Why is it Valentine's Day?

Valentine's Day is a day when lovers shower each other with attention, cards, gifts, flowers and chocolate. A commercial invention, right? Think again; Pope Gelasius I declared February 14 the day of Saint Valentine in the year 496. While there is little known about the Saint himself, in the 18th century it was suggested that Valentine's Day replaced an ancient fertility festival known as Lupercalia. This pagan festival was changed to Valentine's Day with the rise of Christianity across Europe and a Church that prohibited the pagan festival. The holiday's recent commercial quality comes from the United States, where the emphasis quickly changed from a celebration of platonic to intimate love. Valentine's Day has seen considerable commercial success in Belgium since the mid-1990s, with restaurants, gift- and flower shops reaping the benefits.