Written by Linda Austin
Clarksville, TN – February 14th, Valentine’s Day is a day dedicated to expressing love and affection through cards, flowers, chocolates, and heartfelt gestures. While modern Valentine’s Day is associated with romance, its origins are rooted in ancient traditions and historical events that span centuries. The holiday has drastically transformed from a pagan religious observance to the celebration we know today.
The origins of Valentine’s Day can be traced back to ancient Rome and the pagan festival of Lupercalia, celebrated from February 13th to 15th. This festival honored Faunus, the Roman God of agriculture, as well as Romulus and Remus, the legendary founders of Rome. Lupercalia was marked by rituals aimed at promoting fertility and warding off evil spirits.
One notable ritual involved priests, known as Luperci, sacrificing goats and a dog, then using the hides to strike women. Apparently, the young maidens couldn’t wait to be publicly spanked with goat skin by priests, believing it would enhance their fertility. The festival also encouraged “matchmaking,” where young men and women paired off for the duration of the festivities that, sometimes resulted in June marriages.
The transition from paganism to Christianity in the Roman Empire brought changes to many traditional celebrations, including Lupercalia. By the 5th century, Pope Gelasius abolished the festival and replaced it with a Christian feast day honoring Saint Valentine. However, the identity of Saint Valentine remains shrouded in mystery, as there are several martyrs named Valentine in Christian history. Valentine was a popular name during those times.
One legend suggests that Valentine was a priest in third-century Rome who defied Emperor Claudius II. The emperor had banned marriages for young men, believing single soldiers were more effective in battle. Valentine secretly performed marriages for couples, earning the emperor’s wrath. He was arrested, imprisoned, and ultimately executed on February 14. A part of that story claims that Valentine healed the blind daughter of his jailer. Before his execution, he wrote her a note signed “From your Valentine,” a phrase that endures as a symbol of love.
Valentine’s Day gained romantic associations during the Middle Ages, particularly in England and France. February 14th was believed to mark the beginning of the mating season for birds. The tradition of exchanging love notes emerged during this period, with handwritten letters and poems becoming a common way to express affection. Nobles and royals often participated in these romantic exchanges, solidifying the day’s connection to love and courtship.
The commercialization of Valentine’s Day began in the 19th century with the mass production of greeting cards. Esther Howland, known as the “Mother of the American Valentine,” popularized ornate, lace-embellished cards in the United States. By the 20th century, the holiday expanded to include flowers, chocolates, jewelry, grand romantic gestures, and giant teddy bears that take up half the loveseat.
Valentine’s Day has evolved from its ancient, ritualistic roots to a universal celebration of love. Its blend of history, mythology, and cultural adaptation serves as a reminder that love is a timeless and cherished human experience. Whether you celebrate with modern grand gestures or celebrate it in quiet private seclusion with your sweetheart in old school Roman style involving goat skin leather. Valentine’s Day invites us all to share and spread love—a sentiment that never goes out of style.
