Valentine’s Day is celebrated on the 14th of February every year. Chocolates, flowers, and presents are shared between loved ones around the world on this day, all in the name of St. Valentine. But who is this enigmatic saint, and where did these customs originate? Learn about the History, Importance of Valentine’s Day (the story of Valentine), from the ancient Roman springtime celebration of Lupercalia to date.
About Valentine’s Day
The day is celebrated, according to the legend, to commemorate the death anniversary of Saint Valentine, who died in the middle of February in the year 270 AD. He is claimed to have been a priest who broke emperors’ commands and secretly married couples to save husbands from going to war. Emperor Claudius II Gothicus is said to have beheaded him.
The History Behind This Celebration (The Story of Valentine)
The origins of Valentine’s Day can be traced back to the Roman fertility celebration “Lupercalia.” The day is also thought to have been commemorated as part of the Church’s attempt to give the Lupercalia event a religious spin. Faunus, the god of agriculture, and Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome, were honored at the celebration. Men and women were partnered based on a lottery system during the celebrations, and the majority of them subsequently married. Pope Gelasius I chose the Lupercalia celebrations as the day to commemorate Saint Valentine towards the end of the fifth century.
Saint Valentine is also said to have miraculously healed the blind daughter of his jailer. Another tradition claims that the feast was named after a Bishop named Saint Valentine of Terni. Despite the fact that many people believe they are the same individual. The day came to be renowned as the patron saint of love. It was also stated that he wore a ring with Cupid – the symbol of love – on it, which made soldiers more able to approach him. Historians believe that a poem published by medieval author Geoffrey Chaucer in 1381 is the foundation of the current love celebration. It links Saint to the celebration of love, reinforcing popular belief in the festival’s history.
Importance of Valentine’s Day
For any relationship, February 14th, also known as Valentine’s Day, is the most anticipated day of the year. When love is in the air, all we perceive are red and white, the colors that reverberate the emotion of love and affection.
