by Don McAreavy

The history of Valentine’s Day is obscure and further clouded by various fanciful legends. The holiday’s roots are in the ancient Roman festival of Lupercalia, a fertility celebration commemorated annually on February 15. On this day the priests of Lupercus, the god of fertility, would perform a traditional purification ritual, slaughtering goats to the god, and after consuming wine, they would run through the streets of Rome holding aloft the skins of the goats touching anyone they met.

The occasion compelled young women to flood the streets in the belief that being touched would improve their chances of conceiving and bringing forth an easy childbirth.

Catholic Pope Gelasius I recast this pagan festival as a Christian feast day circa 496, declaring February 14 to be Saint Valentine’s Day. The question is, which Saint Valentine was he venerating? History records at least seven candidates but legend boils it down to three, and one in particular. One was a priest in Rome, another was a bishop in Terni, and little is known of the third Valentine other than he was martyred in a Roman province in Africa with his friends. Astonishingly, all three Valentines were said to have been martyred on February 14.

Many scholars believe the honor fell to the priest in Rome who was martyred during the reign of Claudius II, known as Claudius the Cruel. Under the rule of Claudius, Rome was involved in many bloody and unpopular campaigns. The Emperor, having a difficult time getting soldiers because they didn’t want to leave their loves and families, cancelled all marriages and engagements. It is believed that the young priest rose to distinction after betraying Emperor Claudius in 270AD by conducting illegitimate wedding ceremonies in the capital. Valentine maintained that marriage was part of God’s plan and purpose for the world. He continued to conduct marriages in secret between young people, sometimes as young as twelve, in the name of love.

He was arrested and imprisoned upon being caught marrying Christian couples and otherwise aiding Christians who were at the time being persecuted. Helping Christians at this time was considered a crime. Claudius took a liking to this prisoner – until Valentine tried to convert the Emperor – whereupon this priest was condemned to death. He was beaten with clubs and stoned; when that didn’t finish him, he was beheaded.

Legend has it that while incarcerated he fell in love with the jailer’s daughter who visited and ministered to him. On the evening of his death he left her a note expressing his love signed "from your Valentine."

The name "Valentine," derived from valens (worthy), became popular in late antiquity.

In the Middle Ages, young men and women drew names from a bowl to see who their valentines would be. They would wear these names on their sleeves for one week. To wear your heart on your sleeve now means that it is easy for others to know how you are feeling.

Today it is a booming business yet few really understand the history behind the day.