Anna, the text you posted included:
that of touching persons a purification of men, for the words by which this act is designated are februare and lustrare.

which sent me scurrying to look up luster--which i thought was related to the word light, (yup it is)(see link)
http://www.bartleby.com/61/roots/IE285.html

and got me thinking about Candlemas day..
an almost forgotten (it seems) RC holiday in February.

all the candles for the coming year on blessed on this day, and blessed candle are touched to the throat, --just being touched by the candles is a form of a blessing--but they are supposed to particularly protect against fish bones being caught in your throat

(i remember this to be an especially scary thing in my childhood, but nowday, every one uses purel, and other sanitizers, and is worried about germs, and fish bones being caught in your throat, doesn't seem to faze people much!)

many RC 'religious' holidays have pagan roots..

candlemas (feb 2nd as i recall) is earlier in the month, but i wonder how it is related to Lupercalia--pehaps the early RC's wanted to have a purification and blessing (a lupercalia) EARLIER in the month than dies februata, and so preempt the need for people to sacrifice goats, go around half naked,and to be touched with goat skins to be blessed and purified.)

maybe i'll go look up some info on candlemas day.. and learn more..

the roman holiday seems like it might be more fun than candlemas..


my other obsession