#lupercalia

Aphrodite: Goddess of love, beauty, romance, pleasure (Greek)

Bastet: Goddess of dance, music, fertility, love, joy (Egyptian)

Freyja: Goddess of fertility, beauty, love, glory, magic, sex (Norse)

Eros: God of love, beauty, youth, desire, sexuality (Greek)

Oshun: Goddess of wealth, beauty, love, water, divination (Yoruba)

Yue Lao: God of marriage, love, moon (Chinese)

Brigid: Goddess of poetry, fire, love, spring, fertility (Irish)

Hera: Goddess of marriage, women, fidelity, love, family, childbirth (Greek)

Hathor: Goddess of women, fertility, love, dance, perfume, joy (Egyptian)

Branwen: Goddess of love, beauty, sovereignty, kindness (Celtic)

Venus: Goddess of sex, love, beauty, victory, fertility (Roman)

Bes: God of love, music, merriment, childbirth, humor (Egyptian)

Parvati: Goddess of marriage, family, beauty, fertility, the arts, dancing, love (Hindu)

Aengus: God of youth, love, poetry, summer (Irish)

Benzaiten/Benten: Goddess of arts, love, music, wealth, wisdom, fortune, water (Japanese)

Frigg: Goddess of marriage, love, childbirth, divination, fertility (Norse)

Xochiquetzal: Goddess of flowers, love, sex, fertility, beauty, pleasure (Aztec)

Cupid: God of love, affection, attraction, desire (Roman)

Aisyt: Goddess of love, beauty, childbirth (Yakut)

Ōkuninushi no Mikoto: God of happiness, love, wisdom, earth (Japanese)

Živa: Goddess of love, fertility, life, grace, gratitude (Slavic)

Áine: Goddess of fairies, fertility, love, beauty, wealth, summer, protection (Irish)

Ishtar: Goddess of sexuality, love, fertility, war (Mesopotamiam)

Rati: Goddess of desire, passion, love, sexual pleasure, beauty (Hindu)

Inanna: Goddess of love, sensuality, fertility, procreation, war (Sumarian)

Prende: Goddess of women, health, dawn, love, beauty (Albanian)

Siebog: God of love, marriage (Slavic)

Kamadeva: God of sensual desire, love, pleasure, beauty (Hindu)

Sjöfn: Goddess of affection, love, friendship, protector of children (Norse)

Juno: Goddess of love, marriage, women's health, childbirth, fertility (Roman)

Turan: Goddess of fertility, love, vitality, beauty (Etruscan)

Lada: Goddess of love, family, marriage, children, beauty, spring, fertility, protection (Slavic)

HOMERIC HYMN #6

TO LADY APHRODITE

Of revered gold-wreathed and stunnning Aphrodite

I shall sing, to whose domain belong the battlements

of all sea-laved Cyprus where, blown by the moist breath of Zephyros,

she was carried over the waves of the resounding sea

in soft foam. The golden-crowned Horae

happily welcomed her and clothed her with heavenly raiment.

Then on her divine head they placed a well-wrought crown,

beautiful and golden, and in her pierced ears

flowers of brass and precious gold.

Round her soft neck and silver-white breasts

they decked her with golden necklaces such as the gold-filleted

Horae themselves are adorned with wherever they go

to the lovely dances of the gods and to their father’s house.

After they decked her body with every sort of jewel,

they brought her to the immortals, who saw and welcomed her,

with open arms, as each one wished

that he might take her home as his wedded wife;

for they marveled at the looks of violet-crowned Kythereia.

Hail, honey-sweet goddess of the fluttering eyelids!

Grant me victory in this contest and arrange my song.

I shall remember you and another song as well.

Did you know that Satanism has its own special days marked on the calendar? Well, they might not be on most people's, but they're just as interesting and deserving of recognition as other more well-known festivities. For example, we have... Lupercalia - February 15th

This holiday has its origins set in Ancient Rome, and it celebrates sexual liberation and bodily autonomy. These two aspects are very important to Satanism, as they're related to the core philosphies of each person embracing the so-called christian "sins" and acting upon them, as well as reminding us we're the ones in charge of shaping and liberating ourselves.

(Lupercalia by Andrea Camassei, 1635) Hexennacht - April 30th This is a more conmemorative holiday instead of a more festive one. Hexennacht, a.k.a Walpurgisnacht andd the Walpurgis/Witches' Night is centered around remembering those who fell victim of indoctrination, dogma and witchhunt, an important day to remember the importance of critical thinking and avoid herd mentality, If you're a witch, this is also an important day to deepen your connection with your magic(k) side.

(Hexennacht at Satzvey Castle. Credit: Mike Göhre) Unveiling Day - July 25th A holiday dedicated to celebrating religious plurality and stripping ourselves away from archaic superstition. On July 25th, 2015, The Satanic Temple unveiled the iconic statue of Baphomet and the children as a celebration of religious minorities.

(The statue of Baphomet by Mark Porter, 2015.) Halloween - October 31st An entire day dedicated to embrace and have fun enjoying the dark aesthetics of what has been traditionally considered as evil and dangerous, defying dogma while having fun and candies in the process.

(Credits to Fotocelia) Sol Invictus - December 25th Just like Lupercalia, this holiday started back in Ancient Rome, and it celebrated the Sun god and beginning of the Winter solstice. In Satanism, Sol Invictus celebrates us being unconquered by superstition and the constant pursuit for knowledge.

