Lupercalia: The Salacious Origins of Valentine's Day

Lupercalia was an ancient Roman festival celebrated on February 15th. It was dedicated to Lupercus, the Roman god of fertility, and to the founders of Rome, Romulus and Remus, who according to legend were raised by a female wolf. “Lupus,” being the Latin word for “wolf.”

While our modern Valentine’s Day celebration is all about gifts, dates, and candy, Lupercalia was a much more primal festivity that involved a lot of blood and gratuitous sex.

The festival began with the priests of Lupercus getting naked and smearing themselves with the blood of slaughtered male goats. They then skinned the goats and ran through the streets naked, whipping women with strips of fresh goatskin. If you were one of the lucky ladies who got smacked with bloody animal skins, you were now believed to be more fertile!

Some say Lupercalia had a match-making element, for which men would draw the names of women out of a jar in a sort of sex lottery. Usually just coupling for the night, but also sometimes leading to marriage. 

With the adoption of Christianity in Rome, Lupercalia gave way to the Christian observance of St. Valentine's Day, celebrated on February 14th. This shift marked a transition from the pagan fertility rituals to a celebration that is more centered on romance and love.

A few traces of the ancient festival remain in our Valentine’s Day celebrations, such as the signature red and white colors of Valentine’s Day might symbolize the blood of the sacrifice, and the milk the priests used to ritualistically clean it up, as well as the obvious sexual and romantic matchmaking. 

And there you have it – from blood-soaked goat skins to heart-shaped chocolates! As you celebrate Valentine's Day with gifts and sweet gestures, just remember the wild and primal roots that paved the way for this romantic extravaganza. So, whether you're exchanging roses or contemplating the ancient art of matchmaking, take a moment to appreciate the quirky journey from Lupercalia's carnal chaos to our modern day of love. After all, nothing says romance like a good old-fashioned goat-skin whipping, right? Happy Valentine's Day!