In the Catholic Book of Names, there are two St. Valentines listed who died around Feb. 14, the Rev. Cecil Pickert of the Newman Catholic Student Center said. But we don’t know if there was one or two St. Valentines.

Very little is known about St. Valentine, Pickert said. Because of this lack of historical knowledge, Pope Paul IV removed St. Valentine’s name from the calendar of saints in 1969.

The association between St. Valentine and couples is rather obscure, Pickert said.

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The connection is very indirect, he said. The association is more with the day and time of year than with the saint.

Pickert said that one theory deals with birds.

In ancient days, it is said that birds began to mate on Feb. 14, he said.

Rachel Stocking, SIUC assistant history professor, said there is another theory about why lovers are associated with Feb. 14.

Ancient Romans had a very popular festival called Lupercalia that took place in February, Stocking said. The actual festival had little to do with love and couples.

During the festival, men would go to a cave, sacrifice two goats and a dog and come back to the city to participate in a race. During the race, the men would whip people close by with goat skins. It was an ancient fertility ritual.

Lupercalia was outlawed by the pope in 494, Stocking said.

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Valentine’s Day might have come about because people needed a celebration around that time, she said.

Another belief about Valentine’s Day has little to do with love, birds or festivals, Ronald Schmeck, SIUC psychology professor, said.

I think Valentine’s Day was probably made up by card companies, florists and chocolate companies to increase their cash flow.