It is not Valentine’s Day

Culture & behavior, Opinions, Photos, , , , 41 Comments

It’s Valentine’s day, and although I don’t celebrate it here in Europe, its  presence doesn’t go unnoticed. Corporate marketing makes sure we find romance in the shops.

I never bothered to know the real meaning of this day. Today I did a quick historical research and found interesting facts.

The day of romance is named after a Christian martyr, and dates back to the 5th century, but has origins in the Roman holiday Lupercalia.

In fact. the Romans didn’t celebrate romance but enjoyed a festival with a mix of sacrificed goats, erotic games and parties.  A Pope had another idea for the day though. Here is the story.

“As innocent and harmless as St. Valentine’s Day may appear, its traditions and customs originate from two of the most sexually pagan festivals of ancient history: Lupercalia and the feast day of Juno Februata.

Celebrated on February 15, Lupercalia (known as the “festival of sexual license”) was held by the ancient Romans in honor of Lupercus, god of fertility and husbandry, protector of herds and crops, and a mighty hunter—especially of wolves. The Romans believed that Lupercus would protect Rome from roving bands of wolves, which devoured livestock and people.

Assisted by Vestal Virgins, the Luperci (male priests) conducted purification rites by sacrificing goats and a dog in the Lupercal cave on Palatine Hill, where the Romans believed the twins Romulus and Remus had been sheltered and nursed by a she-wolf before they eventually founded Rome. Clothed in loincloths made from sacrificed goats and smeared in their blood, the Luperci would run about Rome, striking women with februa, thongs made from skins of the sacrificed goats. The Luperci believed that the floggings purified women and guaranteed their fertility and ease of childbirth. February derives from februa or “means of purification.”

To the Romans, February was also sacred to Juno Februata, the goddess of febris (“fever”) of love, and of women and marriage. On February 14, billets (small pieces of paper, each of which had the name of a teen-aged girl written on it) were put into a container. Teen-aged boys would then choose one billet at random. The boy and the girl whose name was drawn would become a “couple,” joining in erotic games at feasts and parties celebrated throughout Rome. After the festival, they would remain sexual partners for the rest of the year. This custom was observed in the Roman Empire for centuries.

In A.D. 494, Pope Gelasius renamed the festival of Juno Februata as the “Feast of the Purification of the Virgin Mary.” The date of its observance was later changed from February 14 to February 2, then changed back to the 14. It is also known as Candlemas, the Presentation of the Lord, the Purification of the Blessed Virgin and the Feast of the Presentation of Christ in the Temple.

After Constantine had made the Roman church’s brand of Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire (A.D. 325), church leaders wanted to do away with the pagan festivals of the people. Lupercalia was high on their list. But the Roman citizens thought otherwise.

It was not until A.D. 496 that the church at Rome was able to do anything about Lupercalia. Powerless to get rid of it, Pope Gelasius instead changed it from February 15 to the 14th and called it St. Valentine’s Day. It was named after one of that church’s saints, who, in A.D. 270, was executed by the emperor for his beliefs.”

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Sharing sights & insights captured with diverse angles. Ex-corporate, now my own boss. Cycling, hiking, cooking, reading, yoga, writing and photography, are no longer only hobbies listed on my resume. It's what I do when I want.

41 thoughts on “It is not Valentine’s Day”

  1. Wow, I had no idea about the origins of Valentine’s Day! So interesting… The Romans were surely an intriguing culture.. I’m glad these days it’s only teddy bears, chocolate and roses for Valentine’s Day!!

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          1. No idea. I’d say it’s a Hallmark card marketing scheme that took off! Just like “Santa Claus” the jolly rroly poly version did with Coca-Cola campaign in the late 40’s early 50’s

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  5. The Pagans were a kinky lot, they did have the best of times right? lol..perhaps I shouldn’t say that, i don’t fancy being whipped by goat skin. I suppose if you are used to it, it is normal, and I would expect it was something the partying etc they might have looked forward to unless of course they were in love with someone else, now that would cause some controversy…another great educational piece, thank you xx

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    1. They had a ball!! Super kinky but primitive!! I prefer chocolates instead of this! Not sure virgins lived to be whipped. Women have always been used in all sort of ways by men to satisfy their erotic fantasies, if they had the power to do so!

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  8. What fascinating information, thanks for researching and posting! Maybe the pagan rites have changed in the 21st century (or have they? 50 Shades of Gray movie that hit theaters this weekend?). Plus all the food and chocolate orgies going on still, LOL!

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  12. It is interesting how many pagan rituals, be they early Roman or Viking were modified or adapted by the Christian church so that they would be accepted. And many times you can see elements of these old traditions mixed in with the new. This might be why Christmas is celebrated when it is, instead of Jesus’s actual historical birthday! Whatever, this was very interesting reading, and made me think those Romans were a pretty raunchy lot! Random selection of Sexual partners for a year! Haha… That is something the Ancient History high school teachers omitted from their lessons! Great post, thanks!

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