Lupercalia

Feb 14

As a fertility rite, the festival was also associated with Faunus (God of the Wild), along with other deities such as Lupercus and Inuus (Gods of Shepherds), Februus (God of Purification), and Juno (Goddess of Marriage).

Plutarch, a Greek philosopher and historian, is one of the few ancient writers to describe Lupercalia in detail. He emphasizing its themes of purification and renewal. He noted that the month February, in which the festival was held, was traditionally seen as a time of cleansing and atonement, making Lupercalia a significant ritual for warding off misfortune.

Over time, the festival became more closely associated with the well-being of the Roman state, ensuring protection from plagues, famine, war, and other misfortunes.

A Little History:

Lupercalia was one of Rome’s longest-lasting festivals. Some scholars believe it predates the founding of Rome itself and was celebrated well into the late 5th century AD. After Christianity became the dominant religion of the Roman Empire, the festival endured despite efforts to suppress it. It survived the Theodosian Prohibitions by more than 100 years. The celebrations were so loved that Lupercalia even survived after the Western Roman Empire fell.

It wasn’t until 495 AD that Pope Gelasius abolished Lupercalia, condemning its excesses—particularly the nudity and drunken revelry—and replaced it with the Feast of the Purification of the Virgin Mary.

However, the spirit of Lupercalia continued in different forms, influencing later traditions of love and courtship.

So, Was Valentine’s Day Created To Replace Lupercalia?

The idea that Valentine’s Day was established to "Christianize" Lupercalia, has been widely debated due to lack of historical evidence. The first recorded instances of Valentine’s Day as a romantic occasion occur in the 15th century which is centuries after Lupercalia. However, there are undeniable similarities:

Timing - Lupercalia February 15, Valentine’s Day February 14
Themes – love, fertility, renewal, human connection
Matchmaking – Though historically questionable, it is believed that Lupercalia included people pairing together for the festival, sometimes leading to relationships or marriage. This mirrors later Valentine’s traditions of romantic pairing, a holiday where many couples become engaged.

John W. Hales, in one of the most thorough analyses of Valentine’s Day, noted that Lupercalia never involved matchmaking or a lottery. The first recorded references to a Valentine’s Day lottery of lovers appear in 15th-century poems by Lydgate and Charles d’Orleans. The only known attempt to replace this practice with a saint-based lottery was made by St. Francis de Sales in 1603.

A more complex version of this theory, linking Lupercalia, St. Valentine, and Geoffrey Chaucer, was proposed by Alfred L. Kellogg and Robert C. Cox. They suggested that when Pope Gelasius I abolished Lupercalia in 495 AD, he replaced it with the Feast of the Purification of the Virgin (Candlemas) on February 14. When Candlemas was later moved to February 2, Valentine somehow inherited associations with fertility and purification.

While the assumption that Valentine’s Day replaced Lupercalia is fair since there are other instances where Christian holidays were created to replaced and erase Pagan celebrations, it remains unknown.

How Was Lupercalia Celebrated?

While Lupercalia was an intense and, albeit, wild festival, it wasn’t just sacrifices, sex, wolves, & whips. Yes, it was a celebration that involved blood sacrifices and goat hide whips, but this was ancient Rome. The purpose of these rituals was for purification and fertility rites, and so much more.

Sacrifice of Goats and a Dog – The ceremony began with the sacrifice of goats, symbolizing fertility, and a dog, possibly representing purification.
Blood Ritual – Two noble-born boys were brought before the sacrificed animals, and a priest would smear their foreheads with blood from the blade before wiping it away with wool dipped in milk. The boys were then required to laugh, signifying the joyous nature of the festival.
Running Through the Streets – The Luperci priests would cut the goat hides into strips, fashioning them into thongs. Nearly naked except for a small girdle, they would run through the streets of Rome, striking people—especially women—with these leather thongs. Roman women eagerly sought out these blows, believing they would ensure fertility and ease childbirth.
Matchmaking (and even Romance) – Some accounts suggest that a matchmaking lottery was part of Lupercalia. Unmarried men and women would draw names from a jar and become paired for the festival, sometimes leading to long-term relationships or even marriage. While this aspect is widely circulated, historical evidence for it is scarce.

Celebrate Lupercalia Your Way:

While Lupercalia is not officially observed or celebrated in its original way, many people today find creative ways to embrace its spirit:

Dinner Party – Organize a feast featuring Roman-inspired dishes and drinks, including foods that symbolize abundance and fertility. Put every guest’s name into a hat and do a “Secret Santa” inspired gift exchange with handmade gifts.
Handmade Gifts – Rather than traditional Valentine’s Day presents of grocery store flowers and chocolates, exchange handmade or symbolic gifts that represent love, renewal, or fertility. Gifts like: spell jars, herbs, jewelry with a wolf pendant, write a love poem, books of poetry, red and/or pink candles, a dried floral arrangement instead of fresh flowers.
Connect with Nature – Since Lupercalia was associated with the arrival of spring, take a longer-than-normal walk, have a picnic, create art outdoors to celebrate the changing seasons.
Perform a Cleansing Ritual – Engage in a personal purification practice such as meditation, a ritual bath, or even a symbolic "letting go" ceremony.
Wolf Symbolism – Given its connection to Lupa, try incorporating wolf imagery or engaging in activities tied to strength and resilience. Gather your closest friends and/or family for a “wolf pack” hang out and howl at the moon. Or honor the unconditional motherly love of the she-wolf with gifts to mothers.

Lupercalia remains one of the most intriguing ancient festivals, blending fertility rites, purification practices, and civic traditions. Whether you’re looking to honor its history or simply find a unique way to celebrate love and renewal, there are plenty of ways to bring the essence of Lupercalia into modern life!

Whatever you celebrate, do it for yourself—what feels right for you, your partner, your loved ones. Embrace what feels magical and meaningful to you, and create traditions that make sense for your journey.