Plotting with Dr. Potts
Seminar Signup
Patient Forms
Please Call: 847-362-6540
  • Main Site
  • About Dr. Potts
  • Contact Us

It’s Bloody Valentine’s Day

February 12, 2014 by Lake County Dental Care Leave a Comment

Share the joy

It’s that time of year again. The time to be in the mood for love. In 2 days, that black mark of a holiday (if you’re alone and single) arrives, and to make things worse, it’s on a Friday. But what are the origins of this magical day we call Valentine’s Day? Sure, it’s general knowledge that somewhere, at sometime there was a guy named St. Valentine who did stuff that earned him his own day. But is there more to this? Does Valentine’s Day have a deeper past than this single man?

Good Ol’ Roman Paganism

February had for a long time been a month of celebration. An early, primordial celebration in Ancient Rome was Februa, which would lend itself to the eventual name of the month. Februa, also called Februalia, was a festival of ritual purification, a sort of pre-Spring washing or cleansing, which makes sense considering it’s often a rainy month. While the subject of celebration is unrelated to Valentine’s Day, its dates do match: the festival ran from February 13 to 15.

Lupercalia

Februa would be overtaken by another Roman festival: Lupercalia. This festival was definitely one of those weirder, pagan, blood and sacrifice parties. If you know your Latin, you’ll know this had to do with wolves (lupus). Lupa in this case was the she-wolf who legend has it raised Romulus and Remus. Special priests would dress as goats and dogs and then sacrifice these respective animals. Whereas Februa celebrated purification, Lupercalia covered that as well as fertility; fertility would be the connection to Valentine’s Day’s theme of romantic love. One of the most notable parts of the festivities was when young, noble males would run through the streets, naked except for the skins of the sacrificed goats/dogs. Using thongs made from the animal skin, they’d strike awaiting women. Supposedly this strike would ensure pregnancy and a smooth delivery. Crazy right?

Here Comes the Saint

Both these festivals took place midway through the month. Centuries after the founding of Rome, indeed after the end of the Republic and the rise of the Empire, true Valentine’s Day would come. During the reign of Claudius II (also called Claudius Gothicus) in the 3rd century (that’s the 200s), there supposedly lived a Roman priest named Valentinus. There is no single, authoritative or verifiable story about his life, but there is a notable version in which he weds couples. Practicing Christianity, let alone acting as a priest and presiding over Christian marriages, was punishable by death. To make matters worse, Valentinus had been marrying Roman soldiers to wives. Claudius II believed that unmarried soldiers were better soldiers (no attachments, no sympathy, I kind of get it) and therefore decreed none could marry. Well, naturally Valentinus’s actions brought him into conflict with this. The Emperor had the priest locked up, but curiously took a liking to the man. It was only when Valentinus attempted to convert the Emperor did he seal his own fate. The priest was beheaded, but not before writing a letter to his love signed “Your Valentine.” As a Christian martyr and saint he was given a feast day, hence February 14 (another example of Christian-pagan holiday fusion).

Cute isn’t it? It’s probably all colored bubbles, smoke and mirrors, apocryphal, whatever word you want to use. But it does make a nice story and it does make a great moneymaker for Hallmark and every florist around the world.

dr.pottsDr. Potts is a gentle, caring dentist who uses the most advanced materials and procedures available. He practices comfortable, health-centered dentistry, with a strong emphasis on getting to know each patient. In addition to his technical proficiency, Dr. Potts is a careful listener. He makes sure to understand what you want and will explain beforehand what treatment is best for your individual needs, along with all options available to you. Check out our Twitter, Facebook page, and website.

(Visited 124 times, 1 visits today)

Filed Under: Dentistry Tagged With: ancient, claudius, dental health, Dentistry, Dr. Potts, feast day, februa, february 14, holiday, libertyville, libertyville dentist, lupercalia, pagan, rome, st. valentine, valentine's day

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recent Posts

  • Toothpaste Brands & What to Look For
  • What To Do In A Dental Emergency
  • What Does Sugar Do To Your Teeth?
  • What to Look for in a Dental Office
  • Choosing Dental Insurance
  • What Is Gingivitis?
  • Sinus Pressure or Toothache?
  • The Life Cycle of Teeth
  • What Is Periodontitis?
  • Steps Of A Dental Cleaning

Archives

Categories

  • Coffee & Dental Tips
  • Dental Hygiene
  • Dental Insurance
  • Dental Resolutions
  • Dentistry
  • Goodbye Summer…
  • Healthy Living
  • Kids and Family
  • Office News
  • Periodontitis
  • Referral Contest!
  • Sedation Dentistry
  • The Tongue & Oral Health
  • TMJ
  • Uncategorized
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Youtube
  • Instagram
  • Google Reviews
  • Yelp Reviews
  • Facebook Reviews

©2015-2021 Lake County Dental Care • All rights reserved | Website Design and SEO by Infinity Dental Web

  • Main Site
  • About Dr. Potts
  • Contact Us
  • Please Call
    (847) 362-6540