Valentine's Day and Ash Wednesday have both been dear to our hearts for years. The romance associated with Valentine's Day has allowed us to express love in many ways. The penance shown during Lent starting at Ash Wednesday, reminds us of our mortality and dependence on nature. History, however is muddling this rosy picture of Valentine's Day and is suggesting that Valentine's Day is a mere continuation of Lupercalia, an ancient agrarian erotic fertility festival that was held near the Ides of February (February 13-15).