When you think of Valentine’s Day, items such as roses, teddy bears, and boxes of chocolate probably come to mind. It’s a day to celebrate romantic relationships, as well as family and friends that you love just as much. What may not come to mind when you celebrate this special day is the intricate and mysterious history that goes as far back as the third century BC.
To explain the history of this long lived holiday, we have to know who Saint Valentine was, the start of the Valentine’s greetings, and the meaning of the day itself.
Valentine’s Day traces back to both Christian and ancient Roman traditions. The Catholic Church recognizes many different Saint Valentines, all of which did different things to be celebrated like they are today. One of the Saints performed secret marriages for couples during a ban on marriage, one apparently helped Christians escape Roman Prisons, and another sent the first “Valentine” to his lover while imprisoned. No matter who you believe Saint Valentine was, we can all agree that he is an omen of peace, love, and humility.
Why we celebrate on the fourteenth is not fully certain, but there’s two theories that may explain why. Some say it may celebrate St. Valentine’s death, but others say it was set in place by the Christian Church to overshadow the Pagan festival called Lupercalia: dedicated to the Roman god of agriculture. Lupercalia was eventually outlawed due to being “unholy” by the Christian Church.
It wasn’t until much later that Valentine’s Day was associated with romance. English poet Geoffrey Chaucer was the first to write of this day of love in his 1375 poem titled, Parliament of Fowls. Meanwhile, the first written Valentine greeting was written by Charles, Duke of Orleans, to his wife while he was in prison. Valentine’s Day globalized around the seventeenth century, and by the nineteenth century, printed cards replaced most handwritten ones. In the 1840s, Esther A. Howl sold the first mass produced Valentine greeting cards, and gained the title: “Mother of Valentine.” Now, Valentine’s Day is the holiday that produces the most greeting cards besides Christmas.
Nowadays, Valentines is a wholesome holiday that you can celebrate with all loved ones, whether friends, family, or lover. Stores get decked out in pink and red, and hearts are sprinkled around every corner. Chocolate boxes sell out, teddy bears are gifted, and letters are signed. Even though the history of this love-filled day is not well known, we still celebrate and cherish the annual celebration of love.
