RESTORING A PEOPLE, REBUILDING A NATION
Romans celebrated the evening of February 13th-15th as an idolatrous and Centaurus festival named Lupercalia, this was a very ancient pastoral festival observed to avert evil spirits and purify the city. Lupercalia subsumed Febura, an earlier-origin spring cleansing ritual held on the same date, which gives the month of February (Februarius) its name. The festival Lupercalia was named in honor of the god of fertility Lupercus). Lupercus was the god of the woodlands and pastorals. In ancient Rome when wolves were a great menace, they believed that the god named Lupercus, corresponding to the Greeks half human and half goat god named Pan, that Pan kept wolves away. So, in his honor there was a festival called Lupercalia. In this time young people drew lots for game partners for the year. When crowds of participants would gather to celebrate this festival the priest of Lupercu would dress themselves in goats skin and run through the crowds striking ones they encountered with goat skin thongs. This was believed to ensure fertility and an easy delivery of childbirth. Later a priest in Rome whose name was St. Valentine was killed around 270 A.D. canonized and made a saint of the Church of Rome. His feast day was established on February 14th by the Church of Rome. The combination of February 14th and 15th became one in the same and celebrated in the church. When Christianity became prevalent the priest wanted their converts to give up former heathen practices. Therefore the officials Christianized the ancient pagan celebration and called the feast day of Lupercalia, St. Valentine Day.
Today we see these same fertility rights that the ancients worshiped are still active in the lives of people today. Both in ancient time of today we see cute little cupids flying with their bows and arrows in search of boys and girls, men and women to pierce their hearts with arrows of love. The cupid was one the gods of mythology, who's name in Latin means "Desire". The symbol of the heart pierced with an arrow was used as the symbol of conjunction. In other words, Lust and Sexual desire. So is there any wonder why St. Valentine Day is the day of lovers. The heart of the symbol love was used in ancient Babylon time and even long ago in ancient Egypt where a sacred heart was venerated. In 494 A.D. Bishop Galacius replaces Lupercalia with the feast of the purification of the virgin held on the same day. Is it any wonder why this day is now so well-known and celebrated? In whose honor is this day really held? Yes, the Christians missionaries took each pagan festival and venerated them with Christian respectability by simply changing their names. That's why today we have St. Valentine’s Day rather than the name Lupercalia the festival of the purification of the great mother, "Mystery Babylon". Come out of Deception.
The story of Lupercalia, begins before Rome was even Rome. It is the story of Romulus and Remus, they were twin babies in a basket, who were placed in the Tiber. They were washed up at the site of seven green hills (of Rome). They were found at the side of the river by a mother wolf, and they were suckled and raised by her, saving them from certain death.
Ancient Roman bronze statue of Romulus and Remus suckling the she wolf, Capitol Museum, Rome
The Lupercalian Festival in Rome (ca. 1578–1610), drawing by the circle of Adam Elsheimer, showing the Luperci dressed as dogs and goats, with Cupid and personifications of fertility.
