This rite may be performed actually or symbolically between a couple alone or in a group setting. Preparation: the chalice should be filled with wine. Altar candles should be Red. Oil - optional, Bell - optional A veil of at least a yard square is needed preferably of a Goddess color such as blue, green, silver, or white. The Coven, except for the High Priestess and High Priest, arrange themselves around the perimeter of the circle, man and woman alternately as far as possible, facing the center.

The High Priestess and High Priest stand facing each other in the center of the circle, she with her back to the altar, he with his back to the South. The High Priest kneels before the High Priestess and gives her the Five Fold Kiss, That is, he kisses her on both feet, both knees, womb, both breasts, and the lips, starting with the right of each pair. he says, as he does this:

"Blessed be thy feet, that have brought thee in these ways. Blessed be thy knees, that shall kneel at the sacred altar. Blessed be thy womb, without which we would not be. Blessed be thy breasts, formed in beauty. Blessed be thy lips, that shall utter the Sacred Names." For the kiss on the lips, they embrace, length to length, with their feet touching each others. When he reaches the womb, she spreads her arms wide, and the same after the kiss on the lips.

The High Priestess then lays herself down, face upwards, with her arms and legs outstretched to form the Pentagram. The High Priest fetches the veil and spreads it over the High Priestess's body, covering her from breasts to knees. He then kneels facing her, with his knees between her feet. The High Priest calls a Maiden by name, to bring his athame from the altar. The woman does so and stands with the athame in her hands, about a yard to the West of the High Priestess's hips and facing her. The High Priest calls a Maiden by name, to bring the chalice of wine from the altar. She does so and stands with the chalice in her hands, about a yard to the East of the High Priestess's hips and facing her. The High Priest delivers the invocation:

"Assist me to erect the ancient altar, at which in days past all worshipped; The altar of all things. For in old time, Woman was the altar. Thus was the altar made and placed, And the sacred place was the point within the center of the Circle. As we have of old been taught that the point within the center is the origin of all things, Therefore should we adore it; Therefore whom we adore we also invoke. O Circle of Stars, Whereof our father is but the younger brother, Marvel beyond imagination, soul of infinite space, Before whom time is ashamed, the mind bewildered, and the understanding dark, Not unto thee may we attain unless thine image be love. Therefore by seed and stem, root and bud, And leaf and flower and fruit do we invoke thee, O Queen of Space, O Jewel of Light, Continuous on of the heavens; Let it be ever thus That men speak not of thee as One, but as None; And let them not speak of thee at all, since thou art continuous. For thou art the point within the Circle, which we adore; The point of life, without which we would not be. And in this way truly are erected the holy twin pillars; In beauty and strength were they erected To the wonder and glory of all men."

The High Priest removes the veil from the High Priestess's body, and hands it to the Maiden , from whom he takes his athame. The High Priestess rises and kneels facing the High Priest, and takes the chalice from the Maiden . (Note that both of these handings-over are done without the customary ritual kiss. The High Priest continues the invocation:

"Altar of mysteries manifold, The sacred Circle's secret point Thus do I sign thee as of old, With kisses of my lips anoint." The High Priest kisses the High Priestess on the lips, and continues: "Open for me the secret way, The pathway of intelligence, Beyond the gates of night and day, Beyond the bounds of time and sense. Behold the mystery aright The five true points of fellowship" The High Priestess holds up the chalice, and the High Priest lowers the point of his athame into the wine. Both use both of their hands for this. The High Priest continues: "Here where Lance and Grail unite, And feet, and knees, and breast, and lip." The High Priest hands his athame to the Maiden  and then places both his hands round those of the High Priestess as she holds the chalice. He kisses her, and she sips the wine; she kisses him, and he sips the wine. Both of them keep their hands around the chalice while they do this. The High Priest then takes the chalice from the High Priestess   At this point, if a Full Non-symbolic and Actual Great Rite is to be performed, such as during handfast or consenting advanced initiation, the coven members will leave the Priest and Priestess in private. When the Rite is consumated between them, they will ring a bell to call the coven members back to the circle and the ritual will continue as below. If the Great Rite being performed is Symbolic only, the Priest and Priestess will continue as below with no interruption. The High Priest then carries the chalice to a woman in the circle, kisses her and gives her a sip. The woman in turn takes the cup and the cup is passed around the circle with a kiss each time as the cup is exchanged until the entire circle has sipped. Chalice may be refilled if necessary. Chalice is replaced on the altar. The High Priest now takes the cakes and theHigh Priestess   pulls her athame. The High Priest kneels before her holding up the dish the High Priestess draws the Invoking Pentacle of Earth in the air above the plate while the The High Priest  says:  "O Queen most secret, bless this food into our bodies; bestowing health, wealth, strength, joy and peace, and that fulfillment of love that is perfect happiness." High Priestess sheaths her athame, takes the plate and passes the cakes to a male coven member with a kiss and the plate is passed in the manner of the chalice. When all have partaken, and offering of wine and cake is made to the Gods. High Priestess -  Many blessings be upon your footsteps, and may the light of the God's faces shine upon you. Go in peace, may we meet again in the unity and spirit of friendship. As we part from this circle, walking again with mortals in our everyday world, let us each take part of this special time and place with us. May the winds of Air, Fire, Water and Earth be ever with you. We are part of the greater circle and the Community of the Wicca, together we are strong and the magick of life lives within us. Circle Merry Meet, Merry Part, Merry Meet Again.

Within Wicca sex (consensual and in private) is sometimes used within ritual; when it is used, sex in ritual has several roles: raising energy, expressing love as a sacrament, reflecting the Divine nature of ourselves and manifesting the Mystery of the Great Rite.  In this the Great Rite is only one of a number of roles that sex can have - however, although the Great Rite involves sexual symbolism, all sex in ritual is not the Great Rite

The ritual focus of the Great Rite may be the union and integration of the inner selves,  but it's physical and magickal expression is through the union of the polar energies. It is the opening of the gateway to the womb of the Goddess that the Self may be reborn - and we are all born of sexual union. As such the ritual must involve the union of the yoni"womb"  and the lingam "penis"  either in actual or token. Anything else will not embody the relevant Mystery and therefore is not the Great Rite by Wiccan definition. To quote from another in our Tradition: "If you're Sword fighting or clinking Chalices, it just ain't gonna work" If you are going to perform the Ritual in actual (i.e. through sex rather than through the symbolism of Chalice and Blade) then, unfortunately, any other form of sex than the union of phalus "penis" and womb is not The Great Rite. To be specific: anal or oral sex will not embody the Mystery BUT by definition the reverse is also true: a Great Rite performed symbolically with the Chalice/Cauldron and Athame/Wand IS a Great Rite -  (just as long as they can draw upon the relevant cross-polarity energies). It may not be "Orthodox" but it will still manifest the Mystery.

The Goddess says: "All acts of love and pleasure are my rituals" - as in all other rituals, the gender of the participants is not as important as their meeting in Perfect Love and Perfect Trust. After all, Aphrodite is a Goddess of love and governs all unions, not just Heterosexual ones. Whether it be in the name or Aphrodite, Diana or Pan, sex before the Lord and Lady - both in private and within a ritual space - can be both a celebration and a sacrament: a celebration of our shared carnality and the pleasure that the Gods have endowed us with, and a sacrament of our love for each other as sacrifice and Blessing from the Goddess "who ever inclines towards merriment"... It may not be "Orthodox Craft", but it is still acceptable to the Gods. The final role of sex within ritual - that of sex being a way to experientially understand the Deity within ourselves: of seeking a kind of validation of our sexuality