OT: St. Valentine

[Surface]

I need to take off from work early today to do some shopping for the usual flowers, candy and provide a romantic dinner for my wife.

How did this holiday become so convoluted?

The roots of St. Valentine's Day lie in the ancient Roman festival of Lupercalia, which was celebrated on Feb. 15. For 800 years the Romans had dedicated this day to the god Lupercus. On Lupercalia, a young man would draw the name of a young woman in a lottery and would then keep the woman as a sexual companion for the year.

Pope Gelasius I was, understandably, less than thrilled with this custom. So he changed the lottery to have both young men and women draw the names of saints whom they would then emulate for the year (a change that no doubt disappointed a few young men). Instead of Lupercus, the patron of the feast became Valentine. For Roman men, the day continued to be an occasion to seek the affections of women, and it became a tradition to give out handwritten messages of admiration that included Valentine's name.

 

Is anyone in favor of returning to the origions of this once great holiday?

[Keith Graydon]

backround..........

 

 

Back then The Catholic church had a brilliant campaign for the "Hearts and Minds" of the locals as the religion spread across the globe. The church would almost allways create festival/holiday/prayer to mirror or in some other way compete with the colloqial celebrations of the area. Done to show that this religion had everything to offer as the locals were practicing at the time.

 

no offense.

I think that they did good on this one

 

 

-Keith

[rob@fain]

I would if the lottery only included Hooter's girlsor Victoria's Sercret Models.

 

Rob