Ancient Calendar & Pagan Holidays for February 15, 16, 17

February 15th

In Rome we will be celebrating Lupercalia —a festival in honor of Faunus, a Roman aspect of Pan. The festival revolved around purifying the New Year and Fertility magic.

 

Today is sacred to the Norse hero named Sigfrid—who slaughtered Fafner—a mighty dragon.

The story goes something like this….

Sigfred was tricked into killing the dragon by Regin. When the dragon was dying, he told Sigfrid a valuable dragon secret. He said that his blood—the sacred blood of the dragon would allow him to understand the words and language spoken by birds. So, partaking in his blood, Sigfrid understood what the birds were singing about—whispering the treacherous secret that Regin tricked him into killing the Dragon.

So that night, Sigfred drank Regin’s blood while chomping over a fine and hearty dish of Fafner’s heart. Gotta love those Norse.

 

February 16th

Today the Romans will celebrate their Goddess Victoria and Nice.

The Greeks will be throwing a festival in honor of Aphrodite.

And in the year 1509, a man by the name Cornelius Agrippa finished De Occulta Philosophia—one of three books based on Occult Philosophy—in which he gave to Johannes Trithemius.

 

February 17th

Today is the Roman festival Fornicalia—a thanksgiving or corn harvest.

The Celtic Tree Month of Luis ends.

Ancient Calendar & Pagan Holidays for February 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th

February 11th

On this day, in the year 1858, the haunting image of Our Lady at Lourdes suddenly appeared in a grotto keeping the shrine of the Goddess for many, many centuries. After the apparition and even before, the spring there has been a place people have gathered to gain healing and or special prayer.

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In many ancient cultures, today was actually the Lunar New Year or New Year’s day.

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In Abydos Egypt, today will be the Feast of Osiris. (Urban Paganism)

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February 12th

Today marks the holy day of Artemis, also known as Diana. (Urban Paganism)

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In some Ancient cultures, today was actually their sacred Imbolc.

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Today symbolizes the good devouring the darkness as the Runic-Half Month of Sigel begins.

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February 13th

For the next eight days, Parentalia—a huge festival in Rome, will be running. This Festival is for the dead as the spirits of our parents are honored throughout the week. The Romans connected this festival with the Manes—who were dead, and immortal, but not gods. Now in the spirit of Urban Paganism—in many Roman cities there existed a vast, huge pit covered up by one huge stone. Inside this pit, was the path into the Underworld—the path of the Manes.

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Old Leap Years Day—in many ancient calendars.

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Today in Egypt, there is another feast of Osiris, only this time the feast will be held in Busiris.

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Welsh Culture gives us a festival called Gwyl o Don a Cerunnos—held for the Goddess mother Don and the honored God of the forest Cerunnos. The Festival will begin at sundown and will not end until sundown on February 21.

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February 14th

 

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!!!!!!!!

In Rome, today is sacred to Juno Februa—their Goddess of Looooooooooooooove! Before dreaming, a girl should decorate her pillow with five bay leafs—this will let her dream of her lover. Others should wear a yellow crocus which is believed to attract their true love.

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The Norse will be celebrating Valisblot –a feast for Vali—during which the light triumphs over darkness. Vali was the son of Odin and Rind.

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Ancient Calendar & Pagan Holidays for February 1, 2, 3

HAPPY PAGAN HOLIDAYS!!!! Seems we have the first of the month so let’s dig in and see what we have, shall we?

Art by : Neil Geddes Ward

February 

Today is the wonderful festival of Imbolc or sometimes known as Brigantia. Imbolc & Brigantia has Irish meaning. Imbolc means in the belly in reference to the EWES & pregnancy, while Brigantia, otherwise known as Brigit is the Celtic Goddess of women & childbirth, weathering seasons, doctors/healers, poets, smiths (blacksmiths), etc.

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Something in Greece is stirring today…something known as the LESSER Eleusinian Mysteries. Just by the name, it has me interested. *winks* These mysteries are dedicated to Demeter and her daughter Persephone. Now don’t let the term LESSER confuse you either because it just so happened that these celebration were the most sacred of all rites to those in Greece.

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Today is also Cross-Quarter Day and the Kalends of February.

February 2 

Ground Hog day to some parts of OUR world. Will we have 6 more weeks of winter or a soon return of Spring?

Now, Romans hold the Goddess Juno rather high, so there is no surprise that today is a Festival called Juno Februa. She is the wife of Jupiter and worshipped strongly by women.

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In England ,or mostly Northern parts, something called Wives Feast Day took place.

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The Norse gave a fertility festival today called Barri. It is to honor Gerd, who gave something very sacred to Frey, virginity, in hoped that it would ensure coming seasons and crops. In old Norse tongue, ‘barri’ means ‘grain field’.

February 3 

Good-bye Lesser Eleusinian Mysteries as Greeks bring your sacred rituals to a close.

But hello to the Goddess Brigantia, or Bride, or Brigit for today is a formal celebration making the anticipation and return of life—spring.

Resources: Pagan Daybook, Wikipedia

Paganism: The Month of February

Thee Romans had something called Juno Februa.

Interestingly enough, the term Februa is where February was said to derive from. The entire festival of Juno Februa was based on purification. In fact the root of the word Februo meant purification by way of sacrifice or rather ‘I purify by sacrifice.’

 

February is known as the time of the ‘ice moon’. Also known as a time to gain personal healing by items such as amethyst or of white, and bluish-violet items. February is sacred to women—not only is it a time preparing for the rebirth of the land, but of future generations, spirituality, etc.

According to some Native American Tribes, February was known as the Hunger Moon since the heaviest snows fell making hunting hard. To other tribes, it was known as Full Snow Moon.

February represents the House of Aquarius (January 20—February 19) 11th sign

and the House of Pisces (February 20—March 20) 12th sign

 

Stay tuned for two more articles coming up explaining the Paganism concerning Valentine’s Day and Ground Hog’s day.