We usually associate mid-February with flowers, overpriced chocolates, and an unholy amount of PDA. But for the ancient Romans, it was the hour for ritualistic hedonism, purification, and animal sacrifice.
Lupercalia was an annual Roman pagan festival, historically observed between the 13th and 15th of February. Spring was emerging, and they used this time to ward off evil spirits to make way for health and fertility. It was also when Lupercus, the god and protector of shepherds, was honoured.
According to mythology, the god Mars had twin sons, Romulus and Remus. However, King Amulius, who ruled the land, perceived the brothers as a threat and exiled them from their home. Although they were left to die, they were later discovered in a cave, suckling on a she-wolf named Lupa. Romulus and Remus later went on to become the founders of Rome.
The Lupercalia celebrations began at the very cave the brothers were found in, known as the Lupercal. Two appointed priests from the brotherhood, known as Luperci would perform a purification ritual, and it involved sacrificing a goat, which represented sexuality, and two dogs. It was then tradition for the Luperci to wipe their faces with the blood, create thongs from the sacrificial skins, and run through the city streets naked, whipping women into fertility.
Historian Kremiser Vuvokiv, who has studied Lupercalia, notes the symbolic nature of the ritual: “If you were struck, it was considered that you would give birth to more children.”
As fertility was a strong aspect in Lupercalia, so was the act of sex. Unearthed artwork has shown women being stripped during the whipping, suggesting to the sexually charged nature of the festival. And with the undoubtedly wild parties also happening, it was hedonism at its finest.
Despite what sources may suggest, links between this ancient festival and contemporary celebrations are largely disputed. In the past, sources have alluded to a matchmaking ceremony that took place during Lupercalia, but historians like Vuvokiv have attributed this supposed ritual to the works of poets who began associating romantic love with St. Valentine’s Day. A poem called “Parliament of Fowls'', written by Geoffrey Chaucer sometime between 1425 and 1475, describes a scene in which a bird seeks for their mate on 'seynt valentynes day'. Later it became the grounds for the possible link between the two celebrations. But without it, there’s nothing to prove that the two celebrations are the same.
The contemporary Valentine's Day is the result of folklore and changing associations, so we can’t be certain that Lupercalia is the original version of the celebration. It seems that the two share no more than a calendar date, which was commonly done during the first rule of Christianity. Pagan holidays were often replaced with Christian ones, such as Yule becoming Christmas, or Ostara becoming Easter. Archaic traditions were overridden and moulded to fit the new beliefs of the people.
And whilst it’s now frowned upon to sacrifice animals in the name of Lupercus, the welcoming of spring, fertility and health are still emulated in contemporary celebrations. The last known celebration of Lupercalia in Rome was recorded at the end of the 5th century, but neo-pagans have revived it, adapting it to fit within modern times. Spring cleaning has become a popular activity, similar to that of the Gaelic pagan holiday Imbolc, as well as purification rituals that don’t involve blood.
And of course, there’s no harm done in engaging with the sexual aspects of the celebration, as long as it’s consensual and ethical!