The History of St Valentine’s Day
Dear all
As well as being the first day of our half-term break, tomorrow is, of course, Valentine’s Day, one of the most lucrative days of the year for florists and those who sell cards or chocolates, but also one of the most historically mysterious days of the calendar year. Who was St. Valentine, and how did he become synonymous with romance and the declaration of love?
The truth is that Valentine’s history is highly disputed – in fact, so little is reliably known about him that the Roman Catholic Church removed him from the General Roman Calendar in 1969, though he is still recognised as a saint. We do know he existed, however, as archaeologists have unearthed a Roman catacomb and an ancient church dedicated to him. The legends surrounding St Valentine often depict him as a Christian hero operating against strict Roman rule in the late 3rd Century CE. He was reportedly imprisoned for marrying Christian couples and helping those being persecuted by the Roman Emperor, perhaps in part to prevent newly married men from being sent away to fight in the many wars being fought at that time. While imprisoned, one legend describes his jailer presenting Valentine with his blind daughter and challenging him to cure her. Valentine is said to have done so by placing his hands on her eyes, following which her father and his entire household converted to Christianity and freed their Christian prisoners. Unfortunately for Valentine, he was subsequently sentenced to death, and legend has it that on the day of his execution – possibly February 14th – he left the girl a note, signed simply with the words ‘Your Valentine.’
The romantic nature of Valentine’s Day may have been encouraged in later years, as Christianity replaced paganism. In the year 496 CE, Pope Gelasius marked 14th February as a celebration of Valentine’s martyrdom, at least in part as a means of replacing the Pagan festival of Lupercalia, which was popular in ancient Rome. Later, in the Middle Ages, the tradition of celebrating love in mid-February was further cemented by the common belief that it was at this time of year when birds paired for mating, while around the world, well beyond the initial reach of St. Valentine’s story, there is a long history of festivals and ceremonies related to love and romance. In Hong Kong, for example, young couples celebrate the Spring Lantern Festival on the first Full Moon of the Chinese New Year with lanterns that carry messages of love.
In the 17th Century, some held the superstitious belief that the first person you saw on 14th February was destined to be your Valentine, while the tradition of writing notes or cards, often anonymously, is referenced in Thomas Hardy’s novel Far From the Madding Crowd, written in 1874. This practice seems to have died out until the second half of the 20th Century, no doubt due to the rise of the 20th Century mass marketing industry.
Have a great weekend – and Happy Valentine’s Day for tomorrow!
Best wishes
Michael Bond
