Hey New York, Have You Heard About the Dark Origins of Valentine’s Day?

Valentine's Day – a day associated with love, romance, and adoration. But have you ever wondered about its darker origins? You have heard about them, right? No? Oh, well sit down then.

Valentine's Day is currently observed with chocolates, flowers, and heartfelt messages, but its origins can be traced back to ancient Rome and beyond.

The ancient Roman festival known as Lupercalia was held between February 13th and 15th. This festival that came before Valentine's Day was a big deal. People used to do all sorts of fancy rituals and throw big parties to celebrate things like making more babies and the start of spring.

During Lupercalia, men would sacrifice animals and then use the hides to whip women. They believed this would help make the women more fertile and have healthier children. This ritual was thought to improve a woman's likelihood of getting pregnant and having a safe delivery.

However, as Christianity spread throughout the Roman Empire, the Church sought to transform pagan celebrations into Christian holidays. In the 5th century, Pope Gelasius I made a decision that forever changed the trajectory of Lupercalia. To Christianize the festival, February 14th was declared as St. Valentine's Day to honor the Christian martyr(s) named Valentine.

The real story of Saint Valentine(s) is still pretty mysterious, with a bunch of different stories and legends about this person. There are at least three Christian martyrs named Valentine, and each one is linked to romantic and kind deeds.

One popular legend involves a Roman priest named Valentine who defied Emperor Claudius II's order restricting soldiers from marrying. Valentine conducted secret marriages for soldiers in love because he believed it was a sacred and important thing to do. However, this act of defiance resulted in the priest being put to death on February 14th, which is why his name became associated with the day.

Despite the Church's efforts to shift the focus to Christian martyrs, remnants of Lupercalia's fertility festivities continued to influence the celebrations associated with Valentine's Day. The notion of romantic love emerged during the Middle Ages and was further popularized by works of literature, such as Chaucer's poem "The Parliament of Fowls."

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Over time, Valentine's Day evolved from into a celebration of love and affection, with the exchange of notes and tokens of affection becoming customary. The commercialization of the holiday further cemented its association with romance and affection in contemporary society.