The Saint, elected symbol of love and protector of lovers, comes from Terni. The Christian martyr, according to legend, helped two young newlyweds celebrate their wedding by giving them a rather large sum of money. In fact, the feast of St. Valentine as we know it today was probably born to Christianise the ancient pagan festival of lupercalia (linked to the cycle of death and rebirth of nature).

Festival characterised by masks, processions and especially the reversal of roles were servants took the place of the masters and the other way around. The new feast day of February 14th was instituted by Pope Gelasio I in 496, while the tradition was spread by the Benedictine monks.