Valentine's Day Romance and Love.
- NA*PRAWDE®
- Feb 15, 2022
- 5 min read
Updated: Nov 16, 2024
Wishing you a joyful Valentine's Day!
Every February 14, Valentine's Day is celebrated. In the United States and various other locations worldwide, loved ones exchange chocolates, cookies, candy, flowers, and gifts as a tribute to St. Valentine.
Who is the enigmatic saint and what is the origin of these customs?
It is a well-known fact that February has been historically recognized as a month dedicated to love and romance. The current iteration of St. Valentine's Day is a blend of Christian and ancient romantic traditions. However, the question remains: Who was Saint Valentine, and how did he come to be linked with this age-old ritual?
Who was Saint Valentine and how did he come to be connected with this ancient tradition?
The lengthy tale involves the Catholic Church acknowledging at least three distinct saints named Valentine or Valentinus, all of whom met a martyr's fate.
According to one legend, Valentine was a priest in Rome during the third century. Emperor Claudius II believed that unmarried men were better soldiers than those who had wives and families, so he banned marriage for young men. Despite this decree, Valentine defied Claudius and clandestinely conducted marriages for young couples. When Claudius found out about Valentine's actions, he sentenced him to death. Some argue that it was Saint, not Valentine, who was the true namesake of Claudius II outside Rome.
According to other accounts, it is believed that Valentine was possibly executed for trying to assist Christians in escaping a brutal Roman prison, where they frequently faced beatings and torture. As per one story, while imprisoned, Valentine himself supposedly sent the initial "Valentine" message to the jailer's daughter, who would visit him while he was detained. Before his demise, he reportedly wrote her a letter signing off as "From your Valentine," a phrase that continues to be used to this day.
While the truth about the Valentine legends remains unclear, all the stories highlight his portrayal as a sympathetic, heroic, and, most importantly, romantic figure. By the Middle Ages, possibly due to this image, Valentine had become one of the most beloved saints in England and France.
When did Valentine's Day originate?
There are different beliefs regarding the origins of Valentine's Day in the middle of February. While some think it is to honor the death or burial of Valentine, estimated to be around A.D. 270, others argue that the Christian Church might have chosen this time to Christianize the pagan festival of Lupercalia. Lupercalia, celebrated on February 15, was a fertility festival dedicated to Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture, and the Roman founders Romulus and Remus.
The festival would commence with the gathering of the Luperci, a group of Roman priests, at a sacred cave where Romulus and Remus, the legendary founders of Rome, were said to have been nurtured by a she-wolf or pupa. The priests would offer a goat for fertility and a dog for purification. They would then divide the goat's hide into strips, soak them in the sacrificial blood, and proceed to the streets, gently striking both women and fields with the goat hide. Contrary to what one might expect, Roman women welcomed this gesture as it was believed to enhance their fertility in the upcoming year.
Legend has it that later in the day, all the young women in the city would put their names in a large urn. The unmarried men of the city would then select a name each and be paired with the chosen woman for the year, with many of these pairings resulting in marriage.
What is the significance of Valentine's Day?
Valentine's Day is known as a day of romance and love. Lupercalia managed to endure despite the early spread of Christianity, but it was eventually prohibited towards the end of the 5th century for being considered "un-Christian." This occurred when Pope Gelasius designated February 14 as St. Valentine's Day. Nevertheless, it took some time before the day became firmly linked with expressions of love.
In the medieval period, there was a widespread belief in France and England that February 14 marked the start of birds' mating season, contributing to the notion that the middle of Valentine's Day should be dedicated to romance.
The initial documentation of St. Valentine's Day as a romantic celebration can be attributed to the English poet Geoffrey Chaucer in his 1375 poem "Parliament of Foules." In this work, he wrote, "For this was sent on Saint Valentine's day / when every foul cometh there to choose his mate."
Valentines were already popular as far back as the Middle Ages, although written Valentine's Day messages did not start to appear until after 1400. The oldest known valentine still in existence today is a poem from 1415 by Charles, Duke of Orleans, to his wife while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London after being captured at the Battle of Agincourt. (This greeting is now part of the manuscript collection at the British Library in London, England.) It is believed that several years later, King Henry V commissioned a writer named John Lydgate to write a Valentine's note to Catherine of Valois.
Who is Cupid and what led to his becoming the unofficial symbol of Valentine's Day?
When Cupid is mentioned, it usually brings to mind the image of a naked cherub shooting arrows of love at unsuspecting lovers on Valentine's Day cards. However, Cupid, the Roman God, originates from Greek mythology as Eros, the Greek god of love. There are different accounts of his birth; some claim he is the offspring of Nyx and Erebus, while others believe he is the son of Aphrodite and Ares. Some even suggest that he could be the child of Iris and Zephyrus, or possibly Aphrodite and Zeus, who would then be both his father and grandfather.
The great Archaic poets believed that Eros, a handsome immortal, toyed with the emotions of both Gods and men by using golden arrows to inspire aversion. It was not until the Hellenistic period that he started being depicted as the mischievous, chubby child seen on Valentine's Day cards.
Valentine's Day is celebrated not only in the United States but also in Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, France, and Australia. The popularity of Valentine's Day started to grow around the 17th century in Great Britain and some Asian countries.
During the mid-18th century, it was customary for individuals from various social backgrounds - including friends, family members, and romantic partners - to exchange small tokens of affection or handwritten notes. By 1900, advancements in printing technology led to the substitution of handwritten letters with printed cards.
Today, as per the Greeting Card Association, around 145 million Valentine's Day cards are exchanged annually, positioning Valentine's Day as the second biggest card-sending occasion after Christmas.
We appreciate you dedicating your time to read our stories. Although today is just one day out of the year, please remember that we cherish you every day and every moment. Accept our love on this special occasion! Happy Valentine's Day.
Thank You.
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