Kat, quite the opposite. ;)

As with a few other holidays, the Catholics yoinked St. Val's from the pagan Romans (it used to be a pretty raunchy fertility festival called "Lupercal") in order to absorb and make it "safe."

It was the Victorians who really started going nuts with the hearts and the flowers.

The Cathlolic Church removed St. Val's from the calendar as an official religious holiday back in the late 60's, so I imagine it's currently up for grabs.

Slán,

~Fionn

www.geocities.com/children_of_lir