rome

Valentine's Day, once a solemn observance, has evolved into a celebration of romance and love in the United States. The holiday's transformation from a religious feast day to a romantic occasion is a fascinating journey through history. Historians trace the origins of Valentine's Day back to ancient Rome, where mid-February marked the celebration of Lupercalia, a fertility festival dedicated to Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture, and Romulus and Remus, the legendary founders of Rome. During this festival, men would sacrifice goats and dogs and then whip women with the hides of the animals they had just slain, believing this…