In ancient Rome, February was the official beginning of spring and was considered a time for purification. Sweeping them out and then sprinkling salt and a type of wheat called spelt throughout their interiors ritually cleansed houses. Lupercalia, which began at the Ides of February, February 15, was a fertility festival dedicated to Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture, as well as to the Roman founders Romulus and Remus.

To begin the festival, members of the Luperci, an order of Roman priests, would gather at the sacred cave where the infants Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome, were believed to have been cared for by a she-wolf or lupa. The priests would then sacrifice a goat, for fertility, and a dog, for purification.

The boys then sliced the goat's hide into strips, dipped them in the sacrificial blood and took to the streets, gently slapping both women and fields of crops with the goat hide strips. Far from being fearful, Roman women welcomed being touched with the hides because it was believed the strips would make them more fertile in the coming year. Later in the day, according to legend, all the young women in the city would place their names in a big urn. The city's bachelors would then each choose a name out of the urn and become paired for the year with his chosen woman. These matches often ended in marriage. The Roman “lottery” system for romantic pairing was deemed un-Christian and outlawed. Later, during the Middle Ages, it was commonly believed in France that February 14 was the beginning of birds' mating season, which added to the idea that the middle of February - Valentine's Day - should be a day for romance…

Congratulations and be prosperous; Everlasting peace year after year; Wish for surpluses and bountiful harvests every year

Herzlichen Glückwunsch und wohlhabenden; Beständig Frieden von Jahr zu Jahr; Wunschliste für Überschüsse und reichhaltigen Ernten pro Jahr

Connue aussi sous le nom de : Oimealg ("IM-mol'g), Chandeleur ou Candlemas, Imbolg, le Jour de Brigid, Lucie, Fête de Brighid, Oimealg, Imbolgc, Brigantia, Imbolic, Disting, Lupercus, Candlelaria, Lupercallia , La Fête des Lumières, Fête de Pan, Fête des Perce-neige… Imbolc est une fête celtique très ancienne.

Proposition d'activités :

Aller découvrir les premiers signes du printemps dans la forêt
Organiser un nettoyage de printemps
Faire ou décorer des chandelles
Vous documenter sur les déesses de votre territoire
Faire le vide dans vos herbes et vous débarrasser de celles qui ont plus d'un an
Fabriquer une couronne de lumière
Placer une chandelle allumée à chaque fenêtre de votre maison
Acheter un bloc de sel pour oiseaux et le laisser dans un arbre
Méditer sur ce que ressent une graine enfouie dans le sol
Faire le vide dans vos vêtements pour le donner à une œuvre de charité
Prendre un bain des premiers rayons du soleil