Point of holiday lost amid capitalism

Valantine's Day is a synthesis holiday, as are many modern American days of celebration. Its roots are imbedded as deeply in Europe's distant pagan past as in its Christian present.

The 14th of Fubruary was the date set aside by the ancient Romans for the worship of Juno Februa. The month of February derives its name from this aspect of Juno, the wife of Jupiter and the queen of the Roman pantheon.

On this day, Roman girls would decorate their pillows with bay leaves and dream of lovers or husbands to be.

Futher north, this day saw crowds bearing arches made from brambles to frighten off evil spirits in England.

In Scandanavia, the tradition of running races in labryniths survives from the period during which which the Norse archer-god Vali was worshiped on the 14th day of this month.

Our modern celebration of Valantine's day stems from the rememberence of a Christian martyr, St. Valantine, who was slain by the Romans. We will skip a description of just how he was slain. Suffice to say it had very little to do with long-stemed roses or See's candy.

Which brings us to the point of this Our View, which is the shameless commercialization of this and every other modern holiday.

The diety we worship on this day isn't He in whose name St. Valantine died, or she in whose guise Gaius Caligula capered wearing Saffaron gowns. No, the god to whom we pour champagn libations on this day is the patron diety of the 20th century western world; the almighty dollar bill.

Valantine's Day has become an occasion to seduce or show devotion by virtue of wretched excess.

Over-priced candy, marked-up roses, cheesy sex-aids or lingere. And always bigger, more expensive and gaudier baubles.

Societys reveal much about themselves in their ceremonies and festivals. In a close observation of Valantine's Day and the practices associated with it, we find a holiday obsensibly held in celebration of our most intimate relationships.

What is revealing about Valantine's day, however, is that in spite of its intimate, personal nature, it is infused with the highly impersonal trappings of rampant consumerism. This is appropriate when we consider that the real religion of our society is, after all, capitalism.