Day of Love: Legend and History of Valentine’s Day
Though the holiday is well known today, the specific origin is not fully known
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Valentine’s Day, a special holiday associated with love, gifts, and affection is right around the corner. The holiday came from both ancient Roman and Christian traditions. While it is not certain the specific origin of the holiday, there are many events that people believe could have led to the special day. February 14th was officially named Valentine’s Day in the 5th century by Pope Gelasius, but it wasn’t till later that it was associated with love. During the Middle Ages, the holiday became a celebration of love and romance. February is known to be the bird’s mating season, leading to the holiday being about romance.
The first legend of the day comes from the Catholic church. There are known to be saints by the name of Valentinus and Valentine. The emperor of Rome at the time, Caludis II Gothicus, had forbidden young men to become married, therefore St. Valentine helped young lovers to get married in secret. A different legend is that an incarcerated man gave the first Valentine. He allegedly sent a letter signed “from your Valentine” to the jailer’s daughter. This tradition still exists today, and many people on Valentine’s Day exchange letters and cards of love.
Another legend is that Valentine’s Day is celebrated in the middle of February to honor the death of St. Valentine. His death was said to occur in A.D. 270. However, it is also believed that the holiday is placed in February because Lupercalia, a Roman festival, was also celebrated during this time. This holiday celebrates the Roman gods, Faunus, Romulus, and Remus. The festival involved women touching the hides of a goat, which was believed to make them more fertile in the upcoming year. Then at the end of the festival, bachelors and women would then get paired with each other, resulting in marriage.
Though there are many stories and legends about how it came to be, Valentine’s Day today remains a beloved holiday giving love to those we care about.
Sources:
https://www.loc.gov/item/today-in-history/february-14/
https://www.history.com/topics/valentines-day/history-of-valentines-day-2