When February rolls around, it can seem hard to avoid the mention of Valentine's Day! However, you might not know the rich history behind the 14th of February.
The Feast of Saint Valentine
In the year 496AD, Pope Gelasius I established the Feast of Saint Valentine to be celebrated on the 14th of February. This is recognised to be the origin of Valentine's Day, and it has been a date in Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and protestant calendars ever since.
Who is Saint Valentine?
There are several Saint Valentines that are traditionally venerated on the 14th of February. Pope Gelasius, I established the Feast of Saint Valentine specifically for Saint Valentine of Rome, a Roman priest who performed marriages for soldiers.
Emporer Claudius II ruled that soldiers could not get married. Claudius believed unmarried soldiers would fight more bravely, as they had less to lose than a married man. Valentine of Rome flouted this rule, and married soldiers to their sweethearts in secret. Valentine of Rome also got in trouble for ministering to persecuted Christians.
Saint Valentine of Terni, a Roman bishop who was persecuted by Emperor Aurelian, is also celebrated on February the 14th. Some believe that the two different Saint Valentines are actually just different stories about the same Saint.
Is Valentine's Day a pagan festival?
Lupercalia was an Ancient Roman festival celebrated from the 13th to the 15th of February. During the festival, fertility rituals were performed. There was also a custom where the names of young men and women were drawn at random and coupled together. The couples would stay together for at least a year, with the hope that it would lead to marriage.
It is often said that Pope Gelasius I knew he couldn't prevent long-held customs, so he introduced the Feast of Saint Valentine to make Christianity more appealing to local pagans. The idea was that locals wouldn't mind converting to Christianity so much if they could still celebrate their festivals, even if the festivals have different names.
However, there is little to no evidence that this was the Pope's intention. Furthermore, some historians believe that many beliefs about Lupercalia and its rituals are fictitious.
When did Valentine's Day become romantic?
The earliest reference connecting Saint Valentine's Day to romance comes from medieval poet and author Geoffrey Chaucer. His 1382 poem Parlement of Foules states that birds choose their mating partners on Saint Valentine's Day.
"For this was on seynt Volantynys day. Whan euery bryd comyth there to chese his make".
("For this was on St. Valentine's Day when every bird cometh there to choose his mate.")
After this, the Marriage of the Birds became a folk legend and Valentine's Day was seen as a celebration of the beginning of springtime.
When did people begin sending valentines?
The practice of sending love letters, or 'valentines', on the 14th of February, stretches back to at least the 15th Century. The earliest surviving example of a valentine is a short poem written by the Charles of Orléans to his wife around 1415.
By the 18th Century, printers had begun producing cards with romantic verses and illustrations for Valentine's Day. By the early 19th Century, Valentine's Day cards were being produced in factories to keep up with demand.
The postal reforms of 1840 made it easier for people to send valentines. It also allowed people to send posts anonymously, and people took this opportunity to secretly declare their love.
