Depending on who you ask, the origin of Valentine’s Day can be very different. Though there are all kinds of stories, myths, and rituals associated with this “day of love,” it can be hard to weed through all of the information to find the exact origins of the holiday. In truth, the roots of Valentine’s Day can be followed back to Ancient Rome. Though there are similarities, the modern celebration of Valentine’s Day is very different than the original festivals held by pagans in Rome many centuries ago.
Whether you’re planning a date night for the coming holiday or you’re curious about why singles have to endure such a celebration of romance each year, now is a great time to explore the origins of Valentine’s Day. Take a look at these facts and see how they might change your opinions about this day.
Lupercalia
Ancient Rome saw many festivals take place over the course of the calendar year. Lupercalia, for example, was one such event. This pagan holiday was held in honor of Lupercus, who was the Roman god associated with both fertility and some aspects of hunting. Though its placement on the modern calendar puts it in February, the original event was normally held during the spring, when fertility rites were most common and the world was waking up once more.
Still, the connection between Lupercalia and February is somewhat significant. During the celebration of Lupercalia, revelers would become involved with activities called “Februa.” These were purification rituals that were meant to help get rid of evil spirits in the community that had come to linger during the winter. This also helped to ensure fertility for the future and bless the fields so that farmers and workers could experience a bit of good luck. The Februa are important to Lupercalia, but other rituals involved make the connection to Valentine’s Day a bit more obvious.
Enter the Lottery of Love
Perhaps the biggest aspect of Lupercalia associated with the modern celebration of Valentine’s is the “love lotto.” This is essentially what it sounds like: Men and women in the community would be paired together based on a name-drawing lottery system. The goal of the lotto was to pair singles so that they would have someone to spend the entire festival with. The main goal was apparently to get these young couples to hit it off and decide to stay together after the festival ended.
As with many pagan holidays, the rise of Christianity warped and changed events to help them fit into the new values being pushed by the church. Lupercalia was one such event, getting swept into the changing times and going through a period of reinvention. One event that was changed over time was the “love lotto,” which went from a matchmaking experience to a game where young men would draw the names of saints from a jar and be tasked with imitating the lives of the saints and their devotions to god.
And Now, Valentine’s Day
Christianity did far more than simply change the activities associated with Lupercalia. As Catholicism became a more widespread form of Christianity, the entire festival of Lupercalia was done away with. Religious leaders felt the “love” aspect of the holiday was immoral, and instead, the holiday was replaced with a feast to Saint Valentine. Unfortunately for the church, love tends to conquer all, and the holiday eventually became a celebration of amorous connections as the years wore on.
Of all the various holidays that appear over the course of the year, Valentine’s Day can be one of the trickier popular holidays to try and understand. Though the rituals and traditions have changed, this winter holiday is one that has been around for many years and is likely to carry on into the future in one form or another.