Oh, it’s almost that time of the year again. In The United States and many other countries around the globe, lovers and friends exchange flowers, gifts, chocolates, and more. All in the name of love and St. Valentine, of course. But who is this mysterious saint? And when did this tradition start? Well, keep reading and find out the real story of Valentine’s Day.
Who was St. Valentine?
Well, as often happens in history, the story of St. Valentine isn’t clear. If you search the internet, you’ll find plenty of different versions of whom this man was. Anything from a Roman priest who celebrated secret weddings to a medieval poet who first established the romantic tradition. So let’s talk about the ones that resonate the most.
The priest
One of the most accepted versions is that the celebration of St. Valentine originated from a Roman priest named Valentine. Valentine was a popular name in ancient Rome, so there are at least 50 stories of different saints by the name of Valentine. But only two took place near the 500s, on February 14.
So this Roman priest, Valentine, served during the third century in Rome when Emperor Claudius II was on the throne. The Emperor thought that young, single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, so he outlawed marriage. Valentine, realizing this unfair decree, defied the Emperor and started to perform secret marriages for lovers. He did so for a little time, but he was discovered. Claudius II ordered that Valentine be put to death on February 14.
The poet
Another story suggests that the tradition of St. Valentine started with a famous poet named Valentine, who excelled in writing and composing poems about love, loss, and grace. A noble became enchanted by Valentine’s talent, so he decided to imprison him in his home so that Valentine could read poems to him all day long. This noble had a young blind daughter who assisted Valentine and brought him food. Valentine was struck by the kindness and sweetness of his captor’s daughter, and he prayed every day so that they could be together, and she could recover her sight. One day, the girl brought food for Valentine, as usual, and he touched her face. Immediately the girl recovered her sight and the whole town knew the story. Sadly, some people started the rumor that it was a diabolical act, and that his ‘power’ came from evil sources.
Soon, Valentine was taken by the authorities and tortured to confess. Finally, he was decapitated on February 14, but he managed to send the young woman a note that read: “Your Valentine”.
Mixing Christian and Pagan holidays
Saint Valentine’s Day has also been associated with Lupercalia, a pagan holiday that Romans celebrated on February 15. In this festival, some young, nearly naked men danced in the center of a crowd, slapping everyone around them with pieces of goat skin. Some young women believed that being hit with the skins promoted conception.
Also, young girls who weren’t looking to conceive wrote their names on clay tablets and put them into a jar. Then, young men would draw them from a jar, thus pairing random couples for a dance.
One thing is certain. The origin of St. Valentine might be unclear, but the most crucial thing of this celebration is to exalt love, companionship, and true friendship. How do you celebrate Valentine’s Day?