The Savage Origin Of Saint Valentine’s Day

Valentines-Day-4To 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.

It was not until A.D. 496 that the church at Rome could 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.

Though the church at Rome had banned the sexual lottery, young men still practiced many toned-down version, sending women whom they desired handwritten romantic messages containing St. Valentine’s name.

Over the centuries, St. Valentine’ Day cards became popular, especially by the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. These cards were painted with pictures of Cupid and hearts, and meticulously decorated with lace, silk or flowers.

Regardless of the varied sources and ambiguous history of Valentine’s Day, a few identifiable points continue to surface:

Valentine’s Day originated with a pagan Roman feast called Lupercalia. That festival was based on fertility and sexual licentiousness. In the third century, the Roman Catholic Church attempted to Christianize the ancient festival practice by naming it after the martyr St. Valentine.

When juxtaposing this day into reality, love and admiration should be express year round, and not just for one day. It should be according to everyone’s respective situation in their relationships. In reality, these pseudo holidays, Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter, Halloween, and St. Valentine’s day was created and promoted by the corporate structure solely for economic gain.

Of course, everyone should make their own personal decision, whether or not to celebrate their expression of love on St. Valentine Day, all year around or both. Even so, no one should be pressurized into committing economic indiscretions because of corporate advertising promotions. Especially, when you know the origin of the holiday and why it’s being sponsored.

Happy Saint Valentine Day

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