Every year on February 14, millions of people around the world celebrate love by exchanging cards, flowers, chocolates, and other gifts with their sweethearts. But how did this tradition come to be? And who was the mysterious saint behind it? In this article, we will explore the origin, meaning, and legends of Valentine’s Day, from the ancient Roman festival of Lupercalia to the modern commercial celebration of romance.
The Roman Roots of Valentine’s Day
The earliest trace of Valentine’s Day can be found in the ancient Roman festival of Lupercalia, which was held on February 15. Lupercalia was a celebration of spring, fertility, and purification, which involved animal sacrifices, feasts, and games.
One of the most popular activities was the pairing off of men and women by lottery, who would then become partners for the duration of the festival, or even longer if they fell in love.
The festival was named after Lupercus, the god of shepherds and flocks, who was also associated with Faunus, the Roman equivalent of the Greek god Pan. Lupercus was said to protect the people from wolves, and his priests, called Luperci, would run around the city naked, striking people with strips of goat skin to ensure fertility and ward off evil spirits.
The Christianization of Lupercalia
By the end of the 5th century, Christianity had become the dominant religion in the Roman Empire, and many pagan festivals were either banned or replaced by Christian ones.
Pope Gelasius I decided to abolish Lupercalia and replace it with a feast day honoring a martyr named Valentine, who was executed on February 14 by the emperor Claudius II Gothicus in the 3rd century.
The exact identity and story of this Valentine are unclear, as there were several Christian martyrs with the same name. However, one of the most popular legends claims that Valentine was a priest who defied the emperor’s orders and secretly married couples to spare the husbands from war.
Another legend says that Valentine restored sight to the blind daughter of his jailer, and wrote her a letter signed “Your Valentine” before his execution.
The new feast day of Saint Valentine was officially established by the church in the 8th century, and soon became associated with love and romance, partly by coincidence and partly by influence of the old Lupercalia traditions. The date of February 14 also coincided with the beginning of the bird mating season in Europe, which added to the idea of Valentine’s Day as a celebration of love and fertility.
The Medieval and Modern Valentine’s Day
The first recorded instance of Valentine’s Day being celebrated as a day of romance was in the 14th century, when the poet Geoffrey Chaucer wrote a poem for the engagement of King Richard II and Anne of Bohemia, in which he mentioned that “on Valentine’s Day, every bird chooses his mate”.
Chaucer’s poem inspired other poets and writers to compose love poems and stories on Valentine’s Day, and soon the tradition of sending handwritten messages, or valentines, to one’s beloved became popular.
By the 18th century, Valentine’s Day had become a widespread phenomenon in Britain and France, where people exchanged cards, flowers, and gifts with their lovers. The industrial revolution and the invention of the printing press made it possible to mass-produce and distribute valentines, which increased their popularity and variety.
Some of the most famous valentine symbols, such as hearts, roses, and Cupid, the Roman god of love, also emerged during this period.
In the 19th and 20th centuries, Valentine’s Day spread to other parts of the world, such as the United States, Canada, Australia, and Japan, where it acquired new customs and meanings. For example, in Japan, it is customary for women to give chocolate to men on Valentine’s Day, and for men to return the favor on White Day, a month later. In some countries, Valentine’s Day is also a day to celebrate friendship and family, not just romantic love.
Today, Valentine’s Day is one of the most popular and profitable holidays in the world, generating billions of dollars in sales of cards, flowers, chocolates, jewelry, and other gifts. It is also a day to express one’s feelings and appreciation for the people who matter the most in one’s life, whether they are lovers, friends, or family.
Valentine’s Day is a reminder that love is the most powerful and universal force in the world, and that it can overcome any obstacle or challenge. As the famous saying goes, “Love conquers all”.
