Dionysos Prayer Card

Our Prayer Card dedicated to Dionysos was created by both of your local trickster spirits working directly with the Divine Reveler Himself to ensure he is depicted in a way he approves of. The front features an illustration of Dionysos with his symbology interwoven throughout, while the back features a prayer composed in his honor; both the illustration and prayer are the creation of Trickster's Apothecary and are not available for use or sale elsewhere. This card is inspired by the saint prayer cards that are popular in some areas where Dionysos was previously worshipped, such as Italy.

This Prayer Card is devoted to Dionysos Tauros: Dionysos the Bull. In this aspect, he is crowned with the horns of the Bull: a symbol of sacrifice, strength, boldness, and the cycle of death and rebirth. Dionysos is sacrificed, torn apart and devoured by the Titans as the Bull is slaughtered and devoured in offering. Again and again he is slaughtered, and yet he always Rises as a Dying and Reborn God, returning Life to the Earth. He embodies the unrestrained nature of the Bull, its strength and boldness that thrives in wild spaces but may destroy the fragile trinkets of civilization (knowing that sometimes they need to be destroyed to be reborn). As is done with tarot cards, we used different forms of symbolism to incorporate these themes into this Prayer Card.

The illustration features Dionysos wrapped in a leopard pelt, one of his historical costumes; the leopard is one of his sacred animals, as he is a Hunter at home in the Wilderness. His horns are wrapped in fruiting grape vines, matching the wine chalice in his hand, for his role as the Wine-Bringer and Bartender of the Gods. Cradled in his left arm is his thyrsus, made of a fennel stalk and topped with bundled grape and ivy leaves. His retinue of Bacchantes dances behind him, with Satyrs and Maenads both. As he is the God of Theater, his retinue is depicted in silhouette like a stage backdrop, while the masks of Tragedy and Comedy are seen behind him. He is framed by Roman columns, wrapped in ivy (one of his sacred plants); intricately carved columns being reclaimed by Nature perfectly embodies the liminal space between Civilization and Wilderness where Dionysos makes his home.

This Prayer Card is 4x2.75in and printed on sturdy gloss paper.

All facets of this prayer card, including the illustration, border, and prayer, are the original work of Trickster's Apothecary. None of these elements are available for personal or professional use, including resale in any capacity. We DO NOT grant permission for our art or prayers to be removed from the original context they are shared in: the prayer card seen above. We DO NOT grant permission for our art or prayers to be removed from this prayer card and used elsewhere, including social media posts, profiles, or profile images whether or not credit is provided in the post. We DO welcome photographs of our physical prayer card in its new home once received and would love to see this piece in use! If these photographs are shared, we ask that credit is provided and welcome being tagged when sharing.

Thank you for your understanding and respect of the hard work of your local trickster spirits!