February 14 is Valentine's Day. Although it is
celebrated as a lovers' holiday today, with the giving of candy, Valentine
flowers, or other gifts between couples in love, it originated in
5th Century Rome as a tribute to St. Valentine, a Catholic bishop overs' holiday today, with the giving of candy, Valentine
flowers, or other gifts between couples in love, it originated in
5th Century Rome as a tribute to St. Valentine, a Catholic bishop.For
eight hundred years prior to the establishment of Valentine's Day, the Romans
had practiced a pagan celebration in mid-February commemorating young men's
rite of passage to the god Lupercus. The celebration featured a lottery in
which young men would draw the names of teenage girls from a box. The girl
assigned to each young man in that manner would be his companion during the
remaining year.