Valentine’s Day

The arrow penetrating the heart represents the act of mating.

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The origins of this holiday are thought by many to have roots in what is called Lupercalia. Lupercalia was a Roman festival dedicated to Lupercus who was the god of the shepherds. It was abolished by the Church and replaced by St. Valentine’s Day but still retaining  some traditions of Lupercalia.

The general Festival of Juno Februa, meaning "Juno the purifier "or "the chaste Juno", was celebrated on February 13–14. While Lupercalia was a festival local to the city of Rome observed February 13–15.

The well known "heart shape" looks nothing like it the human heart.

"... the heart used on valentines is merely and inverted candle flame." - Melchizedek and the Mystery of Fire by Manly P. Hall pg. 17

The color red is related to Lupercalia due to the blood involved in the festival.

In 496 AD, Pope Gelasius turned Lupercalia into a Christian feast day. He set its observance a day earlier, on February 14 to be the feast day in honor of Bishop of Interamna, Saint Valentine.

In 1537, King Henry VIII declared, by Royal Charter, that all England would celebrate February 14 as "Saint Valentine's Day".

The Catholic church decided to remove Saint Valentine’s Day from the  General Roman Calendar in 1969.