LUPERCALIA: 

Honour nature. 

Decorating your home with greenery, red and white ribbons, and heart-shaped symbols.

Spend time with your partner. 

Prepare a rustic feast with friends and family, sharing food and good company. 

Focus on love and connections. 

Embrace the new beginnings of spring and reflect on the past year. 

Participate in a community cleanup or donate to animal shelters. 

Make handmade crafts. 

Prepare traditional Lupercalia dishes like meat, honey cakes, and figs.

Engage in consensual sexual acts or rituals that celebrate passion and desire. 

Participate in a ritual that honours the primal forces of nature and sexuality. 

Wearing and displaying the skins and pelts of animals (that died naturally).

Perform spells or rituals related to fertility, love, or passion. 

Drink wine, mead, or other alcoholic beverages (only if you’re of drinking age) associated with the festival. 

Read literature or watch movies related to the founding of Rome or primal forces. 

Wear red clothing or jewelry that celebrates passion and love. 

HEXENNACHT: 

Dance and play loud music. 

Honour those who were victimized by superstition and pseudoscience, whether by witch hunt, Satanic panic, or other injustices. 

Participating in a bonfire or having a small fire in their backyards. 

Spend time in nature. 

Practice divination.

Reflect on your intentions, desires, and dreams. 

Watching a witchcraft-inspired movie. 

Performing rituals or spells for fertility and prosperity. 

Meditating. 

Give offerings to your gods, spirits, and/or ancestors. 

Light some candles. 

Reading books or writing poetry. 

Set off fireworks. 

Hanging talismans or wreaths on your doors or windows. 

Visiting a local cemetery or grove to honour the dead. 

Making flower crowns or wreaths. 

Participating in maypole dancing. 

UNVEILING DAY:

Celebrating the beginning of the harvest and the growth of the crops. 

Enjoying fresh fruits and vegetables. 

Lighting candles. 

Connect with nature and appreciate the beauty of the physical world.

Reflect on personal goals and aspirations as a Satanist. 

Meditate or engage in spiritual practices. 

Engage in acts of personal freedom. 

Perform a ritual to invoke your own personal power. 

Drink wine or tea. 

Give offerings to Satan or other satanic entities. 

Play music that resonates with your spirituality. 

Study the principles of Satanism. 

Listen to music or watch movies related to Satanism and the occult. 

Read tarot cards or perform rune casting. 

Attend an Unveiling Day gathering or celebration with other Satanist’s. 

Participate in an activity that challenges societal norms or encourages individual expression. 

DEVIL’S NIGHT (MISCHIEF NIGHT): 

Hold a ritual or gathering with other Satanist friends or groups.

Perform spells or rituals to honour Lucifer, or other internals. 

Meditate on the teachings of Satanism and the role of the Divine. 

Watch horror movies or play scary games.

Light black or red candles to honour the devil.

Participate in pranks and other (legal) mischievous activities. 

Attend a Halloween party with a group of friends. 

Write a letter to Satan, expressing gratitude or asking for guidance. 

Celebrate the darker aspects of life and challenge societal norms. 

Wear scary costumes or make-up.

Enjoy hedonistic activities, such as drinking, smoking, or indulging in consensual lustful activities.

Spend time in nature. 

Listen to dark or heavy music, such as black metal or death metal. 

Read literature or watch movies that portray Satanism in a positive light. 

HALLOWEEN:

Embrace the darkness and its aesthetic. 

Visiting a local cemetery or grove to honour the dead. 

Hold a ritual or gathering with other Satanist friends or groups. 

Watch horror movies or play scary games.

Perform rituals or spells related to the harvest, death, or transformation. 

Carve a pumpkin inspired by Satanic imagery. 

Wear a costume that reflects Satanic values or mythology. 

Host a spooky Halloween party with other Satanists. 

Go to your local or pumpkin patch. 

Light a bonfire or light a candle in honor or in memory of those who have passed on. 

Decorate your home or living space with Satanic symbols and images. 

Participate in a seance or ouija board activity to contact the spirits (safely).

Enjoy a feast or special meal with other Satanist’s, with food and drinks reminiscent of the harvest season. 

Attend a horror attraction or haunted house. 

Create a special altar or shrine honouring Satan and the dark aspects of nature. 

SOL INVICTUS:

Celebrate the power of the sun and the light it brings to the world. 

Perform spells or rituals related to the sun, light, or energy. 

Spend time outdoors, bathing in the sun's rays

Light a candle or fire in the shape of the sun

Wear jewelry or clothing with solar symbols and imagery. 

Read literature about the sun gods of various religions. 

Sun bathe. 

Drink alcoholic beverages (only if you’re of drinking age) associated with the sun, such as mead or wine. 

Facing your fears. 

Enjoy food associated with the sun, such as citrus fruits, sunflower seeds, eggs, tomatoes, honey, and any food that is high in vitamin D.

Create art or music inspired by the sun, light, or energy. 

Practice yoga or other physical activities that focus on the sun's energy. 

Reflect on changes you want to make in your life. 

Spend time outdoors. 

Go on a nature hike or walk to connect with the natural world. 

Participate in a traditional Yule Log burning ceremony, if possible. 

Got a Valentine's Day-adjacent Dragon AU fic for y'all today (closer to Lupercalia, which if you're familiar with the origins I feel like that tells you all you need to know)

Marc Antony for @thenovaswag's dtyis on instagram