Golanv Circle
Wednesday Works

Comparative Practices 102
Lupercalic Purification

Did you know, Lupercus is a Protector of Farmers, Harvesting and packs of wild animals? Every year on the 14th of February He is honored by some Paths. In Ancient times, the Romans held the Lupercalia. The method by which they did this for quite some time involved two young men of noble birth from the Luperci, Priests of Lupercus, as most Gods and Goddess had Priests and Priestesses of their temples who performed these Rites.

The two Priests of Luperci, who were naked except for the skins of goats that had been sacrificed earlier that day, ran from the Lupercal around the bounds of the Palatine, or emperor’s palace. They did this to both purify that site in a ceremony of lustration (lustratio) and, striking the women to encourage the blessing of fertility. (Reverend Richoz feels this may be a patriarchal insertion to the story. Research is ongoing.) It is said that the ‘lupercalia’ is one of the most long-lived pagan Rites, although some Paths continue to view females with only reproductive value. In 494AD,  Gelasius converted the pagan festival into the Feast of the Purification of the Virgin (Candlemas), which some of the Christian Path follow to this day.

To learn more, here is a well resourced article, and quite a read if you wish to learn more.

 ARTICLE LINK

Wednesday G23

General - Journal - Book of Shadows

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