Topic summary
Februa
Extracted from the Wikipedia article Lupercalia.
Name
The festival was originally known as Februa ("Purifications" or "Purgings") after the februum used on the day. It was also known as Februatus and gave its name variously as epithet to JunoFebrualis, Februlis, or Februata in her role as that month's patron deity; to a supposed purification deity called Februus; and to February (mensis Februarius), the month during which the festival occurred. Ovid connects februare to an Etruscan word for purging.