Valentine day is basically the Ancient Pagan Luprercalia festival (44 BC) which was celebrated in the honor of "Lupercal, God of Fertility" (a she wolf) ". It was celebrated every year on 15 February in Rome. Luprercalia had been Christianized by Pope Gelasius I in 496 who gave it a new name on the name of St. Valentine.
"As far back as 496 A.D., (Catholic) Pope Gelasius changed Lupercalia on February 15 to St. Valentine's Day on February 14." (Customs and Holidays Around the World by Lavinia Dobler).
St. Valentine allowed the marriages for the Roman Army when Claudius II, Roman Emperor of the time had banned marriages for his army. As a result St. Valentine got punished to death for arranging marriages of the soldiers without Emperor's permission. The main reason for Christianizing Lupercalia was that the Pagans who had adopted Christianity as a religion but they did not abandon their old traditions and practices which they were use to of practicing before converting to Christianity. The fertility celebration, known as Lupercalia was one of them.
"Yet the vestiges of superstition were not absolutely obliterated, and the festival of the Lupercalia, whose origin had preceded the foundation of Rome, was still celebrated under the reign of Anthemius." (The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire by Edward Gibbons, Chapter 36, Part 3)
Roman Emperor Anthemius ruled Rome from 467-472 A.D. After 24 years of his death, Lupercalia was officially adopted by church to honor Saint Valentine.Luprercalia was celebrated near the "cave of Lupercal" on the Palatine Hill. In the beginning of Luprercies / Priests were use to of slaughtering a dog for purification and a goat for fertility. The priest would cut goat thongs / strips from the sacrificed goats and dressed themselves in the rest of the goat skin and smeared with the animal blood. These thongs (called a februa) were dipped in the sacred blood and then in milk. Then these Lupercies would run in the city boundaries whipping people with Februa (goat thongs). The women would line up for the "ritual whipping" as it was considered them to be more fertile after whipping even the barren ones.
It included fertility rites and the pairing of women with men by lottery. Roses were sacred for Venus (the Goddess of Love). Famous Cupid / Nimrod (Naked God of Love) was her son. Venus lusted for her own son and got married with him.
The references also include Encyclo Britanica a world famous encyclopedia.
https://www.witchology.com/contents/february/lupercalia.php
https://ancientstandard.com/2007/05/10/lupercalia-how-whipping-equates-fertility-%E2%80%93-1st-c-bc/
https://ancientstandard.com/2007/05/10/lupercalia-how-whipping-equates-fertility-%E2%80%93-1st-c-bc/
https://www.shamanswell.org/shaman/pagan-festival-lupercalia-origin-st-valentines-day
PS: Every one is welcome to share the knowledge, no compulsion.
PSS: I don't make posts only for getting good comments or telling any one that i am having more knowledge (as some people replied me in some previous posts). This is just to spread awareness and share knowledge as i like doing it ( I don't celebrate or wish it. just search the history to make people aware of it) . All positive criticism is always welcome in my post, if you find any mistake you are welcome to correct but not negative or useless criticism please. Thank you for understanding my point.
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Some Previous informational and Occassional posts / post replies, if some one wants to check again:
Eid ul Adha: Remembrance of a Great Sacrifice
Eid ul Fiter Mubarak
Lailat-ul-Qadr: The Night of Power/Decree
Ramadan: The Month of BLESSINGS
Shab e Barat?????
Laila tul Meraj: The Greatest Travel
Some Similarities between Islam and Sikhism
Muharram: The Month of ALLAH
The post replies on objection of sacrificing animals, if some one is interested to read
https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/post/68165090
https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/post/68922965
A post reply why Non Muslims are not allowed to enter in Mecca
https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/post/68291432
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