The history of Valentine's Day is shrouded in mystery. Some legends speaking of a Roman priest who married lovers in secret against the dictate of Emperor Claudius II, while others draw from the Roman pagan festival of Lupercalia. To learn more about the history of Valentine's Day, check out the links on this page.
What Was Lupercalia?
Some historians believe that Lupercalia, an ancient Roman pagan festival that honored the fertility gods, was a precursor to Valentine's Day celebrations. Celebrated between February 13 and February 15, it was tradition for the women's names to be added to an urn, and then drawn out by the men. Whomever's name was drawn was meant to be that man's prize for the festival.Brooklyn College: Lupercalia
Ritual sacrifice for the festival required the slaying of lambs. The lambskin was then soaked in blood and two boys were given the duty of running around slapping people with the bloodied strips of lambskin. It was considered a great honor to be slapped by the skin, and women who hoped to conceive within the year did everything to ensure they were struck by the skin.Brooklyn College: Lupercalia
Who Was St. Valentine?
There are three different stories about the possible identity of the man the Valentine holiday was named for. One story speaks of a Roman Catholic priest who went against the edict of Emperor Claudius II, who believed that unmarried men made better soldiers. Claudius made it illegal for his soldiers to marry, but Valentine secretly married couples. When his betrayal was discovered, Claudius had him imprisoned. It is said that Valentine fell in love with his jailer's daughter, and just as he was to be executed, he slipped her a love letter that he signed, "Your Valentine."History.com: The History of Valentine's Day
A second story speaks of a priest who was executed for helping Christian martyrs escape the harsh treatment and torture in the Roman prisons.History.com: The History of Valentine's Day
Very little is known about the third St. Valentine, a martyred minister who spread Christianity throughout the province of Africa. Few scholars actually believe that this particular Valentine has any association with the Valentine's Day holiday.Nova Reinna: Saint Valentine
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References
Fast Facts
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Fact:
Valentine's Day is celebrated annually on February 14
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Fact:
In 2009, Valentine's Day falls on a Saturday
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Fact:
Named for St. Valentine, the patron saint of lovers
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There were three possible Saint Valentines
Valentine of Rome, Valentine of Terni, and Valentine of Africa
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496 AD
Pope Gelasius added Valentine's Day to the Roman calendarHow Stuff Works: How Valentine's Day Works
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1969
Pope Paul VI tried to do away with the holiday, but it had already caught onHow Stuff Works: How Valentine's Day Works
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Fact:
Cupid, the son of Venus, is a popular image during Valentine's Day, as his arrows are said to inspire desire once one is struck through the heartEncyclopedia Mythica: Cupid
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Fact:
Lupercalia was an ancient pagan festival in Rome that honored Faunus, the god of fertility, and Rumina, the she-wolf of RomePagan Library: Lupercalia
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Fact:
Sending Valentine cards became popular during the Middle AgesHow Stuff Works: How Valentine's Day Works
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Fact:
Medieval Europeans associated Valentine's Day with nature, believing that the birds began to mate on February 14How Stuff Works: How Valentine's Day Works
