News from Phoenix Goddess Temple

The Romans knew how to have a good time. On the Ides of February (February 15th) Rome celebrated the Lupercalia, a fertility festival to honor the Goddess Juno Febuata (patron of women and fertility) and the God Pan (Patron of flocks of goats and sheep and fertility). Are we beginning to see a pattern here!

A grand feast was held that lasted the day and night. At the feast was a large urn or box and in that urn young unattached women of marriageable age placed their names on a piece of paper. Young men unmarried but of marriageable age would draw a name and the two of them were paired for the year, expected to date, and hopefully marry. If it didn't work out, well they got in some practice for next year when they could try again. This custom continued for many happy years.

Fast forward to the year 270 CE and the Roman Emperor Claudisus II, who had plans of increasing the size of his empire. Having observed that young married solders, especially those with small children, were often homesick and unenthusiastic for the constant warfare he was waging. Claudisus decided to fix the problem by outlawing marriage for young men. Since he was Emperor he got away with it in public, but of course people fell in love anyway and married in secret. One of the Priests who would perform these secret marriages was a Christian Priest named Valentine or Valentinus. He eventually was denounced for this activity and possibly for helping Christians to escape Rome altogether.
( Please note that there are 3 Christian martyrs named Valentine or Valentius who were Christian Priests killed at roughly the same time during Claudisus II reign, all of whom have been made Saint )
Since he was a Priest, Valentine was kept in "honorable captivity". He could receive visitors and they could bring him food, and amenities like books, paper and ink and such. People would frequently bring him food and flowers. It is said that this particular Father Valentine fell in love with the daughter of one of his jailers. Having been sentenced to death, Father Valentine wrote a letter to the girl and signed it "From your Valentine" and went bravely to his execution.

The Lupercalia continued to be celebrated openly until Pope Gelasius officially ended the celebration. But there was one small problem.....people liked the Pagan Festivals with all their revelry, drinking, eating and fun, and yes, the sex too. The Christian Fathers and hierarchy saw that they were loosing converts. Faced with the thought of empty churches, they started to integrate the pagan festivals, giving them new names and new direction but keeping many of the elements, "Christianizing" them. Pope Gelasius who ended the Lupercalia on February 14th, 498 CE also declared Father Valentine a Roman Catholic Saint. He then instituted a "NEW" holiday, to be celebrated on February 14th, with food, dancing, wine and merriment in honor of love and marriage, the sacrament that St. Valentine gave up his life to promote. There was still an urn or box, but in the urn Christian Priests now placed the names of Saints on paper and young men and women would draw them out and then try to emulate the life of that Saint for a year. Eros, the God of Love, who was the (full grown and handsome) son of Venus, Goddess of Love and Beauty, was changed into the Chubby Cherub Cupid and went on to become the physical model for a whole subgroup of Angels, the Cherubim.

Other Valentines Day Quick Facts:

Flowers and sweets have always been presents of affection, but harken back to those folk who visited Father Valentine during his captivity.

While Father Valentine may get the credit for the "first Valentine", so many get sent each year that it has become the second biggest card sending holiday after Christmas.

Currently 85% of all Valentines are purchased by women.

The stylized heart shape became popular for Valentines in the mid 1700's, and it is said to have come from the appearance of the heads and necks of two swans facing each other. Why swans you might ask? Because Swans mate for life and have been known to grieve themselves to death upon the death of their mate. Because of this they became the symbol of undying love.

Thank you for Reading!

Laura

Temple Bard