Valentines Day History: Saint Valentine, a Roman Catholic priest from the third century, is thought to be the person behind Valentine’s Day. He passed away on February 14, 270 AD. This day has become a symbol for celebrating love, but it has different opinions and a bit of a shadowy past. Even though it’s connected to Saint Valentine, there’s also a darker side to its origin.
Valentines Day History Details: Who is Saint Valentine?
In the third century, there was a Roman Catholic priest named Saint Valentine. He passed away on February 14, 270 AD. It’s said he secretly helped people to get married, which was against the emperor’s rules.
First Love Greeting Card: Knowing this, the king arrested Valentine and set a date for his execution. But in the meantime, Astorius, the jailer’s blind daughter, falls in love. But the jailer found out about this and put Astorius under house arrest. It was then that Valentine sent Astorius his first romantic greeting card.
Back then, soldiers couldn’t get married because the emperor believed unmarried men were better fighters. For going against this rule, Emperor Claudius II Gothicus beheaded him. Some also say the Church used Valentine’s Day to replace an old Roman festival called Lupercalia, which honored the god of agriculture and founders Romulus and Remus. During Lupercalia, men would pick women’s names from a box, and they’d spend time together. In the late 5th century, Pope Gelasius decided to celebrate Saint Valentine during the Lupercalia period, making Valentine’s Day a part of the festivities.
How did Valentine’s Day become a global celebration?
Valentine, who passed away in 270 AD, became a saint in the Roman Catholic Church because he might have helped Christian couples get married secretly. The idea of Valentine’s Day being a day for lovers became popular in Europe and the English-speaking world thanks to the writings of Geoffrey Chaucer and William Shakespeare.
Valentines Day History: According to the British Library, Chaucer’s Parliament of Fowles, written in the late 14th century, is where the idea of Valentine’s Day as a day for lovers is thought to have originated. It talks about birds choosing their mates for the year on ‘Saint Valentine’s Day’ in early spring. After Valentine’s death, valentines day history has been talked by many. Shakespeare also mentioned Valentine’s Day in his book. During those times, handmade paper cards became symbols of the day.
In the 19th century, the Industrial Revolution introduced factory-made cards, and by 1913, Hallmark cards from Kansas City gained popularity, attracting a large number of lovers.
| FAQ – Valentines Day History |
1. Who was Saint Valentine?
Saint Valentine was a Roman Catholic priest from the third century who is associated with the origins of Valentine’s Day.
2. Why is Valentine’s Day celebrated on February 14th?
February 14th is believed to be the day Saint Valentine died in 270 AD, and it has since been commemorated as a day of love and romance.
3. When did Valentine’s Day cards become a commercial industry?
The commercialization of Valentine’s Day cards began in the early 20th century, with companies like Hallmark playing a significant role in making it a widespread tradition.
