Valentine’s Day. One of the most famously commercialized holidays, bringing to mind images of chocolates, flowers, bears holding hearts, and flourishing romantic relationships. How did this holiday come to be? What is the historical context surrounding the worldwide celebration of love?
Based on a saint who has origins in legend, Valentine’s Day holds its roots in Christian, ancient Roman, and even Pagan traditions.
According to the Catholic church, there are two ideas of the historical figure of Saint Valentine. One legend asserts that he was a priest in Rome under Emperor Claudius II. After Claudius declared that young men should serve in the army, rather than get married, and thus outlawed marriage for young men, Valentine decided to perform marriages for young people secretly, in defiance of the emperor. He was then found out and put to death by the emperor.
Some also believe the famed Saint Valentine was a bishop: Saint Valentine of Terni. Yet another belief is that Valentine may have helped Christians escape Roman prisons, where, as legend suggests, Valentine sent the first “Valentine card” after he fell in love with a girl who visited him during his incarceration. He supposedly signed a letter “From your Valentine,” a popular saying still a part of today’s holiday, for people signing off their loved ones’ letters and professing their love.
Diverting from the Christian belief, some claim that the Pagan holiday of Lupercalia was Christianized as a celebration of Saint Valentine. Lupercalia was a festival dedicated to the Roman god of agriculture.
Although now interpreted as a holiday to celebrate Saint Valentine, the Pagan holiday has some dark origins in its practice. During Roman times, Lupercalia was celebrated with men sacrificing both a goat and a dog, then “gently” whipping women with the hides of those animals for the women to be more fertile.
Of course, Valentine’s Day looks quite different now. Interestingly, the origins of the romanticization of Valentine’s Day flow into how it is today by way of literary figures such as Shakespeare and Chaucer. The tradition of giving cards to your loved ones for the holiday originated in the early decades of the 20th century.
Whether you are (gently) whipping your best gal with dog and goat hides, debating if Love Actually should be watched at Christmas or on Valentine’s Day, or stress-eating chocolate after being rejected by your crush, there are so many ways to celebrate this holiday with its legendary origins. But even if you have a significant other to spend Valentine’s Day with, you should still remember to maintain your relationships with friends and family this love-struck time of the year.
