The Truth Behind St. Valentine’s Day St. Valentine’s Day is the world’s “holiday of love.” Since the Bible states that God is love (I John 4:8, 16), does He approve of the celebration of this day? Does He want His people—true Christians—partaking of the candy and cards, or any customs associated with this day? hen God says He wants truth behind St. Valentine’s Day. And Assisted by Vestal Virgins, the you to live life abundantly you will know what God expects you Luperci (male priests) conducted puri- (John 10:10), does that in- to do about it! fication rites by sacrificing goats and W a dog in the Lupercal cave on Palatine clude celebrating a festive, seem- Valentine’s Past Hill, where the Romans believed the ingly harmless holiday like Valen- Like Christmas, Easter, Halloween, New twins Romulus and Remus had been tine’s Day? The God who gives us Year’s and other holidays of this world, sheltered and nursed by a she-wolf everything—life, food, drink, the St. Valentine’s Day is another attempt before they eventually founded Rome. ability to think for ourselves, etc.— to “whitewash” perverted customs and Clothed in loincloths made from sacri- surely approves of St. Valentine’s observances of pagan gods and idols by ficed goats and smeared in their blood, the Luperci would run about Rome, Day, the holiday for lovers to ex- “Christianizing” them. As innocent and harmless as St. striking women with februa, thongs change gifts—right? Valentine’s Day may appear, its tradi- made from skins of the sacrificed goats. Do not be so certain. Do not tions and customs originate from two The Luperci believed that the floggings assume anything. Do not even take of the most sexually perverted pagan purified women and guaranteed their this article’s word for it. Go to history festivals of ancient history: Lupercalia fertility and ease of childbirth. February books and encyclopedias. Go to the and the feast day of Juno Februata. derives from februa or “means of puri- Bible. Then Celebrated on February 15, Lupercalia fication.” you will (known as the “festival of sexual license”) To the Romans, February was also sacred to Juno Februata, the goddess of k n o w was held by the ancient Romans in honor febris (“fever”) of love, and of women t h e of Lupercus, god of fertility and hus- bandry, protector of herds and crops, and and marriage. On February 14, billets r e a l a mighty hunter—especially of wolves. (small pieces of paper, each of which The Romans believed that Lupercus had the name of a teen-aged girl writ- would protect Rome from rov- ten on it) were put into a container. ing bands of wolves, Teen-aged boys would then choose one which devoured billet at random. The boy and the girl livestock whose name was drawn would become and peo- a “couple,” joining in erotic games at ple. feasts and parties celebrated throughout Rome. After the festival, they would remain sexual partners for the rest of the year. This custom was observed in the Roman Empire for centuries. Whitewashing Perversion In A.D. 494, Pope Gelasius renamed the festival of Juno Februata as the “Feast of the Purification of the Virgin Mary.” The date of its observance was later changed from February 14 to February 2, then 1 changed back to the 14. It is also known teenth centuries. These cards were paint- for impregnating numerous goddesses as Candlemas, the Presentation of the ed with pictures of Cupid and hearts, and mortals. Cupid was a child-like Lord, the Purification of the Blessed and meticulously decorated with lace, archer (remember, Nimrod was a skilled Virgin and the Feast of the Presentation silk or flowers. archer). Mythology describes Cupid as of Christ in the Temple. having both a cruel and happy personal- After Constantine had made the First Man Called Valentine ity. He would use his invisible arrows, Roman church’s brand of Christianity But who was the original Valentine? tipped with gold, to strike unsuspecting the official religion of the Roman Empire What does the name Valentine mean? men and women, causing them to fall (A.D. 325), church leaders wanted to do Valentine comes from the Latin madly in love. He did not do this for away with the pagan festivals of the Valentinus, which derives from valens— their benefit, but to drive them crazy people. Lupercalia was high on their “to be strong, powerful, mighty.” The with intense passion, to make their lives list. But the Roman citizens thought Bible describes a man with a simi- miserable, and to laugh at the results. otherwise. lar title: “And Cush begat Nimrod: he Many of the gods of the