When is lupercalia celebrated

For instance, Gelasius indicated that by the 5th century lower classes were the runners, whereas important figures like Mark Antony participated in earlier events. Many pop culture websites and books declare that Pope Gelasius replaced Lupercalia with a festival dedicated to St.

Valentine of Rome or possibly of Terni—the figure is mysterious who had his feast day on February But as British author Mark Forsyth once observed , "It is vitally important when writing about traditions to remember that there are only days in the year Overlap is not significance.

Valentine of Genoa, whose feast day occurred on May 2 or May 3 sources differ , instead of Valentine of Rome. This is especially relevant because King Richard II and Anne of Bohemia concluded their marriage treaty on May 2, meaning Chaucer may have chosen Valentine by just picking out a random saint whose day fell on the correct day in May.

Over the years, the association with May weakened and the day migrated to the more famous Valentine of Rome. Other scholars objected, pointing out that there are many references to fertility rites and festivals in February—such as Lupercalia—and that Chaucer may have been discussing the more famous Valentine of Rome and February One would like an answer just because one doesn't like unanswered questions, but it's not clear that much hangs on it.

One thing is clear: Today, whether you celebrate Lupercalia or St. Valentine of Genoa in May, it's best leave out the goat sacrifices and running naked through the streets. BY Austin Thompson. Lupercalia featured odd sacrifices. Whippings were also on the Lupercalia menu. The other pieces of the skins they cut into thongs, and holding them in their hands they ran through the streets of the city, touching or striking with them all persons whom they met in their way, and especially women, who even used to come forward voluntarily for the purpose, since they believed that this ceremony rendered them fruitful, and procured them an easy delivery in childbearing.

The goat-skin itself was called februum , the festive day dies februata , the month in which it occurred Februarius , and the god himself Februus.

Festus s. Crepos says that the Luperci were also called crepi or creppi , from their striking with goatskins a crepitu pellicularum , but it is more probable that the name crepi was derived from crepa , which was the ancient name for goat Fest.

The festival of the Lupercalia , though it necessarily lost its original import at the time when the Romans were no longer a nation of shepherds, was yet always observed in commemoration of the founders of the city. Antonius, in his consulship, was one of the Luperci , and not only ran with them half-naked and covered with pieces of goat-skin through the city, but even addressed the people in the forum in this rude attire Plut.

After the time of Caesar, however, the Lupercalia seem to have been neglected, for Augustus is said to have restored it Suet. The festival was henceforth celebrated regularly down to the time of the emperor Anastasius. Lupercalia were also celebrated in other towns of Italy and Gaul, for Luperci are mentioned in inscriptions of Velitrae, Praeneste, Nemausus, and other places Orelli, Inscr. Luperci ; and Hartung, Die Relig.

Thayer's Notes: a The article on this page is of necessity very summary. If you want to get a bead on the Lupercalia you could do much worse than start with a book on them running just over a hundred pages: The Lupercalia , by A. Any actual god s in whose honor the Lupercalia might have been kept are uncertain. That the two occasionally get equated seems rather to be an indication of late 20c mentality, according to which a lovers' festival must necessarily derive from the titillations of ancient fertility and flagellation by goats.

More to the point, there is not the slightest shred of historical evidence for the connection. It was called Lupercalia, and it occurred on February 15 each year in ancient Rome. Instead of flowers and chocolates, the festival was marked by more ominous rituals. What is known about Lupercalia is that it started with an act of sacrifice. Priests of the god Lupercus, called the Luperci, would take off their clothes and slaughter goats in the Lupercal , the cave that Roman legend held to have been the location where city founders Romulus and Remus were nursed by a wolf.

Nor is there conclusive evidence that the date of Lupercalia influenced Pope Gelasius I when, in the 5th century, he made February 14 into a day that would honor the Christian martyr Saint Valentine.