Valentine’s Day is a holiday dating as far back as the 5th century A.D. originating from Paganism and the Lupercalia Festival. This event was held on February 15th each year in the city of Rome. It was a sexually charged event with random hookups, violent and bloody celebration which included animal sacrifices to ward off evil spirits and promote fertility.
With the rise of Christianity, the Lupercalia Festival was outlawed and deemed “un- Christian”. It is said that Roman priests in an attempt to replace the pagan festival with a less aggressive form of romance would sacrifice dogs and goats and run upon and slap women on the streets with the blood drench hides as a blessing of fertility. These blood slapped women would then put their names in an urn to be selected and paired with a man for a year which often resulted in marriage. It appears both parties weren’t being too romantic about matchmaking but back then they apparently had no shame.
Then comes Saint Valentine. He was a patron saint shrouded in mystery. According to some historians, Roman Emperor Claudius II felt that young male soldiers were better at war than those with wives and children so he outlawed marriage for young men.
Well, Valentine wasn’t having it and thought it wasn’t right, so he continued to perform marriages of young peeps on the down-low. He ended up getting caught, sentenced to death, and beheaded. Not before allegedly falling in love with a young girl, rumor has it she was the jailor’s daughter, who visited him during his imprisonment. According to that legend, he was the first to send a love letter signed “From your Valentine''.
Other sources suggest there was another man by the name of Valentine who was a bishop but it turns out Claudius had a problem with that guy too and off with his head. Claudius should go down in history for being the first c*ckblocker but I bet you won't find anything about that online.
Anyway, at the end of the 5th Century, it is said Pope Gelasius declared February 14th to be St. Valentine’s Day. It is believed that England and France observed the day because it was the beginning of birds mating season and should be a day for romance. Awww now that makes a little more sense. Who really knows the truth behind all the legends and allegations since there are all kinds of versions of how Valentine’s Day got its name or where it originated from.
Today, couples celebrate it with dates, flowers, and chocolates which usually lead to a little bump and grind. Others forget and run to their local gas station for a fist full of wilted flowers and a bag of M&Ms before they get home. I guess it's the thought that counts...
However, you choose to observe the day, celebrate it with Love. Don’t go slappin' anybody with a bloody goat or anything like that.
Happy Valentine’s Day
XOXO
-Lanai
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