Chocolates, fuzzy bears, big hearts, broken hearts, and blood. Everything that makes up the wonderful holiday named after the martyr named Valentine. Not something most would expect for an origin story. Death, oppression, sacrifices,  and war would seem foreign to our lovey dovey holiday, if not for the bloody origins of Valentine’s day.

Similar to the pagan roots of Christmas, Valentine’s day began as an ancient festival known as Lupercalia. Instead of exchanging love cards though, the Romans sacrificed animals. Although this has nothing to do with love, there was a reason for this. The idea was that, by sacrificing a goat or a dog and using the animal’s skin to whip women, the females would then become fertile. If that’s not love then I don’t know what is. How such a savage holiday evolved into something completely different is too difficult to comprehend.  

A little history lesson, in the time of the Roman empire, soldiers were ordered not to marry. This was due to a law stating that only unmarried men can join the military. Even though it would go against the law, our young rebel Valentine helped young soldiers find love and marry. This act of madness would send him to jail. During his time in prison before his execution, legends claim that he fell in love with his jailer’s daughter and letters of love were exchanged. Almost sounds like something out of a movie, the drama, the suspense, the gore. All qualities of a great Valentine’s movie.  

Although Valentines day didn’t have a great upbringing, one should be glad that a rose came out of it all. As if all the the festival of Lupercalia needed was a little TLC. No more sacrifices, no more martyrs. Just chocolate, fuzzy bears, and warm hearts.