Valentine’s Day History
- Valentine’s Day, celebrated every year on 14 February, is dedicated to lovers and is associated with romantic love. Its origins are a mixture of history, legend and religious tradition.
- Historical Origins
- Saint Valentine was a bishop or Christian priest, lived in the 3rd century A.D. under the Roman emperor Claudius II. The historical figure of Valentine’s Day is linked to acts of compassion and love, but also rebellion against unjust laws.
- Claudius II had forbidden marriages between young men, thinking that married men were less likely to join his army. Valentino, however, opposed this law and celebrated marriages in secret. This gesture led to his arrest and, subsequently, martyrdom on 14 February 269 A.D.
- Legends
- There are several legends associated with Valentine’s Day:
- Love letter: It is said that before his execution, Valentino wrote a letter to the blind daughter of his jailer, which miraculously restored her sight. The letter would end with the words “from your Valentine”, giving rise to the custom of exchanging love messages.
- Dissemination of Tradition
- Valentine’s Day became official in 496 AD when Pope Gelasius I established it to replace the Luperkals, an ancient pagan Roman festival dedicated to fertility. As time went on, 14 February became a day to celebrate romantic love.
- During the Middle Ages, especially in England and France, Valentine was associated with the idea of courtly love. The poet Geoffrey Chaucer helped to strengthen this bond in his poem “Parlement of Foules”, where he mentioned 14 February as the day on which birds mate, a symbol of nature’s awakening and love.
- Modern Traditions
- Today, the Valentine’s Day is celebrated worldwide with the exchange of tickets (known as “Valentine”), flowers, chocolates and gifts among lovers. Although it has lost much of its religious significance, it remains a celebration of love and affection
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