So it is that time of year again, when love is in the air and people give each other gifts of flowers and chocolate. The time of year when people sacrifice their fattest goat or chase each other naked through the street with whips. I am talking about the ancient festival of Lupercalia of course (well minus the bit about the chocolate, that was a bit of a red herring.)
Lupercalia has been making a comeback in recent years, being championed both by a number of different pagan groups as well as the Satanists of the TST. Not a huge amount is known about the actual rituals practiced during its practice in the Roman days, or even honestly the true root of the holiday as it may be pre-Roman in origin.
We do know that it was a celebration of fertility, and of the wild. The custom of whipping was said to bring good fortune for the rest of the year, and sacrifices were important. The moon played a very central role, and revelers were given to drunken abandon.
To celebrate this ancient festival we here at Goetic Impressions wanted to give you all something special. So, first, we are rolling out a new pin in celebration, which you can pre-order here.
I know a pin might not be up everyone's alley, so I also wanted to give everyone something for free. Here is a Lupercalia ritual that I have prepared specially to celebrate this wonderful holiday. The ritual is designed with The Satanic Temple in mind, so it ties the seven hills of Rome to each of the seven tenets of The Satanic Temple, as well as the Roman God or Goddess that I felt best embodied the attributes of the tenet that they would represent. It is important to note in the ritual that the power is not coming from the Gods and Goddesses, rather they are recognizing the power and virtue inherent in the revelers celebrating Lupercalia. This is a subtle shift, but one that places a completely different emphasis on the power dynamic of the ritual, so it is important to keep in mind when performing it.
This ritual can be performed individually, with a single practitioner reading all of the parts but visualizing themselves in each of these roles, or it can be performed with a full cast of characters.
So may all of you reading this have a wonderful Lupercalia, full of wine and feasting and blood and whips!
IO Lupercalia!
Until next time happy summoning!
~Ben, from Goetic Impressions
