The Clockwork Chartophylax

As Warren Ellis is wont to point out, the feast of St Valentine is a Christian corruption of the Roman pagan festival of Lupercalia, where, as part of a fertility rite, men would smear themselves with blood, dress up in animal skins and run around the city whipping young women with cords made of goatskin.

All of which makes roses, chocolates and a romantic dinner seen rather dull and pointless by comparison.

Posted on February 14th, 2008 under Strangeness, Trivia • Tags: lupercalia, strange, Trivia, valentine, valentine's day, warren ellis. • RSS 2.0 feed • Both comments and pings are currently closed