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Charilaea

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

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in Greek religious usage, was an annual festival. .At Delphi a threatening famine had broken out, during which Charila, a poor orphan, came to-'the king and begged for bread. As the king had already distributed all he had, he in an angry mood, threw his shoe at the girl, upon which she hung herself in despair. But the misery became still greater, for infectious diseases made their appearance. Hereupon the Pythian priestess was sought for advice; her answer was that the plague would only subside when sacrifices of atonement should be offered to the shade of the murdered girl.' This was done, and the evil disappeared. After that time these festivities were repeated every nine years, in which the king took the lead, distributing provisions to natives and strangers, and finally threw some at the image of Charila, together with his shoe, after which he had the figure buried with a rope around its neck.