Valentine's Day century. Popular modern sources claim links to unspecified Greco-Roman February holidays alleged to be devoted to fertility and love to St. Valentine's Day, but prior to Chaucer in the 14th century, there were no links between the saints named Valentinus and romantic love. In Ancient Rome, Lupercalia, observed February 13–15, was an archaic rite connected to fertility. Lupercalia was a festival local to the city of Rome. The more general Festival of Juno Februa, meaning "Juno the purifier" or "the chaste Juno", was celebrated on February 13–14. Pope Gelasius I (492–496) abolished Lupercalia. Some researchers have theorized that Gelasius I
Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven, Telšiai Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven, Telšiai The Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven () is a Roman Catholic church in Telšiai, Lithuania. The parish of Telšiai was established in 1536 and it is believed that at that time a church was also built. The church was rebuilt in 1602 and 1700. Due to serious decay, the church was closed in 1815 and demolished in 1831. After the Uprising of 1863, Tsarist authorities built Orthodox Church of St. Nicholas in 1867 in the same location. After the establishment of the