Though it’s speculated that Valentine’s exists to commemorate the martyrdom of the two Saint Valentines, it’s also argued that Pope Gelasius made the holiday official in order to replace the Roman festival of Lupercalia. Celebrated Feb. 15, ancient Lupercalia was a raucous affair that involved sacrificing dogs and goats (pagan symbols of purification and fertility) and whipping women with the slaughtered animals’ blood-soaked hides. There was also plenty of public nudity, drunkenness, and debauchery involved.
You might find this a bit gruesome — Pope Gelasius certainly did. Even though the people of his time didn’t follow the ancient practices exactly, there was still plenty of drinking and partying. In approximately 496, the Catholic leader rebranded the second week of February as a time to celebrate Christianity, commemorating a feast held Feb. 14 known as “Valentine’s Day.” However, the holiday didn’t become associated specifically with love until about 900 years later.
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