The Noumenia was marked when the first sliver of moon was visible and was held in honor of Selene, Apollon Noumenios,[1] Hestia and the other Hellenic household Gods.
It was celebrated by a public ritual on the Acropolis and by private offerings of frankincense, flower garlands, wine, and barley cakes placed on home altars and household shrines to Hekate and Hermes, which had been freshly cleaned the day before as part of the Deipnon.
[3] The official state rituals for this day included small offerings to gods and goddesses seen as protectors of Athens, such as Athena Polias and Poseidon, but the most important was made to the guardian snake of the city.
[6] Those reviving the indigenous religions of Greece perform many of the same household religious practices and hold the Noumenia as important as their ancient counterparts.
[7] They make offerings such as incense or honey cakes to Selene, Apollon, Hestia, and their household Gods at their family altar.