Before Valentine’s Day became a celebration of romance, and even before it was associated with a Roman Catholic saint, this was a time of celebration and feasting in Rome. From February 13th through the 21st, the Romans observed the overlapping festivals of Parentalia, Lupercalia, and Feralia to celebrate fertility, life, and honor the dead so their ghosts wouldn't haunt the living.

Join me to compare the mythological and historical versions of St. Valentine and explore these Roman festivals of ancestor worship and their links to older Etruscan traditions.

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