The History of Valentine’s Day
The history of Valentine’s Day is a blend of Christian tradition and ancient Roman customs. Its origins can be traced back to the ancient Roman festival of Lupercalia, which was celebrated from February 13 to 15. Lupercalia was a fertility festival dedicated to Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture, as well as to the founders of Rome, Romulus and Remus.
During Lupercalia, Roman priests called Luperci would sacrifice goats and dogs, and then strip the hides from the animals. They would dip the hides in sacrificial blood and then gently slap both women and crops with these hides. It was believed that this ritual promoted fertility and purification.
The Christian church later sought to replace pagan festivals with Christian holidays. In the 5th century AD, Pope Gelasius I combined Lupercalia with the feast day of St. Valentine, a Christian martyr who lived in the 3rd century AD. However, there were several saints named Valentine, and it is unclear which one the holiday is named after.
The most popular account is that St. Valentine was a Roman priest who defied Emperor Claudius II’s order to cancel marriages for young men, as Claudius believed that single men made better soldiers. St. Valentine continued to perform marriages in secret, leading to his arrest and eventual execution. Before his execution, it is said that he wrote a letter to his jailer’s daughter, whom he had befriended and healed, and signed it “from your Valentine,” a phrase that is still used today.
Over time, Valentine’s Day became associated with romantic love and affection, evolving into the celebration we recognize today. In the Middle Ages, it became common for lovers to exchange handwritten notes and tokens of affection on Valentine’s Day. The tradition of sending Valentine’s Day cards became widespread in the 18th century in England and later in the United States, with mass-produced greeting cards becoming available in the 19th century.
Today, Valentine’s Day is celebrated in many countries around the world with the exchange of gifts, cards, flowers, and romantic gestures to express love and affection for significant others, family members, and friends.