Lupercalia was an ancient pagan festival celebrated in Rome during the middle of February. The festival was dedicated to the Roman god Lupercus, who was the god of shepherds and fertility. The main purpose of Lupercalia was to ensure fertility and purification for the coming year. During Lupercalia, a group of young men known as Luperci would gather at the cave where Romulus and Remus, the legendary founders of Rome, were said to have been raised by a she-wolf. The Luperci would then sacrifice a goat and a dog, symbolizing fertility and purification. After the sacrifice, the Luperci would cut strips of the sacrificial goat's hide into pieces known as "thongs".
The Silver Stag was the most notorious paranormal serial killer in modern history, and Rue brought him down. Now a copycat has picked up where the Stag left off, and the Bureau wants her on the case. She beat the Stag once. They think she can do it again. But they don’t know she’s given up black magic, and she’s not about to tell them. White witches are prey, and Rue is the hunter, not the hunted. Always.
When her former partner, Clay, finds her, she is terrified that everything she has built for herself will go up in smoke but decides to hear him out for old times sake. This makes her a target for other black witches who know that killing a white witch will give them an additional power boost AND all the bad guys she helped take down when she has the black magic mojo.
After the sacrifice, the Luperci would cut strips of the sacrificial goat's hide into pieces known as "thongs". They would then run through the streets of Rome, whipping any woman they encountered with the thongs. It was believed that this act of whipping would ensure the woman's fertility and ward off evil spirits.
Black hat white witchh
Remember that old line about how the only way out of the organization is in a pine box?
Well, Rue Hollis spent ten years thinking she had escaped the Black Hat Bureau, no coffin required.
Then her former partner had to go and shatter the illusion by showing up on her doorstep with grim tidings. As much as Rue wants to kick him to the curb, she agrees to hear him out for old times’ sake, and what he says chills her to the bone.
The Silver Stag was the most notorious paranormal serial killer in modern history, and Rue brought him down. Now a copycat has picked up where the Stag left off, and the Bureau wants her on the case. She beat the Stag once. They think she can do it again. But they don’t know she’s given up black magic, and she’s not about to tell them. White witches are prey, and Rue is the hunter, not the hunted. Always.
But can she take down the protégé of the man who almost beat her at her black witch best?
If she wants to keep her new town, her new home, her new life, then she has no choice but to find out.
Rue Hollis ran from the Black Hat Bureau ten years ago and has spent that time running, hiding, and finally building a life for herself in a small town where she had to lie for protection. When her former partner, Clay, finds her, she is terrified that everything she has built for herself will go up in smoke but decides to hear him out for old times’ sake.
The last case Rue worked on for the Black Hat Bureau was the Silver Stag case, a notorious serial killer who was sick and twisted and that Rue herself destroyed. Now it seems there’s a copycat who has picked up where the Silver Stag left off. Rue has agreed to work for the Black Hat Bureau as a contractor on a case-by-case basis. She hopes she can stop this copycat even though she is now a white witch instead of using black magic, and all she can do is hope that she is strong enough to take down this new killer.
This new series by Edwards does not disappoint. It is full of some fantastic surprises that, as a reader, I appreciate. I would have preferred just a little more background because I kept feeling like I had missed something, but other than that, this book is worth the read.
But can she take down the protégé of the man who almost beat her at her black witch best?
The festival also included a matchmaking ritual. On the eve of Lupercalia, the names of young Roman women would be placed into a box. The young bachelors would then draw a name from the box, and the couple would be paired together for the duration of the festival. Many of these pairings would often lead to marriage. Over time, Lupercalia became increasingly associated with eroticism and debauchery, and the Catholic Church sought to suppress the pagan festival. In the 5th century, Pope Gelasius I declared February 14th to be St. Valentine's Day, in an attempt to Christianize the pagan holiday. While the details of Lupercalia may seem strange and even brutal to us today, it's important to remember that it was an ancient ritual with its own cultural significance. The festival served as a way for the ancient Romans to ensure fertility and purification, as well as a way to celebrate love and romance..
Reviews for "The Lupercal Wolf and the Lupercalia Ritual: Symbols of Ancient Roman Mythology"
1. Anna - 2/5 - I attended the ancient pagan ritual of lupercalia out of curiosity, but I left feeling disappointed. The ceremony felt disorganized and lacked a clear purpose. Furthermore, the participants seemed more interested in socializing and taking pictures for social media than actually participating in the ritual. I felt like an outsider, as if I was attending a party rather than a sacred event. Overall, I found it to be a shallow and superficial experience.
2. John - 1/5 - I had high expectations for the ancient pagan ritual of lupercalia, but unfortunately, it fell far short. The whole event felt like a spectacle rather than a meaningful spiritual experience. The participants were mostly dressed in costumes that looked more like cheap Halloween outfits, and the rituals themselves felt forced and inauthentic. There was no sense of reverence or connection to the ancient traditions. It was simply a commercialized and watered-down version of what could have been a powerful ritual.
3. Sarah - 2/5 - I was excited to participate in the ancient pagan ritual of lupercalia, but it ended up being a letdown. The organizers seemed more focused on making it look like a trendy and Instagram-worthy event rather than creating an authentic and meaningful experience. The atmosphere was chaotic and there was a lack of guidance or explanation of what was happening. It felt more like a carnival than a spiritual gathering. I left feeling bewildered and unsatisfied, wishing I had spent my time and money on a different event.