 The Lesser Mysteries took place in the month of Anthesteria – the eight month of the Attic calendar, falling in mid winter around February or March – under the direction of Athens' "archon basileus".In order to qualify for initiation, participants would sacrifice a piglet to Demeter and Persephone, and then ritually purify themselves in the river Illisos.Upon completion of the Lesser Mysteries, participants were deemed "mystai" ("initiates") worthy of witnessing the Greater Mysteries.