Lupercalia

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Lupercalia

Lupercalia , ancient Roman festival held annually on Feb. 15. The ceremony of the festival was intended to secure fertility and keep out evil. Two male youths, clad in animal skin, ran around the city slapping passersby with strips of goat skin. Because the youths impersonated male goats (the embodiment of sexuality), the ceremony was believed to be in honor of Faunus . The festival survived into Christian times and was not abolished until the end of the 5th cent.

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Lupercalia

The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable | 2006 | | Â© The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable 2006, originally published by Oxford University Press 2006. (Hide copyright information) Copyright

Lupercalia an ancient Roman festival of purification and fertility, held annually on 15 February. Chosen celebrants, wearing the skins of sacrificed animals, ran through the streets, and for a woman to be struck by one of them was to increase her fertility.

The festival was held in honour of Lupercus, the equivalent of the Greek god Pan. It is likely that his name is connected with lupus ‘wolf’, and that he was seen as a protector of flocks from wolves.

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ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "Lupercalia." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. Oxford University Press. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 5 Jul. 2009 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "Lupercalia." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. Oxford University Press. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (July 5, 2009). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-Lupercalia.html

ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "Lupercalia." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. Oxford University Press. 2006. Retrieved July 05, 2009 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-Lupercalia.html

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Free newspaper and magazine articles

	Let's give the holidays back to the pagans.(ARTS & CULTURE)(Brief Article) Magazine article from: Catholic New Times; 1/15/2006
	Passion for your profession.(PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE) Magazine article from: AORN Journal; 2/1/2007
	Valentine seed was planted in ancient times.(LIVING) Newspaper article from: Telegram & Gazette (Worcester, MA); 2/14/2008

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	Let's give the holidays back to the pagans.(ARTS & CULTURE)(Brief Article) Magazine article from: Catholic New Times; 1/15/2006; ; 246 words ; ...it tried to convert the Roman feast of the Saturnalia (or Lupercalia as it was also called) into the celebration of the birthday...holidays back to the pagans, we Could wish one another a Festive Lupercalia or even a Fertile Saturnalia. The tree could revert to its... Read more
	Passion for your profession.(PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE) Magazine article from: AORN Journal; 2/1/2007; ; 700+ words ; ...that dates back to ancient Roman history and the festival of Lupercalia, which was celebrated on Feb 15. For 800 years, the Romans had dedicated this day to the god Lupercus. On Lupercalia, a young man would draw the name of a young woman in a lottery... Read more
	Valentine seed was planted in ancient times.(LIVING) Newspaper article from: Telegram & Gazette (Worcester, MA); 2/14/2008; 563 words ; ...move dates around, the occasion was formalized by the name Lupercalia, which combined elements of Bacchus, June, Pan and Lupercus...do remain in vogue. Name the day as you will - Februatio or Lupercalia, St. Valentine's Day or Singles Awareness Day - do observe... Read more
	Livers and lovers: there is more to love than palpitation and procreation. Magazine article from: Presbyterian Record; 2/1/1998; ; 698 words ; ...find is that he -- or they -- is lost in legend and his identity is confused with customs surrounding the pagan festival of Lupercalia. I'm prepared to give up this search. The search for the meaning of love is also difficult. Look up love in a dictionary and... Read more
	SUPERSTITION: Brian looks behind our strange customs. Newspaper article from: Peterborough Evening Telegraph (Peterborough, England); 2/3/2006; 700+ words ; ...Valentine's Day was introduced to replace the Roman festival of Lupercalia, which relates to the wolves which were associated with Rome...Romulus and Remus, were supposedly suckled by a wolf). During Lupercalia, men in Rome would run around the streets in the skin of sacrificed... Read more
	Warming up winter sales: There are extra profit opportunities for retailers when merchandising winter drinks and the spirits used to make them. Magazine article from: Beverage Dynamics; 1/1/2002; ; 700+ words ; ...one of his guards, and signed it love from our Valentine. Valentine's name was quickly linked to the romantic festival of Lupercalia (god of fertility), which closely followed his death. Two centuries later, Valentine was declared a saint, and February 14th... Read more
	The appeal of winter drinks: There are extra profit opportunities when merchandising winter drinks and the spirits used to make them. Magazine article from: StateWays; 1/1/2002; ; 700+ words ; ...one of his guards, and signed it love from our Valentine. Valentine's name was quickly linked to the romantic festival of Lupercalia (god of fertility), which closely followed his death. Two centuries later, Valentine was declared a saint, and February 14th... Read more