🔥 Februalia: A Time of Purification & The Parentalia Festival 🔥 (Patreon)

Let’s learn about Februalia and Parentalia from Patti Wigington of Learn Religions.

The ancient Romans had a festival for nearly everything, and if you were a god, you almost always got your own holiday. Februus, for whom the month of February is named, was a god associated with both death and purification. In some writings, Februus is considered the same god as Faun, because their holidays were celebrated so closely together.

Did You Know?

• February was dedicated to Februus, and it was the month in which Rome was purified by making offerings and sacrifices to the gods of the dead.
• The Februalia was a month-long period of sacrifice and atonement, involving offerings to the gods, prayer, and sacrifices.
• Because of the association with fire as a method of purification, Februalia eventually became associated with Vesta, a hearth goddess.

Understanding the Roman Calendar

The festival known as Februalia was held near the end of the Roman calendar year–and to understand how the holiday changed over time, it helps a bit to know the calendar's history. Originally, the Roman year had only ten months–they counted out ten months between March and December, and basically disregarded the "dead months" of January and February. Later, the Etruscans came along and added these two months back into the equation. In fact, they planned to make January the first month, but the expulsion of the Etruscan dynasty prevented this from happening, and so March 1st was considered the first day of the year. February was dedicated to Februus, a god not unlike Dis or Pluto, because it was the month in which Rome was purified by making offerings and sacrifices to the gods of the dead.

Vesta, the Hearth Goddess

Because of the association with fire as a method of purification, at some point the celebration of Februalia became associated with Vesta, a hearth goddess much like the Celtic Brighid. Not only that, February 2 is also considered the day of Juno Februa, the mother of war god Mars. There is a reference to this purification holiday in Ovid's Fasti, in which he says,

"In short, anything used to cleanse our bodies went by that name [of februa] in the time of our unshorn forefathers. The month is called after these things, because the Luperci purify the whole ground with strips of hide, which are their instruments of cleansing..."

Cicero wrote that the name Vesta comes from the Greeks, who called her Hestia. Because her power extended over altars and hearths, all prayers and all sacrifices ended with Vesta.

Februalia was a month-long period of sacrifice and atonement, involving offerings to the gods, prayer, and sacrifices. If you were a wealthy Roman who didn't have to go out and work, you could literally spend the entire month of February in prayer and meditation, atoning for your misdeeds during the other eleven months of the year.

Celebrating Februalia Today

If you're a modern Pagan who would like to observe Februalia as part of your spiritual journey, there are a number of ways you can do so. Consider this a time of purging and cleansing–do a thorough pre-Spring cleaning, where you get rid of all of the things that no longer bring you joy and happiness. Take an "out with the old, in with the new" approach, and eliminate the excess stuff that's cluttering your life, both physically and emotionally.

If you're someone who has a hard time letting go of things, rather than just throwing stuff out, rehome it to friends who will show it some love. This is a good way to eliminate clothes that no longer fit, books you don't plan to read again, or household goods that don't do anything but gather dust.

You can also take some time to honor the goddess Vesta in her role as a deity of home, hearth, and domestic life as a way of celebrating Februalia. Make offerings of wine, honey, milk, olive oil, or fresh fruit as you begin rituals. Light a fire in Vesta's honor, and as you sit before it, offer her a prayer, chant, or song that you wrote yourself. If you can't light a fire, it's okay to keep a candle burning to celebrate Vesta–just be sure to extinguish it when you're finished. Spend some time on domestic crafts, such as cooking and baking, weaving, needle arts, or woodworking.

The Parentalia Festival

The ancient Romans had a festival for just about everything, and honoring your family’s dead was no exception. The Parentalia festival was celebrated each year for a week, beginning on February 13. Originating in Etruscan practice, the celebration included private rituals held in the home to honor the ancestors, followed by a public festival.

The Parentalia was, unlike many other Roman celebrations, often a time of quiet, personal reflection rather than boisterous merrymaking. Families often gathered together, visited the ancestral tombs of their forebears, and offered libations to the dead. Sometimes offerings of bread and wine were left for the deceased kinfolk, and if a family had a household deity, a small sacrifice might be made to them as well.

During the Parentalia, which traditionally lasted seven days (although some sources place it at eight or nine), Romans suspended much of their regular businesses. Weddings were put on hold during that time, temples shut their doors to the public, and politicians and lawmakers postponed all business during the Parentalia.

On the final day of Parentalia, a public feast called the Feralia was held. Although little is known about the specific rituals of Feralia, Ovid writes:

Now ghostly spirits and the entombed dead wander,

Now the shadow feeds on the nourishment that's offered.

But it only lasts till there are no more days in the month

Than the feet that my metres possess.

This day they call the Feralia because they bear

Offerings to the dead: the last day to propitiate the shades.

The Feralia was also a time to celebrate the god Jupiter, in his aspect as Iuppiter Feretrius, the subduer of enemies and oath-breakers.

Blogger Camilla Laurentine describes how her family, today, celebrates the Parentalia each year. She says,

"Long before my spiritual practice fell comfortably into the lines of a modern Roman practice, I held family and my ancestors in high esteem. Friends found this curious for a long time, many probably still do, but it is what it is. Now I have the alignment of my religious practice to help cement those I’ve come from as spiritually important. This is a very meaningful and important relationship to me... This upcoming week is going to be busy getting our dining room cleaned, swept, and organized for this festival, because you tidy up for honored guests. We will decorate the table, which is being turned into a place of offering for every meal."

Camilla goes on to outline how each day, she and her family celebrate with invocations and offerings to the gods, and honoring the dead and the household deities.

Be sure to read about other Roman festivals held throughout the year, many of which are still observed today by modern Pagans:

• January 24, Sementivae: This grain-oriented festival celebrates the sowing of the fields in preparation for springtime's planting.
• January 30 – February 2, Februalia: The Roman Februalia festival was a period of sacrifice and atonement, invovling offerings to the gods, prayer, and sacrifices.
• February 15, Lupercalia: This event celebrated the fertility of not only the livestock but people as well.
• March 1, Matronalia: This annual "festival of women" was held in honor of Juno Luciana, a goddess who watched over married women and those in childbirth.
• April 28 – May 3, Floralia: It was believed that a good festival ensured that the goddess Flora would protect the blooming flowers around the city.

Sources:

https://pixabay.com/photos/fire-bonfire-night-evening-burning-123784/

https://www.learnreligions.com/the-roman-parentalia-festival-2562141

https://www.learnreligions.com/the-roman-februalia-festival-2562114