History of the valentine'day

This is a translation from an article published in "Le Monde"

The first traces of Valentine's day come from ancient Rome. Originally it was a pagan celebration in the name of Lupercalia, god of the herd and shepherd and to Junon, goddess of  the woman and the roman wedding. It was the opportunities to celebrate fertility ritual, the more surprising event was the the race of the "luperque", in which men were chasing women and whipping them with goat's leather thongs in order to favour birth. Later, the catholic church made official the pagan celebration and gave tribute to Valentin a priest who dared married people in spite of a ban by the emperor Claudius.

Now the celebration has become a commercial climax for florist and chocolate maker. That's a shame, we should reintroduce the Luperque race.