Lupercalia was an ancient pagan festival held each year in Rome on February No one knows the exact origin of Lupercalia, but it has been traced back as far as the 6th century B.
A servant took pity on them, however, and placed them inside a basket on the river instead. The river-god carried the basket and the brothers downriver to a wild fig tree where it became caught in the branches. The brothers were then rescued and cared for by a she-wolf in a den at the base of Palatine Hill where Rome was founded.
Lupercalia rituals took place in a few places: Lupercal cave, on Palatine Hill and within the Roman open-air, public meeting place called the Comitium. The festival began at Lupercal cave with the sacrifice of one or more male goatsβa representation of sexualityβand a dog. The sacrifices were performed by Luperci, a group of Roman priests. The blood was then removed with a piece of milk-soaked wool as the Luperci laughed. In Ancient Rome , feasting began after the ritual sacrifice.
When the feast of Lupercal was over, the Luperci cut strips, also called thongs or februa, of goat hide from the newly sacrificed goats. They then ran nakedβor nearly nakedβaround Palantine, whipping any woman within striking distance with the thongs. Many fell in love and married. Over time, nakedness during Lupercalia lost popularity. The festival became more chaste, if still undignified, and women were whipped on their hands by fully clothed men. There are several legends surrounding the life of Saint Valentine.
The most common is that on one February 14 during the 3rd century A. Claudius became enraged and ordered Valentine to reject his faith or be killed. He refused to forsake his faith, so Valentine was beheaded. Some historians believe more than one man named Valentine was executed by Claudius II. Despite the ambiguity surrounding Valentine and his life, the Catholic Church declared him a saint and listed him in Roman Martyrology as being martyred on February In the late 5th century A.
