Why I don’t celebrate, or believe in, Valentine’s Day

I am a Protestant Christian.  That is as opposed to a Catholic Christian.  Therefore, firstly I do not celebrate Roman Catholic Saints.

Secondly, let me just be clear on this – there was a person by the name of Valentus who was martyred for his Christian beliefs and beheaded on what is today 14 February.  There is no proof that he did indeed marry couples against the Emperor Claudius II’s wishes or that he had anything to do with love or romance.

It just so happens that on the day this St Valentine was beheaded was the day of the Lupercalia festival.  An ancient Roman festival that did not have anything to do with love or romance either, actually.  It was a spring-cleansing festival, held to ward off evil spirits and releasing fertility.

According to Wikipedia, this festival also holds connections to the ancient festival of Arcadian Lykaia and the worship of Lycaean Pan.  Now, if you have read or heard anything about the vampire/werewolf craze that has been going around, the word “lycaean” might ring a bell…as in lycan?  Yes, a sort of werewolf.  (see Underworld)

There are many more facts surrounding this so-called "festival of love"  that proves that it has in reality no origins in history as it is celebrated today.

So what I’m actually telling you is that I have a huge, BIG problem as a Christian to honour a festival that originated in the celebration of something pagan and not altogether quite healthy.

Lastly I will also tell you that my husband and I celebrate our 19^th year of marriage on 13 February 2012.  We are still very much in love with each other, and in no way, shape or form do we need to give each other meaningless little gifts to prove our love to each other.  This is something that happens every day: small gestures, hugs, kisses, words.  I'm not saying we have the perfect marriage – something like that does not exist.  We argue, we disagree, we fight.  But never does any of this take away from the love we hold for each other.

But, you know what?  We each have our own opinions.  This is mine

Pictures and facts from www.wikipedia.org and www.catholic.org