Valentine’s Day may come from the ancient Roman feast of Lupercalia.【C1】_____the fierce wolves roamed nearby, the old Romans called【C2】__the god Lupercus to help them. A festival in his【C3】__was held on February 15th. On the eve of the festival the【C4】__of the girls were written on【C5】__of paper and placed in jars. Each young man【C6】__a slip. The girl whose name was【C7】_____was to be his sweetheart for the year.

Legend【C8】_____it that the holiday became Valentine’s Day【C9】__a Roman priest named Valentine. Emperor Claudius II【C10】__the Roman soldiers NOT to marry or become engaged. Claudius felt married soldiers would【C11】__stay home than fight. When Valentine【C12】__the Emperor and secretly married the young couples, he was put to death on February 14th, the【C13】__of Lupercalia. After his death, Valentine became a【C14】__. Christian priests moved the holiday from the 15th to the 14th—Valentine’s Day. Now the holiday honors Valentine【C15】_____of Lupercus.

Valentine’s Day has become a major【C16】_____of love and romance in the modern world. The ancient god Cupid and his【C17】__into a lover’s heart may still be used to【C18】__falling in love or being in love. But we also use cards and gifts, such as flowers or jewelry, to do this.【C19】__to give flowers to a wife or sweetheart on Valentine’s Day can sometimes be as【C20】_____as forgetting a birthday or a wedding anniversary.

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