This should be a glorious time for the few thousand members of the Committee for the Hellenic Religion of the Dodecatheon - meaning the 12 main gods of Mount Olympus. The Olympics were a central festival of worship and Hellenic culture across the ancient, Mediterranean world. And now the games are back where they started nearly 2,800 years ago.
But many of those who keep the old customs alive are sitting this one out. "It's a parody," Marinis complained.
The corporate sponsorship alone is enough to make them wince. But what's really soured them to the Olympic homecoming are the two big-footed 2004 mascots: Athena and Phevos.
They can cope with the smiling figures, inspired by a 7th century B.C. terra cotta doll. It's the names they hate. Athena was the goddess of wisdom and protector of Athens. Phevos is another name used for Apollo, the god of light and music. "It's insulting," said Apostolos Amyras, publisher of the monthly Hellenic Religion magazine, which promotes the mysticism of antiquity. "They took the names of two of our gods and they demeaned them."
Two years ago, the mascots were taken to court. A lawsuit filed by Marinis and supporters - calling themselves the Greek Society of the Friends of the Ancients - sought a ban on the figures and $3.6 million in damages. No date has been set for a hearing. "It would be like presenting Jesus Christ not with seriousness ... but with a suit and tie," the lawsuit said.
Actually, the games do more than most school books to showcase the traditions of ancient Greece. Every two years, the flame is lit in front of the Temple of Hera in Ancient Olympia by actresses dressed as pagan priestesses. The ceremony includes a prayer by the high priestess: "Apollo, god of the sun and the idea of light, send your rays and light the sacred torch."
On Wednesday, the shot put was held in the stadium at Ancient Olympia. Before the entry of the first Olympians in more than 1,600 years, an announcer asked for a moment of silence to soak in the "mystical power" of the wooded valley. "Sure, they call attention to the ancient links to the games," Marinis said. "The problem is we get none of that respect."
Don't think togas and burnt offerings. The followers of the ancients try to combine an environmental ethos with the ideas of ancient Greek philosophers.
They gather for discussions in living rooms and coffee houses. What they want is a state-approved temple to conduct rites and perform ceremonies such as marriages and entry into adulthood.
Greece's archaeological commission has repeatedly refused access to ancient sites for such rituals. The request for a new temple remains stalled. Marinis and others blame the powerful Greek Orthodox Church for blocking the petition. "They are making a big deal about the Olympics," Marinis said. "But they refuse to truly recognize the culture that gave birth to them."
