Palenville = Paganville

So sayeth Dick May in his latest Greene County roundup:

Paganism evidently is alive and growing in GreeneLand. It is practiced with special fervor in Palenville, in a three-acre grove and a venerable 18-bedroom former inn (Central House) that houses the Maetreum of Cybele Women’s Spirituality Centre, worldwide home of the Cybeline Priestesshood.

The Palenville priestesses are already looking forward to August 28, the date of a planned Pagan Pride Day in the town. Local pagans interested in helping plan the festivities, take note: An organizational meeting will be held at the Maetreum on April 24th.

From the Cybeline Priestesses' website:

We re-introduced to the world a model for Pagan Monasticism.  We've recovered long believed lost principles, our drumming patterns, ritual practices and corrected history.  The world centre of our Religion is in the Catskill Mountains of upstate New York at the foot of the Kaaterskill Clove.  Unlike many neo-Pagan groups, we have a "horizontal" organization, our Priestesses all considered equals but also expected to live our religion, dedicate themselves to a live of charitable works and ministry to others according to their strengths.  We welcome all to our services and to visit our first Phrygianum of the modern era.  We do not require anyone to renounce anything to join us.

Photo posted under a Creative Commons license by Flickr user Catskills Grrl.