Valentine’s Day, a day synonymous with love, romance, and heartfelt gestures, is celebrated annually on February 14th. But why do we celebrate Valentine’s Day? The answer lies in a rich tapestry of history, woven from ancient Roman festivals and Christian traditions, all centered around a figure shrouded in mystery: St. Valentine. This exploration delves into the origins of this beloved holiday, tracing its evolution from pagan rituals to the modern celebration of love we know today.
The Enigmatic Figure of St. Valentine
The story of St. Valentine is not a singular, clear narrative but rather a collection of legends and possibilities. The Catholic Church acknowledges at least three different saints named Valentine or Valentinus, all of whom met a martyr’s death. This ambiguity adds to the mystique surrounding the saint and the holiday that bears his name.
One prominent legend depicts Valentine as a priest in 3rd-century Rome. During this era, Emperor Claudius II believed that single men were superior soldiers compared to those burdened by family life. To bolster his army, Claudius II controversially outlawed marriage for young men. Valentine, witnessing this injustice, bravely defied the emperor’s decree. He secretly continued to perform marriage ceremonies for young couples who were in love. When Emperor Claudius II discovered Valentine’s defiance, he ordered his execution.
Another account suggests Saint Valentine of Terni, a bishop, as the true namesake of Valentine’s Day. Similar to the priest Valentine, he was also said to have been beheaded outside Rome under the reign of Claudius II. Adding to the lore, some stories mention Valentine’s acts of compassion, such as aiding Christians in escaping Roman prisons, where they faced persecution and torture.
Intriguingly, one legend credits an imprisoned Valentine with sending the first “valentine” message. It is said that he fell in love with a young woman, possibly the daughter of his jailer, who visited him during his imprisonment. Before his execution, he allegedly penned a letter to her, signing it “From your Valentine.” This poignant expression of affection is believed to be the origin of the enduring Valentine’s Day sentiment. Regardless of which Valentine the legends refer to, they collectively portray him as a sympathetic, heroic, and romantic figure. This romantic association solidified his popularity by the Middle Ages, establishing him as one of the most revered saints in England and France.
From Pagan Festival to Christian Holiday: The Origins of Valentine’s Day in Lupercalia
While February 14th may commemorate the death or burial of a St. Valentine around A.D. 270, some historians propose a different origin for why do we celebrate Valentine’s Day in mid-February. They suggest that the Christian Church strategically placed St. Valentine’s feast day in February to “Christianize” the ancient pagan festival of Lupercalia.
Lupercalia, celebrated on February 15th at the ides of February, was a fertility festival deeply rooted in Roman tradition. It honored Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture, and Romulus and Remus, the legendary founders of Rome. The festival commenced with members of the Luperci, an order of Roman priests, gathering at a sacred cave believed to be the site where Romulus and Remus were nurtured by a she-wolf, or lupa.
The rituals of Lupercalia were distinctive. Priests would sacrifice a goat, symbolizing fertility, and a dog, representing purification. They would then use the goat’s hide to create strips, dip them in the sacrificial blood, and run through the city streets, gently striking women and fields with the bloody strips. Far from being fearful, Roman women welcomed this act, believing it would enhance their fertility in the coming year.
Later in the Lupercalia festivities, a matchmaking ritual took place. Young women in the city would place their names into a large urn. Eligible bachelors would then draw names, and the pairings would last for the year, often leading to marriage. This element of pairing and romance within Lupercalia provides a potential link to the romantic associations of Valentine’s Day.
Valentine’s Day: Embracing Romance and Love
Lupercalia, despite the rise of Christianity, persisted for a time. However, by the end of the 5th century, Pope Gelasius I deemed it “un-Christian” and outlawed the pagan festival. He declared February 14th as St. Valentine’s Day, marking a significant shift. Yet, it wasn’t until much later that Valentine’s Day became firmly associated with romance and love.
During the Middle Ages in France and England, a common belief emerged that February 14th marked the beginning of the birds’ mating season. This natural association further fueled the idea of Valentine’s Day as a day for romance. Geoffrey Chaucer, the renowned English poet, is credited with the first recorded association of St. Valentine’s Day with romantic celebration. In his 1375 poem “Parliament of Fowls,” he wrote, “For this was sent on Seynt Valentyne’s day / Whan every foul cometh ther to choose his mate.”
Valentine greetings gained popularity as far back as the Middle Ages, although written valentines didn’t appear until after 1400. The oldest known valentine still in existence is a poem penned in 1415 by Charles, Duke of Orleans, to his wife while imprisoned in the Tower of London after the Battle of Agincourt. King Henry V also reportedly commissioned a writer named John Lydgate to compose a valentine note to Catherine of Valois, further solidifying the romantic tradition.
Cupid: The Iconic God of Love
No discussion about why do we celebrate Valentine’s Day is complete without mentioning Cupid. Often depicted on Valentine’s Day cards as a cherubic, naked figure wielding arrows of love, Cupid’s origins trace back to Roman mythology. He is the Roman counterpart to Eros, the Greek god of love.
The mythology surrounding Cupid’s birth is varied. Some accounts name Nyx and Erebus as his parents, while others suggest Aphrodite and Ares, Iris and Zephyrus, or even Aphrodite and Zeus. In early Greek Archaic poetry, Eros was portrayed as a handsome immortal who manipulated the emotions of gods and men. He used golden arrows to ignite love and leaden arrows to sow aversion. It was during the Hellenistic period that Cupid’s image transformed into the mischievous, chubby child we see on Valentine’s Day cards today.
Valentine’s Day Greetings and Gifts: A Global Celebration
Valentine’s Day is not confined to the United States; it’s a global celebration observed in countries like Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, France, and Australia. In Great Britain, Valentine’s Day gained popularity around the 17th century.
By the mid-18th century, exchanging small tokens of affection or handwritten notes became common among friends and lovers across social classes. The advent of printing technology around 1900 led to the rise of printed cards, gradually replacing handwritten letters. Ready-made cards offered an accessible way to express emotions, particularly in an era where open displays of feelings were often discouraged. Cheaper postage rates further boosted the popularity of sending Valentine’s Day greetings.
Americans likely began exchanging handmade valentines in the early 1700s. Esther A. Howland, known as the “Mother of the Valentine,” pioneered the mass production of valentines in America in the 1840s. Her elaborate creations, adorned with real lace, ribbons, and colorful “scrap” pictures, became highly sought after.
Today, Valentine’s Day stands as the second-largest card-sending holiday, with an estimated 145 million Valentine’s Day cards exchanged annually, according to Hallmark. This enduring tradition underscores the significance of Valentine’s Day as a cultural phenomenon centered around expressing love and affection.
In conclusion, why do we celebrate Valentine’s Day? The answer is multifaceted, rooted in the legends of St. Valentine, the echoes of the pagan festival Lupercalia, and the evolution of romantic traditions throughout history. Valentine’s Day has transformed into a global celebration of love and affection, expressed through cards, gifts, and heartfelt gestures, continuing to evolve while retaining its core essence of romance.
