Lupercalia Love Tapers

Long before Valentine’s Day became a celebration of romance, it was rooted in the ancient Roman festival of Lupercalia, held each year in mid-February. Lupercalia was a rite of purification, fertility, and wild renewal, honoring the pastoral god Faunus Lupercus, who is associated with nature, sexuality, and protection.

The name Lupercalia comes from lupus—Latin for wolf—and likely refers to the Lupercal Cave, where the she-wolf was said to have nursed Romulus and Remus, the mythic founders of Rome. Wolves symbolized untamed vitality, instinct, and perseverance. During the festival, priests known as Luperci sacrificed goats (and sometimes dogs), offering blood to awaken fertility and abundance in the coming year.

The color red represents this sacred blood—life force spilled intentionally to feed the future. Blood marked the threshold between death and rebirth, chaos and creation. After the sacrifice, the blood was ceremonially wiped away with milk-soaked wool, a gesture of cleansing and restoration. 

As Rome was Christianized, Lupercalia gradually softened and reshaped into what became St. Valentine’s Day, transforming a raw fertility rite into a sanitized celebration of love. Yet beneath the roses and sweetness, the ancient ritual still beats on.

These candles honor that original lineage: white on the surface, bleeding red as they burn, and adorned with rose petals. 

How to Use:

Use these tapers in rituals of love, sex magick, and glamour spells.  To activate the candles, simply hold one in your hands and pour your energy into it, thinking carefully about what you want the candle to assist you with. Let the candle become an extension of your thoughts and mental power. 

Once you're ready, light the wick and watch as your candle reveals hints as to how your spell will manifest.

Details:

This is a listing for two 6 inch taper candles rolled in marigold petals. Burn time is approximately 2 hours. 

Soy and Beeswax: sourced from Oregon and Nevada. 

Candle Safety: 

IMPORTANT: These candles are dressed in dry herbs. Should you plan to burn them indoors, be wary of the flames. The more herbs, the bigger and taller the flame with be. Always supervise your candles while burning and NEVER leave them unattended.
I suggest burning these botanical candles in a fireproof bowl such as a mason jar as the botanicals cause the candle wax to melt in a messy fashion. See the video listed with the photos of this product for more a better visual.