February Februation!

17 February, 2020

Oh February!  What aDark Past You Have!

The Februarius Mensis, thecleansing month, so-called because of the festival Februa (see februum:“religious purification” and Februa, the Roman feast of purificationheld on 15 February) reminds us of the pagan past from which Western (andespecially Christian) civilization emerged.   (Thanks be to God!)

February takes its name from theLatin februa, meaning “religious purification,” and someans “the month of purification,” or “the cleansing month,”referring to the numerous festivals of that theme held then, especially theLupercalia.  “Februation” wouldbe a proper word for defining the sacrificial religious cleansing process involvingsacrifice of animals.

“The Lupercalia, held on the15th, was a very ancient and very popular holiday that included rituals topurify the city of Romeand bring fertility to it. The celebrations were centered on the Palatine Hill,where the twins Romulus and Remus, the legendaryfounders of Rome,were said to have originally settled. On this day a goat (or goats) and a dogwere sacrificed. From the skin of the goats were made loincloths, which werethe only clothing worn by certain groups of young men who ran the bounds of thecity carrying whips, also made from the sacrificed goats’ skin; with these theyhit the people they came across. This act was thought to not only drive awaythe bad but also to draw in the good in the form of fertility for the peopleand the city in general, and it is said that women hoping to get pregnant orlooking for an easy time in childbirth would deliberately put themselves intheir way so they could be hit. Plutarch, who lived in the 1st and 2ndcenturies CE, when the Lupercalia was in full swing, said that because theLupercalia was so heavily involved with purification the day was called februata or diesfebruata (“the day of purification”). (Incidentally in thesame passage he mentions a Greek ritual of purification called periskylakismos,in which the person to be purified was rubbed all over with puppies, apparentlybecause puppies absorb bad vibes.” (See http://www.thaliatook.com/OGOD/februtis.php)

Indeed, let us thank God for Christian civilization and let us, furthermore, strive to restore and preserve it. And let us begin by abandoning abortion.   “Blow ’em up!” as they say.