Valentine's Day as a celebration of love is February 14th because that is the date in around 270 AD when St. Valentine was beheaded for marrying people against the edicts of Rome. It's mere coincidence the saint's execution date coincided with the Roman lupercalia. The ensuing observances since that death began as somber religious observances for the saint's feast day; lover's celebrations as we observe them today is really a fairly modern practice with no connections at all to lupercalia.

"Lupercalia" was held what is now mid-February, because it was also known as "dies Februatus" from the "februa." Februa were instruments used in the purification rituals. The month's name was taken from those februa.