Worshipped and revered in Ancient Greece as keeper and protector of hearth and home, Hestia chose her own path, asking Zeus that she be allowed to remain a *virgin and never marry nor bear children. Zeus granted her request and decreed that she be given the first and last portion of all offerings to her Olympian siblings, perhaps because she was the first born and also the last born too. She oversaw the cooking of bread and sacrificial meats, and tended the fires of sacrifice and of domestic shrines.

Hestia shows up infrequently in Greek mythology, preferring to avoid family drama, and earning for herself a reputation for quiet strength and reservedness. Her attendants were the Nymphai and she is often paired with Hermes. That relationship with Hermes is often written of as a friendship, which to me seems delightful, but there’s also the philosophical element of the two representing balanced opposites; Hestia signifying home and Hermes signifying travel.

Hestia rules over houses, home, domestic life, civic hearths (the sacred flame of states), sacrifices, altars, bread, veils, cauldrons and kettles, kitchens, non-sexual fertility, hospitality, inns, restaurants. Her Roman counterpart shares these attributes, though in Rome her temple attendants become the Vestal Virgins.

For Hestia’s candles, I chose the ancient grains (wild oats, several varieties of quinoa, and millet) for her connection to the hearth and to baking. I added white flowers (orange blossoms, jasmine buds, and Queen Anne’s Lace) to represent her virginal aspect, white copal for its association with fire, and orris root to deep our communication with Her. I also added some orange, because fresh fruit would have been an obvious choice of an offering, but also because I think She would love their color and juicy sweetness. Finally, I added some of the hibiscus-strawberry mead I made last summer as Hestia rules over libations.

For more in-depth reading about Hestia, I very highly recommend these two excellent sites:

https://www.theoi.com/Ouranios/Hestia.html

https://womeninantiquity.wordpress.com/2017/04/03/hestia/

This purchase is for one pair of Hestia handmade beeswax candles. Candles measure 8 inches tall and 1 inch at the base.

*Some modern scholars have questioned whether Hestia’s virginity relates to actual celibacy at all and it has been posited that her virginity may be represent her unwillingness to marry. There’s also some revisionist thought that she wasn’t celibate at all, just not interested in men.

Do not leave candles burning unattended. Do not burn near children, pets, or flammable materials. I recommend burning on a plate style candle holder to catch wax drips or any bits of herbs that may burn. 

These candles are crafted for ritual use. I do not add any artificial or synthetic scents and feel that the natural aromas of beeswax, herbs, and resins are best suited for magickal purposes.