By Sean Delaney
Valentine’s Day is a holiday celebrated in many countries around the world. The exact origins of the holiday are unknown, but it is believed to have originated from a Roman festival called Lupercalia.
This festival was held on February 15th and was dedicated to the god of fertility, Faunus.
During Lupercalia, Roman priests would sacrifice a goat and a dog. They would then take the blood from these animals and smear it on the foreheads of young people.
This was believed to be a way of ensuring fertility for the coming year. Later, in fifth century AD, Pope Gelasius I declared February 14th as Valentine’s Day.
He did this in honour of two Christian martyrs named Valentine.