hearth for Zeus the savior. Let this be a hearth for Zeus the olympian. let this be a hearth for Zeus of mount Kasios. Let this be a hearth for Zeus the hospitable. Let this be a hearth for Zeus of the Capitoline. Let this be a hearth for Zeus. Let this be a hearth for Zeus the sender of all omninous voices; for Hera the all powerful; for Hera who presides over marriage; for Athena Nike; for Athena; for Ares for Aphrodite, for the Graces, for Poseidon the securer, for Poseidon of the sea, for Poseidon the earth mover; for the nile and earth, all nurturing Kornos the great god, for Rhea mother of gods, for Demeter and Kore, fruit bearing goddesses, for Hades, for Persephone the beautiful child; for Apollo leader of the muses; for Artemis, the light bringer, for Hermes; for Herakles gloriously triumphant; for the Dioscuri the manifest, for the Olympian muses, for the Pierian muses; for the Helikonian muses; for the Helikonian, for Asclepius, for Hephaistos of many crafts, for Dionysus the chorus leader; for Zeus the deliverer; for Alexander the founder, for all gods and goddesses, let this this be a hearth for all the Romans. Let this be a hearth for the Alexandrians. Let this be a hearth for the Ptolemaians of the Arsinoite nome. Let this be a hearth for all friends and allies. Pray health, good and beautiful children, piety, prosperity, fertility of the fields, riches, peace concord and all the other blessings for now and forever. ”