Where Did Valentine's Day Come From

Pagan beginning: Lupercalia

Before we started sending hearts, the Romans had Lupercalia. This was not a polite dinner by candlelight. On February 14 (the eve of the proper holiday) they worshiped Faunus - a fertility god and protector of flocks. It was wild, loud, and... random.

The central point of the celebration was a kind of matchmaking lottery - a predecessor of today's dating apps, only in an analog version. Young women threw slips with their names into an urn (often with a short love note). Men drew their "partners" for the duration of the festivities. Often this random game ended in lasting relationships, but the process itself had a element of chaos that Romans loved.

The church pivot

When the Empire fell and Christianity began to take the wheel, the Church faced a challenge: what to do with deeply rooted pagan customs? Ban them? That rarely works. Better to take over and change the narrative.

Bishops used a classic adaptation maneuver. They kept the date but changed the patron. Instead of lewd Faunus, they introduced a figure who embodied virtue and sacrifice - Saint Valentine. Pagan energy was channeled into Christian frames. It was a masterpiece of social engineering.

Three faces of Valentine

The problem is that Valentine is an ambiguous figure. In the Roman martyrology there are up to three candidates for the title, whose biographies blended into one legend.

1. The bishop-healer: The bishop of Terni who supposedly had the power to heal. Legend says he cured the daughter of a Roman dignitary, which led to the conversion of the whole family. The result? The emperor's fury and a death sentence.
2. The Roman rebel: Probably the most interesting thread. Emperor Claudius II Gothic banned legionaries from marrying, assuming (quite pragmatically) that bachelors without family obligations were better killing machines. Priest Valentine broke the ban. He secretly married couples, becoming the patron of forbidden love and civil disobedience. He paid for this conspiracy with his life.
3. The martyr from Africa: We know the least about the third Valentine - only that he died a martyr's death in Africa along with his companions.

The first "valentine"

There is one more detail. According to lore, Valentine (the Roman one), while waiting in prison for execution (often said to be torn apart by wild animals), fell in love with the jailer's blind daughter. Before his death he sent her a letter signed: "Your Valentine."

That phrase survived the centuries and became the most popular signature on millions of cards sent each year.

Conclusion?

Today's Valentine's Day is a mix of ancient instincts, medieval legends, and modern marketing. But it is worth remembering that beneath the layer of commerce lies a story of rebellion, secrecy, and fairly brutal beginnings.