life
A BLOODY VALENTINE
The only day where PDA and smothering your face in heart-shaped chocolates go hand in hand is Valentine’s Day. However, the celebration of this day has not always been this love-centric celebration, for the very origins of it are rather dark, twisted, and kind of bloody.
BY GIANNA STANLEY
The traditions became even more peculiar.
They would then run around the city naked.
Now, what does this have to do with Valentine’s day? Well, the twins were found by a she-wolf who lovingly cared and rescued them until they were found by some shepherds who took them in. The twins soon became powerful young men and learned of their past - which led them to kill their uncle. Subsequently, they founded a town on the site where they had been saved, but most importantly, honoured the she-wolf’s memory by naming her Lupercal. Its thought that Lupercalia took place to honour her but also to please the Roman God of fertility, Lupercus.
(a group of Roman Priests) performed these sacrifices and participated in a rather unusual aspect of this tradition. After the sacrifice, the blood would be smothered on the foreheads of two of these naked Priests using the very knife that killed the animals - weird, huh? This blood was removed with a piece of wool soaked in milk, and it was something that the Luperci found particularly comedic.
You’d think that by honouring fertility and motherly instincts, the festival of Lupercalia would centre around love and appreciation like it does today. However, the Romans just had to have their own take on it - it would not be a Roman celebration if not. The celebration began with the sacrifice of one or more male goats - a representation of sexuality - and a dog. Luperci,
Perhaps a more well-known part of the tradition because it has been seen in modern adaptations of film and TV - such as in Sabrina the Teenage Witch remake - is the random pairing of men and women who were coupled for the festival. Some couples stayed together until the next Lupercalia, some did not, and some even fell in love and married. It would be kind of a funny story to tell if you
- 4. Upon your sleeve 5. Romeo and Juliet
L
upercalia is an ancient Pagan festival that was held from the 13th to the 15th of February each year in Rome. We can trace its origins back to about the 6th century BC - long before the festival became exploited by capitalism. Romulus and Remus are the mythological twins who were the founders of Rome itself and sons of Rhea Silvia - daughter of the Alban King. The story has it that Rhea’s brother forced her to become a ‘Vestal Virgin’ in order to prevent any claims to the throne on her behalf. Nevertheless, she defied male superiority and mothered twins, whose father was the wargod Mars. Rhea’s brother learned of her defiance and ordered the twins to drown in the Tiber river. Ironically enough, he sent them to their fate as being the founders of Rome, because they floated and came to rest at the site of future Rome.
Quiz answers: 1. Are meant to be - 2. The liver - 3. Cupid 38
GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2021