How about some fun history all about Valentine’s Day?! Although there is no indefinite information regarding the origin of Valentine’s Day, some believe it has pagan roots in the Lupercalia Festival from Roman Times.
According to Wild Witch of the West; “like many Christian holidays or rituals that have Pagan roots many historians believe Valentine’s Day evolved from the Roman holiday Lupercalia. While modern ideals of purity involved chastity, modesty, or calmness, Lupercalia was celebrated with nudity, animal sacrifices, and sexual rites. These rituals were said to ward off evil spirits and infertility and assist with purification of the (a the time) new Gregorian calendar month of February.
The holiday’s origin has its history as early as 6th century BCE (Before Common Era), and the name is linked to the word for wolf and perhaps associated with Lupa, the she-wolf that fed Romulus and Remus who founded Rome. Lupercalia was still celebrated until late 5th century A.D. when Pope Gelasius eliminated Lupercalia and declared February 14 the day to celebrate the martyrdom of Saint Valentine instead.” (1)
The Gilded Witch wrote, “Valentine’s Day – a day of mixed emotions, too much emotion, and lots of chocolate. It’s origins lie neither in deep Pagan traditions nor the pure commercialism of recent decades. Instead, it stems from a bloody combination of Christian martyrs and the medieval poet Chaucer. The date of February 14th marks the death and decapitation of three Christian monks, all named Valentinus. Two were executed during the reign of Roman Emperor Claudius Gothicus (appropriate) in 269-270 AD.
The first Valentinus died in the 3rd century AD along with 24 soldiers in Africa.
The second Valentinus was a Roman priest who was arrested and later executed for curing the blindness of his master’s daughter. He was beheaded, but a Christian follower stole his body and buried it under the Via Flaminia in Rome, where there is a monument to this day.
The third and final Valentinus was a bishop of Terni in Umbria, Italy. He also cured a local villager and was executed for it, and also placed under the Via Flaminia. Because of the similarities in their stories, many historians believe the 2nd and 3rd Valentinis to be one man with two legends.” (2)
Witch Spiritual Stuff shares, “Valentine’s Day also has deep roots in folklore and witchcraft.
Many customs and traditions associated with the holiday can be traced back to ancient pagan celebrations, such as the exchange of love letters and gifts, which is believed to have originated from the medieval custom of “fiancé letters.” These letters were written between betrothed couples and given as tokens of love and commitment.
In some cultures, Valentine’s Day was also believed to be a time when witches and fairies were especially powerful. It was said that during this time, witches would cast spells to bring love and happiness to those around them, and fairies would grant wishes and bestow blessings upon the deserving.
This connection between Valentine’s Day and witchcraft is particularly evident in the popular tradition of sending anonymous love letters, which is thought to have originated to keep the identity of a love-struck witch secret.” (3)
Today, many people refer to it was the Hallmark holiday, full of elaborate gifts, and even proposals. Which version do you prefer??