Lupercalia 2023
Lupercalia falls on February 15th and instead of buying cheap chocolates and stuffed bears you can partake in the ancient pagan holiday of fertility and purification. ‘Lupercalia’ came before the false narrative of a baby cherub shooting arrows into people’s hearts. Male priests (Luperci) would sacrifice a goat, tear the goat’s hide into strips, dip the strips into blood, and slap women with the bloody goat-hide strips while running naked in the streets as they believed it would make them more fertile.
Some sources have said that Lupercalia even predates ancient Rome! The name is linked to the wolf (lupus) and therefore their priesthood, the Luperci, would be known as the Brotherhood of the Wolf.
Naturally, Christians came along and said “NOPE!” And changed this holiday to Saint Valentine’s Day. Who tf is Saint Valentine? We have no clue, but from what I’ve found he was an early Christian martyr who was known for performing marriages among young people, and who was eventually executed by authorities for his beliefs, no one knows for sure.
Lupercalia was not a festival for the weak. There were animal sacrifices, ritualistic sex, whipping, and all sorts of debauchery! Sounds way cooler and more fun than an overpriced dinner and a movie date, don’t you think?
Want to celebrate but aren’t sure what to do?
CLEANSE: cleanse your home of unwelcome energies and sweeten up the room with beautiful bouquets and a refreshed altar.
Wear Red: not for Saint Valentine but to represent the blood, the sacrifice of the life elixir. Passion, lust, and sexuality
•White is also symbolic of milk and nourishment.
FEAST: make a big gluttonous feast for yourself, a lover, or your friends. Eat and drink until your heart is content
Red Wine: The ancient pagans were all about red wine, and be sure to clink your glasses to remove any evil spirits from them.
SEX: Explore with a partner or solo but let loose and have fun. Explore each other’s bodies and really let your imagination take over. You can also do this solo!