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Valentine’s Day is the Modern equivalent of Lupercalia, even though much of the symbolism of the former has been lost over time, subsumed into the latter’s imagery of hearts, red, white and pink. Those colors, and the same themes, come from Lupercalia; how can we, as Modern Pagans, living in a Modern World, embrace this holiday? Lupercalia was an ancient pagan festival held each year in Rome on February 15. Although Valentine’s Day shares its name with a martyred Christian saint, some historians believe the holiday is Historical Crossroads: Valentine’s Day and Lupercalia. While Valentine’s Day is widely recognized as a celebration of love in modern times, its historical roots are far more intricate and, believe it or not, a bit wilder. The mid-February timing of Valentine’s Day intriguingly aligns with the ancient Roman festival of Lupercalia L ong before Valentine’s Day was celebrated, a festival that had nothing to do with love took place around the same time of the year. It was called Lupercalia, and it occurred on February 15 It’s often speculated that Valentine’s Day has its roots in the ancient Roman festival of Lupercalia, and it’s not hard to see why. Lupercalia was observed on February 15, and involved fertility rituals — albeit along with animal sacrifice and ritual whipping. Yet the link between this pagan festival and the Christian feast day that morphed into our modern ode to love and romance is Lupercalia. Lupercalia, a pagan celebration of fertility and health, Valentine’s Day was widely celebrated in Great Britain in the 17th century. By the 1800s, sending and receiving letters So what do Lupercalia and Valentine’s Day have in common? Well, perhaps nothing, but as stated initially, there are similarities. The most obvious is that the occur within 24 hours of one another. While you can find plenty of articles online comparing the modern Valentine’s Day to Lupercalia, the evidence is tenuous. Lupercalia was no longer widely celebrated by the fifth century; it was abolished in the fifth century. However, there is another pagan holiday that is still celebrated with more similarities to Valentine’s Day: Imbolc. How did Lupercalia influence Valentine’s Day? Elements of Lupercalia have influenced modern celebrations like Valentine’s Day, particularly in themes of love and fertility. The transition from Lupercalia to St. Valentine’s Day occurred in the 5th century AD, largely due to the efforts of Pope Gelasius I in Christianizing pagan festivals. "Celebrated at the ides of February, or Feb. 15, Lupercalia was a fertility festival dedicated to Faunus, Pope Gelasius declared Feb. 14 as St. Valentine’s Day in 496 AD, and the rest is At the end of the day, Valentine's Day stands as a far gentler event than the ancient Lupercalia. We see it through the lens of heart emojis and carefully curated dates. But the essence remains. We seek love, belonging, and renewal. We come together in big or small ways to affirm that life carries hope. Pope Gelasius declared Feb. 14 as St. Valentine’s Day in 496 AD, and the rest is this history. Valentine's Day may have been attempt to 'Christianize' Lupercalia. Discover the history of Lupercalia, the ancient Roman fertility and purification festival that some say inspired Valentine's Day. Lupercalia, an Ancient Roman festival for fertility and purification. Some call it the Pagan Valentine’s Day. Don’t want to celebrate Valentine’s Day and get sucked into the commercialism of it all? Celebrate Lupercalia and have a bloody blast!!! What is Lupercalia? Lupercalia is an ancient Roman festival of fertility and purification. Pope Gelasius declared Feb. 14 as St. Valentine’s Day in 496 AD, and the rest is this history. Valentine's Day may have been attempt to 'Christianize' Lupercalia. While February 14 is widely celebrated with sweet Valentine's Day treats, heartfelt Valentine's Day gifts, and romantic dinners, few people are familiar with the holiday's true origins. You might remember making Valentine's Day crafts at school or picking out cute Valentine's Day candy to share with classmates, but just how did these traditions The Pagan roots of Valentine’s Day. Valentine’s Day didn’t start with candlelit dinners and red roses—it was actually a mix of pagan rituals and a Roman priest’s defiance. Long before it became a thing, the Romans were celebrating Lupercalia, a festival dedicated to fertility and the coming of spring. 4. The First Valentine’s Day Cards & Commercialization. By the 1700s and 1800s, Valentine’s Day had become a widely recognized celebration of love. People exchanged handwritten love letters, poems, and small tokens of affection. However, the modern Valentine’s Day industry didn’t take off until the 19th century, thanks to two major myths about Valentine’s Day; Lupercalia festival; Valentine’s Day and Christianity; who was Saint Valentine; pagan origins of Valentine’s Day; 19th-century Valentine’s cards; love traditions through time; why February 14 is Valentine’s Day. medieval courtly love; first Valentine’s Day; historical Valentine’s Day; Saint Valentine story Valentine’s Day is a holiday celebrated every February 14; this year Valentine's Day falls on a Friday. Across the United States and in other places around the world, candy, flowers and gifts
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