Ahhhhhhh. Valentines! ……….. February 11, 2011
Those pink and red envelopes in the mail, I have been delivering them!
The origins of the Valentine “love notes” date back to Ancient Roman times. February was sacred to Juno, the Goddess of love. The original Valentine’s Day in the ides of February was Rome’s love festival, “Lupercalia.” Young men chose partners for the festivities by drawing “billets” -small papers- with womens names on them. Later, the Christian Church attempted to eliminate this “heathen custom,” with no success. Finally, they invented “St. Valentine” a mythical martyr to replace the Roman deity. St. Valentine became the patron of lovers, because the festival remained dedicated to lovers despite all official efforts to change it.
Reference:
Barbara G. Walker, The Woman’s Encyclopedia of Myths and Secrets, Harper & Row 1983