February is the second month of the year.
Latin (Roman) name: Februa or Febrvarivs or Februarius
The Roman month of February is named for a feast of purification. Romans called February the “Month of Purification”. During the festival of Lupercalia, priests would beat barren women with a goatskin thong called a februa (“means of purification”) in the belief it would make them fertile. February was originally given over the the infernal deities, making the purification feast essential as a counterbalance to all the evil that could occur in the world. February had 28 days (an even number) because of a Roman superstitious dread of even numbers. February eventually became sacred to Juno Februra, the Roman Queen Goddess.
The earliest Roman months were lunar. According to Roman mythology, the ten month solar calendar aligned to the vernal equinox was introduced by Romulus, the founder of Rome, around 753 BCE. In Romulus’ calendar, Ferbuary did not exist.
Numa Pompilius, the second of the seven traditional kings of Rome, added two more months, for a 12 month year. In Numa’s calendar, February was added to the end of the year (after December) and had 28 days (or 23 days with an extra five intercalary days in some years). The extra five days at the end of February were viewed as unlucky and not considered to be part of the normal year.
In some years, an intercalary month (Mensis Intercalaris) called Mercedinus or Mercedonius or Intercalaris, was placed into February in order to bring the year into alignment. The intercalary month followed February 23rd and then after the intercalary month, February resumed with February 24th. Plutarch wrote “Numa … added an intercalary month, to follow February, consisting of twentty-two days, and called by the Romans the month Mercedinus. This amendment, however, itself, in course of time, came to need other amendments.” Some scholars claim that Intercalaris was added to the Roman calendar in 452 BCE.
Gaius Julius Caesar, as Pontifex Maximus (supreme bridge-builder, a religious title), reorganized the calendar on the first day of 45 BCE. In Caesar’s calendar (the Julian Calendar), February was moved to after January and had 28 days, except in leap years, when it had 29 days. The extra leap day was added after February 23, rather than at the end of the month. Caesar’s calendar was calculated by Sosigenes, an Egyptian astrologer/astronomer. In 8 BCE, Augustus Caesar fixed errors by pontiffs after Julius’ death and made other minor modifications, resulting in the modern Western calendar. The modern Gregorian Calendar, named for Roman Catholic Pope Gregory the Thirteenth, was a realignment in 1582.
Meaning of name: “From Latin februare, to purify. Roman month of purification.” — SOURCE: Anniversaries and Holidays by Ruth Gregory
Flowers: violet and primrose — SOURCE: Anniversaries and Holidays by Ruth Gregory
Birthstone: amethyst — SOURCE: Anniversaries and Holidays by Ruth Gregory
Goddesses: Juno Februa, Spandarmat, Brighid, White Buffalo Calf Woman — SOURCE: “Juno Covella, Perpetual Calendar of the Fellowship of Isis” by Lawrence Durdin-Robertson, Cesara Publications, Chicago, ©1982; with additional Goddesses from The Goddess Book of Days by Diane Stein
February 2010
February 2009
February 2008
| Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
| February 1 | February 2 | |||||
| February 3 | February 4 | February 5 | February 6 | February 7 | February 8 | February 9 |
| February 10 | February 11 | February 12 | February 13 | February 14 | February 15 | February 16 |
| February 17 | February 18 | February 19 | February 20 | February 21 | February 22 | February 23 |
| February 24 | February 25 | February 26 | February 27 | February 28 | February 29 |
Books
If you want your book reviewed, please send a copy to: Milo, POB 1361, Tustin, CA 92781, USA.
Anniversaries and Holidays; by Ruth W. Gregory; American Library Association, Chicago; 1983; out of print, but can still be special ordered
The Goddess Book of Days: A Perpetual 366 Day Engagement Calendar; by Diane Stein; The Crossing Press, Freedom, CA; 1992; ISBN 89594-551-7; paperback; out of print, but can still be special ordered
If you want your book reviewed, please send a copy to: Milo, POB 1361, Tustin, CA 92781, USA.
Months of the year
See also: months of the year.
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