an idea

[Quintus Aurelius Orcus]

Salvete omnes

I have a idea for this collegium. What if we have a discussion centered around a different deity each month or week.
Or we could ask what they know of Roman and Hellenic gods? Maybe we should ask the members here what they want to talk about or if they have any questions concerning anything related to religion. I'm just rambling here, but i just thought i would throw this in here and see what happens.
valete
Romulus

[Anonymous]

the 15th of February is the Lupercalia:

(excerpt courtesy of Wikipedia)

The Lupercalia was an annual Roman festival held on February 15 to honour Faunus, god of fertility and forests. Faunus was also called Lupercus, the one who wards off the wolf. 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 religious ceremonies were directed by the Luperci, the "brothers of the wolf", priests of Faunus, dressed only in a goatskin. During Lupercalia, a dog and two male goats were sacrificed. Two youths were anointed with the blood and afterwards ran round the Palatine Hill with thongs cut from the sacrificed goats in their hands. These were called Februa. Girls would line up on their route to receive lashes from these whips. This was supposed to ensure fertility. The name of the month of February is derived from the Latin februare, "to purify" (meant as one of the effects of fever, which has the same linguistic root).

In 494, the Lupercalia was replaced by Candlemas, the feast of the Purification of the Virgin.

[Anonymous]

that Faunus was the Greek Pan...and that many of the customs of the Lupercalia mirror those of the Bacchanalia (festivals of Dionysus/Bacchus)of who's entourage Pan was a member...


Taking a Mithraic approach, the belief-system could've spread as a result of such festivals being thrown and foreigners coming in to partake. Many of Pan's and Dionysus' followers were Nymphs and Satyrs, which often hailed from Sicily, Cambria and Negroponte...

The mythology could've spread from party to party, thus resulting in changes of belief and an opening of minds...

[Gnaeus Dionysius Draco]

I actually thought Lupercalia was replaced by Valentine's Day. And although Valentine's Day was originally conceived as a day of friendship and all forms of love, now it has become the day of romantic (and sexual) love, which has actually taken its closer to its original roots. The Lupercalia proved to be one of the festivities most difficult to forbid or replace in ancient Rome, I believe.

Draco

[Aulus Dionysius Mencius]

Mi Romule et alii,

I think this is a nice idea that has been put forward. Maybe those interested can start with their patron deities... There are several options, nonne?

Within a few days, I will post something about my guardian deity, Guanyin.

Untill then, I salute thee, amici

[Quintus Aurelius Orcus]

Salvete
So far i had some responses from one of our new members here on the forum. Considering it is already February, maybe we can talk about religious ceremonies and festivals during these times (both Roman and Hellenic).
The patron deities is also a good idea, but i think that the aedilles could start a different topic once the discussion(s) has started so that we can closely follow any discussion without any confusion.
valete
Romulus

[Anonymous]

...well, it said that in 494 that the Lupercalia was replaced by the Candlemas....maybe the Candlemas was replaced by St. Valentine's Day...

It seems like a logical step...


Either way we look at it, somebody's throwing a party.

[Quintus Aurelius Orcus]

Is it me or as a tradition, valentine became dispickable because its being commercially exploited?

[Anonymous]

The whole greeting card industry is like that, I think. It also takes away from the sad story that inspired St. Valentine's feast day to begin with, that of the imprisoned Saint who kept sending notes outside the tower to the love who could never write back.

However...many believe that the story of Valentine was a fabrication only to take attention away from festivals like the Lupercalia...

If that's the case, maybe the holiday is getting it's just deserts?

[Gnaeus Dionysius Draco]

The whole greeting card industry is like that, I think. It also takes away from the sad story that inspired St. Valentine's feast day to begin with, that of the imprisoned Saint who kept sending notes outside the tower to the love who could never write back.

Hey, nowadays that would be considered stalking .

Draco

[Tiberius Dionysius Draco]

Valete,

Is it me or as a tradition, valentine became dispickable because its being commercially exploited?

Well, nowadays, every holdiday has become "big bussines". Easter, thanksgiving, christmas and valentine's day isn't any different. Because of the popularity of these days, people quickly realised they could make a lot of money and that's why Valentine today is mainly about what you're going to buy, where you're going to take her/him to dinner.

It makes one wonder however, how did people celebrate Valentines day before all this, like for instance in the 19th century?

Valete,