|
The Lupercalia was an annual Roman
festival held on February 15 to honour Faunus, god of fertility and forests.
Justin Martyr identified Faunus as Lupercus, 'the one who wards off the wolf',
but his identification is not supported by any earlier classical sources.
The festival was celebrated near the cave of Lupercal on the Palatine (one of
the seven Roman hills), to expiate and purify new life in the Spring. This
festival's origins are older than the founding of Rome.
The name of the month of February is derived from the Latin februare, "to
purify").
Source:
Wikipedia.org
|
