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 Valentine's Day as a Commercial Holiday . Valentine's Day is no longer part of the official liturgical calendar of any Christian church; it was dropped from the Catholic calendar in 1969. Its not a feast, a celebration, or a memorial of any martyrs. The theme of love running free and wild is another facet of this wonderful holiday-and deity: our own, inner wilderness being allowed to roam free. 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. So, let’s dive in and unwrap the layers of this fascinating holiday. The Pagan Origin of Valentine’s Day 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 holiday’s origins likely predate the venerated saint. The date of St. Valentine’s execution, the day after the February full moon, might be the real connection with affection. As fans of Shakespeare know, the Idus or “Ides” of each month on the ancient Roman calendar was the day of the full moon. 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 Imbolc is the first of the pagan spring festivals, offering a day to celebrate renewal, growth, and transformation. In some ways, it provides the perfect counterpoint to Valentine’s Day because while the secular holiday is fixated on romantic love, Imbolc encompasses connections to land, community, and the self. Every year on February 14, the world marks Valentine’s Day. Millions send messages and gifts of love to the people most important in their lives. You’d be forgiven for thinking the fourteenth has its roots in the Christian faith, with the day seemingly named after Saint Valentine, a priest who lived during the third century AD. Lupercalia is a pagan holiday celebrated in the middle of February centered around fertility. The Origins Of Valentine’s Day. Lupercalia is traced back to the earliest celebration of Valentine Pope Gelasius declared Feb. 14 as St. Valentine’s Day in 496 AD, and the rest is this history. The Christian church may have been trying to “Christianize” the pagan celebration of In 2020 Forbes reported that Valentine’s Day is a now $20 billion holiday, “a day where 145 million cards trade hands.” The giving of cards on the holiday in America originated from Esther Howland. She designed unique, pricey cards that later turned into New England Valentine Co. With that being said A Blast from the Past: The Origin of Valentine’s Day. Valentine’s Day has a long and intriguing history that dates back to ancient Rome. The exact origins of the holiday are not clear, but it is believed to have originated as a pagan festival called Lupercalia, which was held annually on February 15th. Every year on February 14, the world marks Valentine’s Day.Millions send messages and gifts of love to the people most important in their lives. You’d be forgiven for thinking the fourteenth has its roots in the Christian faith, with the day seemingly named after Saint Valentine, a priest who lived during the third century AD. The name, "Groundhog" was substituted for the Satanic name of the holiday, Imbolg, a night requiring human sacrifice. c. February 14 . Valentine's Day - is a pagan festival that encourages love and physical lust. Valentine’s Day is a quirky little holiday, so quirky that we are probably celebrating it on the wrong day of the year! Not a pagan holiday in the traditional sense. Today, that same company estimates that 145 million Valentine’s Day cards are sent each year, making Valentine’s Day second only to Christmas in terms of card-sending holidays. The exact history of Valentine's Day is a bit murky, but some historians believe the holiday is linked to Lupercalia, a pagan festival that was held annually between Feb. 13 and Feb. 15 in ancient History also records that around A.D. 500 Pope Gelasius established St. Valentine’s Day in an attempt to convert this pagan Roman fertility festival into a Christian holiday, thus retaining its attractions and making it easier for pagan people to accept Christianity. The earliest possible origin story of Valentine’s Day is the pagan holiday Lupercalia. Occurring for centuries in the middle of February, the holiday celebrates fertility. Today, that same company estimates that 145 million Valentine’s Day cards are sent each year, making Valentine’s Day second only to Christmas in terms of card-sending holidays. Featured Weekly Ad
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