Greek and Roman Deities: Febris

The month of February takes its name from the Roman goddess Febris, also identified sometimes with Juno (Juno Februata, or "Purified", and Juno Sospita, "Saver"). She was one of the di indigetes, or "indigenous deities" of Rome (as opposed to "imported" from Greece), and derived from Februus, the Etruscan god of purification. Febris was the deity who both caused and protected from fever and malaria. In February, the Februalia rites were celebrated to purify cities, when the women walked through streets with lighted torchs (later this would become the Christian celebration of Candelora, the "festival of candles") and Febris was prayed for preventing and healing diseases. Contemporarily also the Lupercalia were held, to appease the dead and pray gods for fertility: the lupercales priests ("Brothers of the Wolf") would flay a goat and a dog and then run naked through the city, striking people with the shaggy thongs of the victims' skin. For pregnant women and little children, being hit was a good omen. This festival would become St. Valentine's Day.
Since February was associated with the dead and fever (there were many swamps around Rome, nurturing plague-spreading insects), it was considered an unlucky month ("February, short and bitter" or "cursed", we say in Italy), and this is why since the Julian calendar it has been the shortest month of the year.

Febris (N)
Favored Weapon: cat-o'-nine-tails
Domains: Air, Death, Healing, Protection
Subdomains: Medicine, Plague, Purity, Restoration, Wind
Druidic Domains: Swamp, Vermin
Inquisitions: Conversion, Restoration
Mysteries/Spirits: Life, Nature
Witch Patron: Devotion, Healing, Jynx, Plague, Portents, Recovery, Rot
Alternate Channeling: Disease
Clergy: alchemists, clerics, druids, inquisitors, oracles, shamans, sorcerers, witches