The Valentine of Roman days was less refined however than its modern celebration. After sacrifice of goats and a dog, the priests called, Luperci, traditionally ran in two bands, a marked course around the city on this day, scantily dressed only in goatskin girdles and carrying strips of goatskin with which they struck women to take away their infertility. So the day became connected with Venus, goddess of sexual love. Venus' son Cupid also played an important part in this love feast. Roman mythology ascribes to mother and son the power to instill passion in people, and with their love potion they also had the power to make love cease.
Cupid is often.
Usually naked, winged and armed with a bow and arrow, cupids are still portrayed in modern times on Valentine cards in theater decor and the like. First Christian Valentine As can be well imagined, a bawdy festival of sex and love was popular with the masses of Rome. The Christian-professing church, on the other hand, had no desire to perpetuate Lupercalia and so tried to uproot this love feast. But the attempt met with failure. The pagan population of the empire, as well as many recently converted Christians, continued its observation.