Whether you’re a fan of Valentine’s Day or not, one thing’s clear: Valentine’s Day history goes way back. As we celebrate this holiday every year there’s always the chocolates, flowers and many other gifts that we give to one another to celebrate our love. Not many people know the history of this holiday or the background of it, and that’s what I’m here to tell you.
When is Valentine’s Day?
Valentine’s Day always falls on February 14th. Valentine’s Day this year will fall on a Wednesday, but just wait until next year when it falls on a Friday. At the end of the 5th century, Pope Gelasius declared that February 14th would be known as Valentine’s Day, and since then, February 14th has been a day of celebration–though it was generally more religious than romantic at the time.
How did the holiday start?
Valentine’s Day is a fixed day on the calendar that was thrown into a mid February holiday on the ancient Roman calendar called Lupercalia, which some historians believe is what led to Valentine’s Day being all about love. Lupercalia celebrated fertility, and may have included a ritual in which men and women were paired off by choosing specific names from a jar. In Ancient Greece, people observed a mid-winter celebration for the marriage of the god Zeus and the goddess Hera.
Why do we celebrate it on February 14th?
In general, early Christians often opted to celebrate holidays on days that coincided with existing festivals and other celebrations (like Christmas and winter solstice), so they placed Valentine’s Day on February 14th, followed by Lupercalia which was celebrated on February 15th.
Who was Saint Valentine?
St. Valentine’s Day originally was a feast day in the Catholic religion, added to the liturgical calendar around 500 AD. The day was commemorated for martyred saints named Valentine. Differing legends celebrate three different saints named Valentine or Valentinus, but since very little was known about these men and there were some conflicting reports of the St. Valentine’s Day story, the feast day was removed from the Roman Catholic liturgical calendar in 1969. Even though there isn’t much known about the real history behind this holiday and its name, the legend of Saint Valentine has several different tellings. One legend says that Saint Valentine refused to convert to paganism (a religion other than one of the main world religions, specifically a non-Christian or pre-Christian religion) and was executed by Roman Emperor Claudius II. Prior to his execution, he was able to miraculously heal the daughter of his jailer, who then converted to Christianity along with his family. Another legend stated that a bishop called Saint Valentine of Terni is the true namesake of the holiday; his Saint Valentine was also executed. According to others, Saint Valentine was a Roman priest who performed weddings for soldiers forbidden to marry, because of a Roman emperor’s edict decreeing married soldiers did not make good warriors and thus young men could not marry. This Saint Valentine wore a ring with a Cupid on it which meant for a symbol of love that helped soldiers recognize him. He also handed out paper hearts to remind Christians of their love for God. Because of this legend, Saint Valentine became known as the Patron Saint of Love. The Saint Valentine prayer asks Saint Valentine to connect lovers together, so that two become one, and the couple remembers their devotion to each other and God.
Why do we celebrate?
Chaucer lived in the Middle Ages, the era of courtly love, when broad, romantic statements of devotion–poems, songs, paintings–celebrated partnership. By the end of the 15th century, the word “valentine” was being used to describe a lover in poems and songs of the day, and in the 18th century, a book called “The Young Man’s Valentine Writer” was published in England. But then by the mid-19th century mass-produced paper Valentine’s Cards were being created, and Valentine’s Day as we know it was born. The truth about the Valentine’s Day history is that the romantic holiday isn’t immune to tragedy. During Prohibition in Chicago, seven men were killed by a gang organized by Al Capone on February 14, 1929. The Valentine’s Day Massacre became a flashpoint in Prohibition history, with police and lawmakers going after gangs and mobs that had formed in cities to control then-illegal substances like alcohol.
What is Galentine’s Day and what is the meaning of the holiday?
Galentine’s Day has been a recent addition to the holiday. It seems to have been popularized by Amy Poehler’s character Leslie Knope on Parks and Recreation. It’s a day to celebrate the friends that you love and it’s celebrated on February 13th. Over the years, Valentine’s Day has been a religious celebration, an ancient ritual day, and a commercial holiday. All that change means that Valentine’s Day is truly whatever you want it to be. You can skip the celebrations and the holiday all together, by yourself some chocolate or flowers, or express your love and appreciation for your loved one and the people in your life.
Valentine’s Day isn’t for everyone and that is fine, but for those who celebrate this holiday and go all out, make sure you make it an extra special day for that loved one and make it a great day for them!
https://www.realsimple.com/holidays-entertaining/holidays/valentines-day/history-of-valentines-day
