FERALIA, in antiquity, a festival observed among
Feralia mong the Romans on February 21st, or, according to Ovid, on the 17th of that month, in honour of the manes of their deceased friends and relations.
Ferretum Varro derives the word from inferi, or from fero; on account of a repast carried to the sepulchres of such as the last offices were that day rendered to. Festus derives it from ferio, on account of the victims sacrificed. Vossius observes, that the Romans called death fero, "cruel," and that the word feralia might arise thence. — Macrobius Saturn. lib. i. cap. 13. refers the origin of the ceremony to Numa Pompilius. Ovid, in his Falli, goes back as far as Aeneas for its institution. He adds, that on the same day a sacrifice was performed to the goddess Muta, or Dumb; and that the persons who officiated were an old woman attended with a number of young girls.
During the continuance of this festival, which lasted eleven days, presents were made at the graves of the deceased, marriages were forbidden, and the temples of the gods shut up. While the ceremonies continued, they imagined that the ghosts suffered no punishments in hell, but that their tormentors allowed them to wander round their tombs, and feast upon the meats which their surviving friends had prepared for them. — For a more particular account of the offerings and sacrifices and feasts for the dead, see INFERIA and SILICERNUM.
Sometimes at the feralia public feasts were given to the people at the tombs of the rich and great by their heirs or particular friends.