Egyptians, It was not until A.D. 496 that the began to be a mighty one in the earth. He Greeks, Romans, Assyrians and others church at Rome was able to do anything was a mighty hunter before the Lord: were modeled after one man—Nimrod. about Lupercalia. Powerless to get rid wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the But what does this have to do with of it, Pope Gelasius instead changed it mighty hunter before the Lord” (Gen. us today? Why should we be concerned from February 15 to the 14th and called 10:8-9). He was said to have hunted with what happened in the past? it St. Valentine’s Day. It was named after with bow and arrow. one of that church’s saints, who, in A.D. As mentioned, the Romans celebrat- What God Thinks 270, was executed by the emperor for ed Lupercalia to honor the hunter god Read what God commands His people his beliefs. Lupercus. To the Greeks, from whom concerning pagan customs and tradi- According to the Catholic the Romans had copied most of their tions: “Learn not the way of the hea- Encyclopedia, “At least three different mythology, Lupercus was known as then…For the customs of the people are Saint Valentines, all of them martyrs, Pan, the god of light. The Phoenicians vain” (Jer. 10:2-3). Also notice Christ’s are mentioned in early martyrologies worshipped the same deity as Baal, words in Matthew 15:9: “…in vain they under the date of 14 February. One is the sun god. Baal was one of many do worship Me, teaching for doctrines described as a priest at Rome, another as names or titles for Nimrod, a mighty the commandments of men.” bishop of Interamna (modern Terni), and hunter, especially of wolves. He was Throughout the Bible, God describes these two seem both to have suffered in also the founder and first lord of Babel “heathens” as those who worship things the second half of the third century and (Gen. 10:10-12). Defying God, Nimrod that He had created (animals, the sun, to have been buried on the Flaminian was the originator of the Babylonian the moon, stars, trees, etc.), or man- Way, but at different distances from Mystery Religion, whose mythologies made idols, or anything but the one the city…Of the third Saint Valentine, have been copied by the Egyptians, the true God. He calls such people and who suffered in Africa with a number of Greeks, the Romans and a multitude of their practices pagan. True Christians companions, nothing is further known.” other ancient peoples. Under different understand that God hates any customs, Several biographies of different men names or titles—Pan, Lupercus, Saturn, practices and traditions that are rooted named Valentine were merged into one Osiris—Nimrod is the strong man and in paganism. “official” St. Valentine. hunter-warrior god of the ancients. But just how serious is God about The church whitewashed Lupercalia But what does the heart symbol have paganism? even further. Instead of putting the to do with a day honoring Nimrod/ When He rescued the twelve tribes names of girls into a box, the names of Valentine? of Israel from brutal slavery and led “saints” were drawn by both boys and The title Baal means “lord” or “mas- them out of Egypt, He commanded girls. It was then each person’s duty ter,” and is mentioned throughout the them, “After the doings of the land of to emulate the life of the saint whose Bible as the god of pagans. God warned Egypt, wherein you dwelt, shall you not name he or she had drawn. This was His people not to worship or even tol- do: and after the doings of the land of Rome’s vain attempt to “whitewash” a erate the ways of Baal (Nimrod). In Canaan, where I bring you, shall you not pagan observance by “Christianizing” it, ancient Chaldean (the language of the do: neither shall you walk in their ordi- which God has not given man the power Babylonians), bal, which is similar to nances” (Lev. 18:3). God demanded the or authority to do. Though the church Baal, meant, “heart.” This is where the Israelites not to defile themselves with at Rome had banned the sexual lottery, Valentine heart symbol originated. the pagan practices and customs of sur- young men still practiced a much toned- Now notice the name Cupid. It rounding nations (vs. 24-29). “Therefore down version, sending women whom comes from the Latin verb cupere, shall you keep Mine ordinance, that you they desired handwritten romantic mes- meaning “to desire.” Cupid was the son commit not any one of these abominable sages containing St. Valentine’s name. of Venus, Roman goddess of beauty and customs, which were committed before Over the centuries, St.