The History of Valentine’s Day

Do you remember your first Valentine’s Day Card? I do.

It was from Patrick Johnson in 4th grade. I had the biggest, and most delicious young girl crush on him. Turns out he slipped a Valentine’s Day card into my book bag. When I got home, found the card and opened it, inside he wrote in bright red ink and tiny, tiny cursive:  “I love you.” What a sweetie pie.

The history and legend behind Valentine’s Day is varied and marked by a Goddess, a Pagan Festival, Martyred Saints, and even birds.

I found this one particularly interesting –during the time of the Romans,  people organized a holiday on February 14 to honor Juno-  who is known as the Goddess of Women and Marriage and the mythological Queen of Roman Gods and Goddesses. It is noted that “ from the following day – February 15 started the Fertility Festival called the Feast of Lupercalia. This feast was organized to protect humans from wolves and to honor the Roman Gods of Agriculture – Lupercus and Faunus besides the founders of Rome -Romulus and Remus. “

St. Valentine – the Patron St. of Love and Lovers is someone we often hear about. It turns out that during the third century in Rome Valentine defied the Emperor Claudius II’s request to end all marriages. Emperor Claudius II found that it was difficult to recruit soldiers to fight for his regieme when they were married and attached to their children, so he wanted to restrict marriage.  It is said that “Valentine – a romantic at heart priest, defied this callous decree of Claudius by secretly arranging marriages of young men and women. When Valentine’s defiance was discovered by the Emperor, he was brutally beaten up and put to death on February 14, about 270 AD.” It is also interesting to note that before his death and while in prison, “it is believed that Valentine fell in love with a young girl, who may have been his jailor’s daughter, who visited him during his confinement. Before his death on the 14th day of February, it is alleged that he wrote her a letter, which he signed:

” From your Valentine” 

After his death, Valentine was name a Saint, and he became became popular as the patron saint of love and lovers in England and France – so much so that Pope Gelasius proclaimed February 14 as Valentine’s Day on 498 AD.

And finally – birds – the signs of love’s approach! In France and England during the Middle Ages, many people believed that February 14 was the beginning of birds’ mating season – the time when birds begun their search for a mate.  It is said that “this popular notion further strengthened the idea that Valentine’s Day festival that falls in the middle of February should be celebrated as the day of love and romance. The concept soon gained ground amongst the lovers and they began to celebrate the day by exchanging love notes and simple gifts like flower.”

Enjoy this Valentine’s Day.

To your vitality,

Lizanne

Sources:

http://www.history.com/topics/valentines-day

http://www.stvalentinesday.org/legends-of-st-valentines-day.html

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