Imagining the Gods

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Apollo, God of light and the sun, healing (or disease), music (especially stringed instruments), poetry, archery and prophecy

Pagan Offerings

The Vestal by Corcos (1900)

If in doubt the following may be acceptable offerings to divine beings:

• Food – can be symbolically offered on a plate before an image or symbol of a deity, or burnt in a ritual fire, or left in a sacred location, or hidden in a sacred tree, or thrown into sacred water.

• Fire – for a simple or preliminary show of reverence light a candle in a sacred location.

• Incense (note that frankincense was the most popular incense used in ritual offerings in ancient Rome). For an in depth look at incense as an offering, including issues relating to health, see my post on Incense – Offerings to the Gods.

• Aromatic herbs (juniper, laurel, rosemary, thyme, etc). 

Pagan Prayer

Prayer to ask or to thank 

A model with the head covered in a way that suits
most Roman rites. Image: "Lycinna" by Goward (1903)

If not a regular, household ritual (ie, it is not in honour of household divinities) prayers and offerings are generally best performed outdoors under an open sky, preferably in a place which seems to be associated with the Deity. Creating a shrine, of either a temporary or permanent nature, is a possibility when a sacred location cannot be identified. 

It is important to prepare for rituals. Some of the things you may want to consider are as follows (all that follows relates primarily to Roman rites):

1. Determining what it is that you want, and thus who are the appropriate Deities to supplicate. To identify the Deity the following (hyperlinked) posts may be helpful: Contemporary Visions of the Divine and A Long List of Deities.