REAL STORY!!! (or at least part of it)
http://www.cogwriter.com/valentine.htm
Here's the version that we are taught in Latin class...
Even the old World Book Encyclopedia (Valentine's Day . 19. 1966, pp.205-206) states,
...the customs of this day nothing to do with the lives of saints. They probably come from an ancient Roman festival called Lupercalia which took place every February 15. The festival honored Juno, the Roman goddess of and marriage, and Pan, the god of ...The Romans celebrated their feast as a lovers' festival for young people. Young men and women chose partners for the festival by drawing names from a box...After the spread of Christianity, churchmen tried to give Christian meaning to the pagan festival. In 496, Pope Gelasius changed the Lupercalia festival of February 15 to Saint Valentine's Day 14. But the sentimental meaning of old festival has remained to the present time. Historians disagree about the identity of "Saint Valentine". ...Priests...ran around striking all the women the met (Lupercalia. Volume 12. 1966, p.456).
However, in Latin class, we learned that Lupercalia was originally for "sacrificing" to the gods to protect them from wolves...
Oh well, it's up to you to decide what you like...
Little Star
