them is considered invulnerable, as if they were “holding the hand of the Gods”. Statues The only thing that can be equated in holiness with the altar for Hellenes is the sacred statue (Grk. Άγαλμα). A statue is every sculpted or other (even natural) pleasing form which is defined as the icon or symbol of the deity. Either natural, (for example, unworked stones, meteorite etc.) or worked by human hand (sculpted or cast) and of any material (marble, wood, common or precious metal, clay, etc.) for a statue to be “raised” to devotional it must first be sanctified in a special ritual. After the sanctification which is also called “opening of the eyes”, the statue is now the adobe of Divinity, like the altar, and thus it requires respectful handling. See also European Congress of Ethnic Religions Persecution of ancient Greek religion Gemistus Pletho Religion in Greece Separation of church and state in Greece Notes Further reading External links YSEE homepage Hellenic Council YSEE of America homepage YSEE's priesthood Homepage MSNBC clips featuring YSEE members Wojciech Jan Rudny interviews YSEE on behalf of the polish «GNIAZDO» magazine 1997 establishments in Greece Modern pagan organizations established in 1997 Modern paganism in Greece