Valentine's Day: History

by: Alexandra Levine

Valentine's Day: a holiday associated with chocolates, flowers, and chalky candy hearts with tacky sayings on them. This day is either a wonderful excuse to buy your loved one roses or a quirky, "gushy" gift or it is the worst day of your single existence. What is it about Valentine's Day that makes it so important? Why do we even celebrate it? Where did the name even come from?

Who is Valentine?

St. Valentine was a priest near Rome in about the year 270 A.D. At that time, the Roman Emperor Claudius-II was increasingly recruiting young men as soldiers and officers to protect the borders of the Roman Empire against the oppressing Gaels, Slavs, Huns, Turks and Mongolians from Northern Europe and Asia. When Claudius became the emperor, he felt that married men were more emotionally attached to their families, and thus, would not make good soldiers. So to assure quality soldiers, he banned marriage. Valentine, a bishop, seeing the trauma of young lovers, met them in a secret place, and joined them in them in holy matrimony. Claudius learned of this "friend of lovers," and had him arrested. The emperor, impressed with the young priest's dignity, attempted to convert him to the Roman gods, to save him from certain execution. Valentine refused to recognize Roman gods, and on February 14, 269 AD, he was executed.

Why cards?

While Valentine was in prison awaiting his fate, he came in contact with his jailor, Asterius. He requested Valentine to heal his blind daughter. Through his faith he miraculously restored the sight of Asterius' daughter. Just before his execution, he asked for a pen and paper from his jailor, and signed a farewell message to her "From Your Valentine," a phrase that is still used today. One of the earliest cards in history was sent in 1415 by Charles Duke of Orleans to his wife while he was a prisoner in the Tower of London (the card is now preserved in the British Museum).

Popular gifts and traditions:

Cupid with bows and arrows represent Roman mythology. Cupid was the son of Venus, the goddess of love. The shot of the arrow would strike the unsuspecting desired person or god, making him fall in love.

In Whales, wooden spoons were carved and decorated with hearts, keys, and keyholes. This meant, "You unlock my heart!"

A love seat is a wide chair. It was first made to seat one woman and her wide dress. Later, the love seat or courting seat had two sections, often in an S-shape. In this way, a couple could sit together, but not too closely!

Why February 14th?

Valentine became a Patron Saint, and spiritual overseer of an annual festival. The festival involved young Romans offering women they admired and wished to court handwritten greetings of affection on February 14. The greeting cards acquired St.Valentine's name. The Valentine's Day card spread with Christianity, and is now celebrated all over the world.

Alone, with a loved one, or with a group of friends, enjoys this year's Valentine's Day and appreciate its complicated history.

Sources:

http://www.theholidayspot.com/valentine/history_of_valentine.htm

http://www.pictureframes.co.uk/pages/saint_valentine.htm

http://www.carmelites.ie/Ireland/Whitefriar%20St/valentine.htm