Valentine’s Day – Glamorizing ancient paganism

Tue, Feb 12, 2013

Editor: Candy in heart-shaped boxes, depictions of Cupid shooting his bow, greeting cards expressing affection for a special person of the opposite sex, and red hearts placed as decorations comprise just a few of the items that relate to the annual holiday of Valentine’s Day. People look forward eagerly to the observance of Valentine’s Day as the holiday of love and romance.{{more}} The question “Will you be my Valentine?” is repeatedly asked on this day by those ranging in age from small children to adults.

People blindly observe this holiday, year after year, without ever considering the true origin of this day. Even those professing a faith in the Bible join in the celebration. Where did this day originate, if not from the Bible? With this thought in mind, let us consider the origin of Valentine’s Day to determine the veracity of True Worshippers engaging in the customary festivities of this day as a holiday.

The celebration of Valentine’s Day is linked directly to an ancient Roman pagan holiday known as the Lupercalia, which shared most of the customs incorporated today into the popular Valentine’s celebration, although our contemporary Valentine’s Day comes one day earlier (on February 14) before the Roman feast. This was a contrivance by ecumenical Roman Catholic teachers who found that by relabeling the Roman holiday with the name of “one of their saints,” they could effectively merge the customs of a pagan holiday into the Christian calendar.

In the book “Life and Leisure in Ancient Rome”, we find some very frank discussions about the conversion of the pagans to popular Christianity. “After paganism (followed) Christianity. Now there were new public festivals, in particular – Easter, and the old pagan festivals should have vanished… But superstition does not obey instructions, and the ordinary man is reluctant to turn his back on carnal enjoyment…Among a haphazard recollection of imperial birthdays, circus days, birthdays of martyrs and the major festivals of the Christians Church, there are included nine of the old Roman festivals to whose pagan attribution a blind eye might be turned, including the Lupercalia and the Saturnalia, described inoffensively as the ‘Feast of Slaves’. In some cases, pagan practices transferred themselves to Christian worship…December 25th remained, but changed its character. Sometimes pagan Gods enjoyed an easy transformation and, the retained jubilation of their festivals, became Christian.” (page 73)

The World Book Encyclopaedia states: “The Romans celebrated their feast of Lupercalia as a lover’s festival for young people. Young men and women chose partners for the festival by drawing names by chance from a box. Then the partners exchanged gifts as a sign of affection. They usually continued to enjoy one another’s company long after the festival. Many such courtships ended in marriage. After the spread of Christianity, churchmen tried to give Christian meaning to the pagan festival. In 496 C.E., Pope Gelasius changed the Lupercalia festival of February 15 to Saint Valentine’s Day on February 14. But, the sentimental meaning of the old festival has remained to the present time.” Please research the Roman Lupercalia. You will be shocked to find some very gross rituals that were associated with this festival, some of which were sadomasochistic in nature.

What a candid admission! Now that you have been informed regarding the origin of this day, what will you do? “To him therefore that knows to do good, and does it not, to him it is sin.” Jacob/James 4: 17. We must all be careful to consider our ways, lest we be deceived and lose our salvation. “Take heed lest there shall be anyone that makes spoil of you through his philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after the Messiah”. (Colossians 2: 8) Yahweh gives his spirit to those who faithfully obey Him (Acts 5: 32) Let us honour Him by keeping His commandments and doing those things that are pleasing in His sight.

Ulrick Sutherland

The Assemblies of Yahweh

Email: svg_aoy@live.com