Valentine's Day is a somewhat contentious holiday, the annual celebration of lovers traditionally held on February 14th is considered by many to be an invention of greetings card companies. Although the actual origins of the holiday are shrouded in mystery, one thing is certain - Hallmark most certainly did not invent it.

One suspect for the origin of Valentine's Day is the ancient Roman holiday of Lupercalia. This pagan festival was celebrated on February 13th - 15th in an effort to dislodge evil spirits and purify the city thus allowing health and fertility to flourish.

The Lupercalia is believed to be connected to the worship of Pan, god of shepherds, flocks, the mountainous wilderness, hunting, fields, groves and wooded glens. Pan is also connected to spring and fertility, his horns and goat's legs further increase his link to virility as does his frequently depicted erection.

The legend of Romulus, Remus and the wolf that suckled them is also closely tied to the Lupercalia, further increasing its links to fertility and child rearing. The links to Romulus and Remus also help to explain the festival's name, Lupercalia translates roughly to "Wolf Festival".

The Roman historian, Plutarch, witnessed the Lupercalia:
"Lupercalia, of which many write that it was anciently celebrated by shepherds, and has also some connection with the Arcadian Lycaea. At this time many of the noble youths and of the magistrates run up and down through the city naked, for sport and laughter striking those they meet with shaggy thongs. And many women of rank also purposely get in their way, and like children at school present their hands to be struck, believing that the pregnant will thus be helped in delivery, and the barren to pregnancy."

As christianity spread across Europe it assimilated many of the pagan festivals, renaming them in honour of Christian martyrs. Around 496 AD Pope Gelasius declared the Lupercalia a Christian feast day to be celebrated on February 14th in honour of the 3rd Century Roman Martyr, Saint Valentine.

It is unclear exactly which St Valentine Pope Gelasius intended to honour, there are at least three early Christian saints named Valentine. One was a priest in Rome, another was a bishop in Interamna and the last St Valentine died in Africa, little else is known about him. It has been suggested that all three St Valentines were martyred on February 14th however, the official Roman Martyrology only mentions one St Valentine for that date.

Most academics believe the St Valentine associated with the holiday was a priest who unfortunately attracted the ire of Claudius II, emperor of Rome between 268 and 270. According to Christian legend, Valentine was a bishop who married young Christian couples in secret and in doing so enraged the emperor who persecuted Christians for their beliefs.

Depending what you read, the story differs. Some say that Claudius II had forbidden marriage in order to stop young men forming emotional attachments and so creating better soldiers. Other reports say that only Christian marriage, like all Christian ceremonies at the time, was banned.

Either way, Valentine apparently saw the unhappiness of the young lovers in the Empire and agreed to meet them in a secret place to marry them. Claudius II soon heard of this and had Valentine arrested. What happened after the arrest is more the topic of legend than actual history.

Christian legend has it that while Valentine was in jail awaiting sentence he had some contact with his gaoler, Asterius. The Gaoler had a blind daughter and knowing that Valentine was a good and holy man, he asked him to heal her.

Because Valentine's faith was so strong he healed the girl and when he was on his way to be executed he requested a pen and paper and sent the daughter a note reading simply "From your Valentine" a message that lives on to this day. As charming as this story is, there is little, if any evidence for it.

Whatever happened during Valentine's imprisonment is of little importance, what most Scholars agree on however is that Claudius grew to respect Valentine for his dignity and conviction and attempted to convert him to the Roman gods. Valentine resisted and even attempted to convert Claudius to Christianity, he failed and was executed on February 14th 270AD thus becoming a saint.

It was not until much later, the 14th Century, that St Valentine's day became associated with romantic love rather than Christian love. Many scholars have suggested that it was Chaucer who first linked St Valentines day and romance.

In 1381 Chaucer wrote "The Parliament of Fowls" to celebrate the engagement of Richard II of England and Anne of Bohemia, this poem is widely considered to be origin of Valentine's day as we know it. In the poem Chaucer links the royal engagment, the mating season of birds and St Valentines day.

By the Middle Ages, St Valentine was one of the most fashionable saints in England and France. The Christian church attempted to bring the holiday back to it's original meaning of holy love and devotion rather than romantic love but the association between St Valentine and romance was already made.

Over the years the holiday evolved and by the 18th Century (long before Hallmark existed) the traditions of gift-giving and exchanging cards were well underway. Examples of Valentine's cards have been found dating as far back as 1415 proving without doubt that although the holiday has lost it's original meaning it is in fact a truly ancient part of our culture.

So gents, looks like the old classic "I don't believe in Valentine's" excuse is out of the window, better buy those roses after all.