What is the origin of Valentine’s Day?

What is the origin of Valentine’s Day?

The World Book Encyclopedia informs us: “Valentine’s Day comes on the feast day of two different Christian martyrs named Valentine. But the customs connected with the day . . . probably come from an ancient Roman festival called Lupercalia which took place every February 15. The festival honored Juno, the Roman goddess of women and marriage, and Pan, the god of nature.”—(1973), Vol. 20, p. 204.

What is the origin of the practice of setting aside a day to honor mothers?

The Encyclopædia Britannica says: “A festival derived from the custom of mother worship in ancient Greece. Formal mother worship, with ceremonies to Cybele, or Rhea, the Great Mother of the Gods, were performed on the Ides of March throughout Asia Minor.”—(1959), Vol. 15, p. 849.

What Bible principles explain the viewpoint of Christians toward ceremonies commemorating events in a nation’s political history?

John 18:36: “Jesus answered [the Roman governor]: ‘My kingdom is no part of this world.’”

John 15:19: “If you [Jesus’ followers] were part of the world, the world would be fond of what is its own. Now because you are no part of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, on this account the world hates you.”

1 John 5:19: “The whole world is lying in the power of the wicked one.” (Compare John 14:30; Revelation 13:1, 2; Daniel 2:44.)