St. Valentines Day: The Real Story

1
St. Valentines Day The Real Story

• February 14th was date to honor two Christian
  martyrs
• 300 A.D. (1700 years ago)

2
St. Valentines Day The Real Story

• Roman empire established a fertility festival
  (crops, flocks and children) on February 15th to
  honor mythological god (Faunus)

3
St. Valentines Day The Real Story

• Goats and dogs were sacrificed and animal skins
  used to whip women (which caused them to be
  fertile)

4
St. Valentines Day The Real Story

• Women would write their name on a love note, drop
  it into a hat, and then men would draw out a note
  each man courted that woman for the night

5
St. Valentines Day The Real Story

• Valentines cards come from this tradition

6
St. Valentines Day The Real Story

• Christian church ended this fertility festival
  about 500 years ago
• Combined fertility festival with celebration of
  honoring of martyrs result was a feast

7
St. Valentines Day The Real Story

• Over time the martyr aspect of the feast has been
  lost, and replaced with a focus on love

8
St. Valentines Day The Real Story

• Valentine cards became extremely popular by the
  1800s

9
St. Valentines Day The Real Story

• Cupid, the Roman god of love (Greek counterpart
  was Eros), was added to St. Valentines Day in
  the last 500 years