Where Did Cupid Come From?

By Zoe Jones

Valentine's day in the modern day has always been filled with love and giving, but it wasn’t always like that. 

In Rome, approximately 270 AD, Claudius, the Emperor, wanted more men to sign up for the military but felt that Roman men didn’t want to join due to attachment between their wives and families. So he banned all marriages and engagements. Valentine, who was a priest and a physician, thought that this was a stupid decree and continued performing marriages in secret. Eventually, unfortunately, Claudius found out and Valentine was beaten to death with clubs and then beheaded on February 14, 270. He was named a saint after his death which is how Sainthoods typically go. 

Crazily enough, two other saints whose names were both Valinteo were also killed on February 14 at different times. They were asked to deny God but refused and were killed.

Before there was Valentine’s Day, There was the Feast of Lupercalia, a pagan festival of love. During this celebration, women's names would be written down and put into a box and men would randomly draw their names. Strips of goat hide would be cut and men would beat the women hoping to increase fertility. But Pope Gelasius ended this celebration and named St. Valentine's day the new holiday. Thank goodness!