Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1908-04-10

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FEAST In It's own service IL worked TO
continue two other great festivals OF
pagan Rome and have them held on
the date of Easter.
These festivals were the Iupercoll,
held on Feb. 10. and the Arval broth
erhood, celebrated about the end OF
May. The Lupercalia was In honor Of
Lupercus. the god of publication and
fecundity. Goats and dogs were sac.
rificed TO him In his temple on the day
set aside for his worship; in the blood
of the sacrifice sword was dipped 10y
priest and with It's point the fore
heads of the noble Roman youths were
touched. Another priest washed away
the blood with milk. The youths.
stimulated 10y great drafts of wine and
clad only in the torn skin OF goat
Just sacrificed and holding I'm their
hands thongs OF the same, followed
by great procession of the priesthood
and crowds I'm holiday attire. ran from
one side of the street to the other.
striking with the goatskln whips ut
the women who presented themselves
for the blows.
The feast OF the Arval brotherhood
was celebrated I'm honor Of the twelve
foster brothers OF Romulus, gods who
continued the fertility OF the fields. 10
which Lupercus gave the Initiative II
was held In the grove OF Dea Ola.
about five miles from the city. and
gave opportunity for annual athletic
games There was an egg shaped track
in the grove. and on this races were
run, with eggs for prizes. Eggs were
wagered, too, and I'm all there was
such an abundance of eggs brought 10
the grove that more than likely the
holiday merrymakers gorged them
selves with them after the running
and the wagering were done.
Whence the Romans got tho idea OF
associating the egg with fertility is
not certain. The Egyptians. however.
had for centuries before regarded the
egg as symbol OF the renovation of
man after the deluge. Indeed. almost
all peoples had religious ceremonies in
which it figured as emblematic of re-
production. II was therefore especial
ly fitting for the great festivals with
which all the peoples welcomed spring
From the Jewish missionaries 10 the
Christians In Rome had been handed
down tho tradition that the Hebrew
put an egg Oh the table at the Pass
over 10 typify the departure from
Egypt Perhaps this link between the
Passover and the games I'm the grove
OF Dea Dia had to do with suggesting
the merging OF the Arval and Lupercal
and holding both at the Easter time. n
season midway between. However
that he. the thing was done when the
Christians became powerful enough TO
do IL.
Among the Germans. the Gauls and
the people OF the present British IS
lands the absorption OF their ancient
spring festivals by this new one OF
Easter was easy. 1t came TO them
from Rome with their new religion
and Glanced TO be about the time they
held their own pagan spring feasts In
honor OF the gods they supposed to
be awakening nature.
Among the Germans the hare as we'll
as the egg had part In the spring
feasts as an emblem of fecundity. SO
close was the association that even
now the children there believe that the
hare lays their Easter eggs. and as the
rabbit is n cousin to the hare II is not
strange that the children of English
speaking people have the same curious
belief about that frisky animal and hold
1t sacred TO Easter.
WALTON WILLIAMS.