Lupercalia the wolf festival

Even though it tends to have a fearsome reputation, the wolf is worshipped worldwide.

For the Romans, the wolf has long been held sacred due to their beliefs that a she-wolf named Lupa was the foster mother of the founders of Rome. As legend has it, the she-wolf rescued the founders – known as Romulus and Remus – from the River Tiber after they were thrown into the river in a basket so they would not claim their spots as heirs to the throne. The boys grew and decided to found their own town near a cave known as Lupercal where they were raised. During the ensuing events, Romulus ended up killing his brother Remus, and named the new town after him – Roma (or Rome).

This she-wolf became known as the foster mother of the Roman people. The religious celebration Lupercalia (also known as the wolf festival) originated from these events and took place on February 15. The Lupercalia festival revolved around the Lupercal cave and was centered around purification and fertility. Lupus is or course latin for wolf.