Valentine’s Day, the Gnostics, & Sacred Sex

Samantha Reyes | February 14, 2025

In the rich tapestry of early Christian history, few figures are as enigmatic and influential as Valentinus, a prominent Gnostic teacher of the 2nd century. His teachings not only offered a unique perspective on spirituality and love but, as explored by scholar Tobias Churton, may also have influenced the modern celebration of St. Valentine’s Day.

Valentinus and the Essence of Spiritual Love

Educated in Alexandria and later active in Rome, Valentinus developed a unique form of Christian Gnosticism that emphasized the importance of gnosis—a deep, experiential knowledge of the divine. A key aspect of his teachings was the belief in syzygies, divine male-female pairs that symbolized the cosmic balance between different aspects of existence.

According to Tobias Churton in Gnostic Mysteries of Sex: Sophia the Wild One and Erotic Christianity, Valentinus saw human romantic and erotic love as a reflection of these celestial syzygies. He proposed that sexual and romantic union was not merely a worldly indulgence but a sacred act, mirroring the divine partnerships in the pleroma (the fullness of the divine realm). In this view, true love and sexual passion could serve as a gateway to spiritual enlightenment.

The Connection to St. Valentine’s Day

While the exact origins of St. Valentine’s Day remain debated, Churton explores a compelling possibility: that the spiritual eroticism of Valentinian Gnosticism helped shape the Western ideals of romantic love.

As noted by Gilles Quispel, a Dutch scholar of Gnostic Christianity, Valentinus’s teachings on love and sacred union may have influenced medieval conceptions of courtly love and, by extension, the romantic themes of Valentine’s Day. Quispel’s research, referenced in Churton’s work, suggests that these ideas subtly shaped European thought on love and relationships, leading to a cultural shift that celebrated romantic devotion as transcendent and spiritually meaningful (Churton, 2015).

Diverse Gnostic Perspectives on the Body and Sexuality

While Valentinus and his followers upheld an elevated view of sexual love, other Gnostic sects had varying interpretations of sexuality, the body, and asceticism.

Some Gnostic groups, such as the Encratites, practiced strict asceticism, believing that the physical body was a prison for the soul. They sought to renounce bodily pleasures, including sex, marriage, and material indulgences, in order to achieve spiritual purity (Encratism, Wikipedia).

Conversely, other sects took a radically different approach. Groups such as the Carpocratians and Borborites believed that since the material world was created by the Demiurge (an inferior god), the body’s actions had little consequence for the divine spark within. This led some groups to embrace ritualistic sexual practices that defied conventional morality, seeing them as a way to transcend earthly restrictions and achieve gnosis.

Lessons from the Gnostics: Where Sex, Magic, Religion, and Philosophy Intersect

The Gnostics provide a fascinating perspective on the interplay between sex, love, spirituality, and liberation.

• ⦿ From Valentinus, we learn that romantic and erotic love can be seen as a sacred force, mirroring divine relationships.


• ⦿ From the Carpocratians and Borborites, we see how some traditions viewed sexuality as a means of transcendence, rejecting imposed moral constraints.


• ⦿ From ascetic Gnostics, we recognize that some believed renouncing the flesh was the ultimate path to enlightenment.


• ⦿ From Simon Magus and Helen, we see the power of sexual mysticism and the idea that sacred partnerships can reveal hidden spiritual truths.

Perhaps, in the spirit of Valentinus, we should reclaim Valentine’s Day not just as a commercialized holiday, but as a celebration of sacred love—one that embraces the body and spirit as one.

Want to learn more? Check out Tobias Churton’s Gnostic Mysteries of Sex for a deeper dive into these fascinating traditions.