Valentine’s Day: Who is it named after, and why do we celebrate it?

As a child, you sat in school either a few days before or on February 14th and cut out paper hearts decorating them with lace and sparkles to give to either your mom or dad, or even the girl or boy in your class that fancied your eye.

Every February 14th, loved ones, spouses, children, send candy and flowers and all sorts of treats in colors of red and white to each other in the name of St. Valentine.

But what is the history behind Valentine’s Day?

The ancient rite contains remnants of both Christian and ancient Roman tradition. Saint Valentine was martyred and recognized as a saint by the Catholic Church. One of the legends that shroud the mysteries of Valentine’s Day is told that Valentine was a priest who served the Roman Empire during the 3rd century. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those who had families and wives, he outlawed marriage for young men. Valentine saw this as an injustice and defied the law put in place by the Emperor and performed secret marriage ceremonies for the young lovers. When Emperor Claudius discovered what Valentine was doing, he ordered him to be executed for his actions.

While imprisoned, it is said that Valentine fell in love with the jailor’s daughter who visited him quite often while incarcerated. Before his death, towards the end of February, It is said, he wrote her a letter, which he signed, “From your Valentine”, which is an expression still used today in cards and letters on February 14th.

On February 14th, the ancient Romans celebrated the Feast of Lupercalia in honor of Juno, the queen of the Roman gods and goddesses. Juno was also the goddess of women and marriage so honoring her was thought to be a fertility rite, which was the beginning for growth, and renewal. At the feast held the following day, the women of the town or village would write love letters and stick them in a large urn. The men would pick a letter from the urn and for the next year, pursue the woman who wrote the chosen letter. This custom lasted until the 1700s when people decided their consorts should be chosen by sight, not luck.

In 498 A.D., Pope Gelasius declared February 14th as St. Valentine’s Day and King Henry VIII officially recognized it as a holiday in 1537. This Christian and Pagan holiday have merged wonderfully together, making it a holiday celebrated worldwide and by all religious beliefs.

By the middle of the 18th century it was common for everyone to send small notes, cards and tokens of affection to someone in celebration of St. Valentine’s Day. Last year the Greeting Card Association, reported an estimated one billion valentine cards were being sent each year thus, continuing the celebrations of the month of Romance.

Here we are in 2004, getting ready to celebrate St. Valentine’s Day, and it leaves us with one question… Who’s your Valentine?

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