While modern Valentine’s Day is filled with chocolates and roses, 

its origins are rooted in brutal martyrdom and ancient rituals that are anything but romantic. 

The Martyrdom of Saint Valentine

The “dark” story of the real Saint Valentine (or the multiple men who shared the name) is one of defiance and execution during the 3rd century: 

• Defiance of the Emperor: Emperor Claudius II (Claudius Gothicus) believed that single men made better soldiers. To bolster his army, he outlawed marriage for young men. Valentine, a priest, defied this decree by performing secret marriages for Christian couples.
• The Miraculous Note: While imprisoned for his defiance, legend says Valentine healed his jailer’s blind daughter. Before his execution, he supposedly wrote her a final letter—the first “Valentine”—and signed it “From your Valentine“.
• A Brutal End: In roughly 270 AD, Valentine was beaten with clubs and stones before being beheaded on February 14. His flower-crowned skull is still on display today at the Basilica of Santa Maria in Cosmedin in Rome. 

The Pagan Roots: Lupercalia

Many historians believe the holiday was established to “Christianize” the ancient Roman festival of Lupercalia, celebrated from February 13–15. This festival was a far cry from modern romance: 

• Sacrificial Rites: Roman priests (the Luperci) would sacrifice goats for fertility and a dog for purification.
• The Striking of Women: Men would cut strips of hide from the sacrificed animals and run through the streets, slapping women with the shaggy, bloody thongs. Women welcomed this, believing it would ensure fertility and easy childbirth.
• Matchmaking Lottery: The festival often concluded with a lottery where young men drew women’s names from a jar to be paired for the duration of the event (or longer). 

Historical “Dark” Trivia

• St. Valentine’s Day Massacre: In a much later dark turn, February 14, 1929, became infamous for the Saint Valentine’s Day Massacre, where Al Capone’s gang gunned down seven rivals in Chicago.
• Vinegar Valentines: In the Victorian era, “dark” sentiment was common through Vinegar Valentines—rude, insulting cards sent anonymously to unwanted suitors or people one disliked. 

Would you like to explore more about the pagan rituals of Lupercalia or the true historical identityof the multiple Saint Valentines?