February

According to the Gregorian calendar, February is the second month of the year, and also the shortest month. February has 28 days until Julius Caesar gave it 29, and 30 days every four years. According to tradition, Augustus, the Roman emperor, took one day off to add one day to August, the month named after him. We now have February with 28 days, and 29 on leap years.

February was named for the Roman goddess Februa, mother of Mars. As patroness of passion, she was also known as Juno Februa and St. Febronia from febris, the fever of love.

Other Names (Irish) Feabhra or an Gearran, the gelding or horse. The horse was used to draw the plough, but Gearran also means 'to cut' and 'Gearran' can be used to describe the 'cutting' Spring winds. To the Anglo-Saxons, this was Solmonath, "sun month," in honor of the gradual return of the light after the darkness of winter. According to Franking and Asatru traditions, this month is Horning, from horn, the turn of the year.

The first full moon of February is called the Quickening Moon. It shares the titles Snow Moon with January and November, Wolf Moon with January and December, and Storm Moon with March and November. February’s Moon is also called the Hunger or Hungry Moon, and it has been called the Ice, Wild, Red and Cleansing, or Big Winter Moon.

Britain – flowers violets, crocuses, snowdrops, and aconites are flowering

There may be the odd butterfly about especially brimstones

In milder areas frogs may have spawned by now and many birds will be singing to declare their territory. A warm spell followed by a frost may kill the eggs and chicks of early nesters such as blackbirds

Between now and may shine a torch into a pond at night there will be a good view of aquatic life

Robins may seen fighting for territory these fights can end in death

White dead nettle, violets and coltsfoot in flower and there may be bees about

Badgers are having their youth underground

Birthstone: Amethyst

Groundhog Day

Brides day –Pagan Celtic festival honouring the goddess Brigid, who is the goddess of healing, well, springs, fertility

The first Day of the Lesser Eleusinian Mysteries of Demeter and Persephone lasts three days.

Candlemas

Februalia festival of candles honours Juno Februa.

Sul-Minerva of Bath is a British-Roman deity associated with Brigid as a goddess of knowledge and healing.

St Blaise

King Frost (London, England)

St Agatha/Tyche (Greek Goddess)

Aphrodite

Fortuna (Roman)

Selene (Greek)

Li Ch’un (Chinese)

St Dorothea

Mass for Broken Needles (Japan)

Apollo (Greek)

Festival of Yemanja/Lemanja (Brazilian)

Festival of Yemanja/Lemanja (Brazilian)

Our Lady at Lourdes

February 12
The Festival of Artemis, the Greek goddess of the hunt (known as Diana to the Romans).

The Parentalis and the Feralia, the festival of the Manes, the Roman spirits of the dead, who inhabit the underworld.

St Valentine’s Day

Sjofin (Norse Goddess of love), Vali, Juno Februa (Roman love goddess)

The Parentalis and the Feralia, the festival of the Manes, the Roman spirits of the dead, who inhabit the underworld.

February 15
The Lupercalia, the festival of Lupercus, the Roman god of flocks and fertility.

Sigurd (Siegfried) (Northern Tradition) Dragon slaying hero

The Parentalis and the Feralia, the festival of the Manes, the Roman spirits of the dead, who inhabit the underworld.

Celebration of Victoria (Roman)

The Parentalis and the Feralia, the festival of the Manes, the Roman spirits of the dead, who inhabit the underworld.

February 17
The festival of Fornax, the Roman goddess of bread making.

The Quirinalia, the festival of Quirinus, an earlier Roman god of war. 

The Parentalis and the Feralia, the festival of the Manes, the Roman spirits of the dead, who inhabit the underworld.

February 18
The Parentalis and the Feralia, the festival of the Manes, the Roman spirits of the dead, who inhabit the underworld.

Regifugium (Roman)

Spenta Armaiti (Persian)

February 19
The Parentalis and the Feralia, the festival of the Manes, the Roman spirits of the dead, who inhabit the underworld.

 Charistia. Roman family festival

February 20
The Parentalis and the Feralia, the festival of the Manes, the Roman spirits of the dead, who inhabit the underworld.

February 21
The Parentalis and the Feralia, the festival of the Manes, the Roman spirits of the dead, who inhabit the underworld.

Terminus - God of Boundaries

February 22
The festival of the goddess Concordia, the patron of good will and favour.

 Charistia. Roman family festival

February 23
The Terminalia, the festival of Terminus, the Roman god of boundaries and border markers.

Festival of Shiva (Hindu)

February 25
Day of Frau Holle/Shrove Tuesday (Germany) 

Nut (Egyptian)  

Ta Anich Esther (Israeli)

Equirria (Roman)

Kalevala Day (Finnish)

February 29
Moon of Hecate (Leap Year)