for those who cannot witness this celebration, december 31st is also celebrated along several of the most important beaches in rio by many giving offerings to iemanjá in forms of flowers and small wooden boats set adrift in the bay carrying a wish. february 14th - st. valentine's day (dia de são valentim) is the holiday of love and lovers, but it wasn't always so.

dating back to roman festival of lupercalia, which was a fertility festival celebrated in mid february dedicated to the roman god of agriculture (faunus), it was given the name we now know in the 6th century by the pope to downplay the pagan elements.