education
mt nysa mystery school
You can read about our School and approach here.
Mt Nysa offers education in...
There is no official qualification or process for becoming a modern Hellenic priest or priestess. Any individual in a state of ritual purity may perform our rituals; clergy are not required for this.
We offer priest or priestess training for advanced students, but this must be understood in a specific historical and pedagogical context.
The English words priest and priestess – related to the Greek πρεσβύτερος, elder – are imperfect translations of a variety of religious specialists in the Ancient Hellenic Religion. Most often, these specialists were sacrificial or ritual experts known as a ἱερεύς (hiereús; male) or ἱέρειᾰ (hiéreia; female).
Our trainings comprise of intensive study in the Ancient Hellenic Religion, particularly ritual function and form, complemented when appropriate by divinatory, prophetic, or ceremonial skill. Candidates frame their studies within the priest or priestess traditions of a specific deity.
The training offered is purely historical and religious, and does not ordain one as a legal minister (such as, authorized to perform weddings from the legal standpoint); if desired, this qualification must be obtained through one's appropriate governmental channels.
priest and priestess studies
mt nysa mystery school
Mt Nysa Mystery School – and the Ancient Hellenic Religion – are open to individuals of any race, nationality, ethnicity, gender identity, sexuality, bodily ability, or age. If you require accommodations to study with us, please reach out to admissions@mtnysa.com.
We aim to keep our educational offerings as affordable as possible. Self-paced and seasonal group courses range in cost from $47-$147 USD. Advanced study tuition is higher as it requires us to create a custom curriculum, source and provide academic materials, meet 1:1 to review the coursework, and host materials on a teaching platform.
That being said, we never turn away qualified students for financial reasons. Please note financial need in your application or emails to us. Additionally, all our offerings are rooted in scholarship, much of which may be found online or in low-cost books. Reach out if you would like a book list for self-study.
Scholars have been pondering the Mysteries for centuries and agree: the full truth of the Mysteries has been lost to time. Thus, we will never claim to possess secret wisdom or exact initiation rites of the ancient Mysteries, nor will we charge an exorbitant amount of money under this claim. Be wary of online teachers or programs who operate this way.
commitment to accessibility
mt nysa mystery school
community
mt nysa mystery school
We form an intimate community through shared study and devotion, gathering seasonally in various settings.
founder of mt nysa mystery school
Bria Melitta is an Oreiad Priestess of Ariadne-Aphrodite, devotee of Dionysos Bromios, and founder of the Mt Nysa Mystery School.
After receiving her degree in Religious Studies in 2016, she continued her studies in Classical Greek with H.M. Classics Academy, Ancient Hellenic Religion with the Artemis Research Center, and Women’s Mysteries and Priestess Training with the Mt Shasta Goddess Temple.
Though primarily a Hellenic Reconstructionist, she has hands and feet in other religious communities, and has served people around the world through pilgrimages, consecration ceremonies, birth and death transitions, and divinations.
Bria Melitta is currently pursuing her second Master's Degree in Classical Mediterranean History and Archaeology with the University of Leicester.
