What is Valentine’s Day? I’m sure many of you have received chocolates on this day or maybe you decorated cardboard boxes with hearts and glitter in your elementary school years. While some look forward to this annual holiday, others dread it. There are many ways to celebrate this special day, but have you ever thought about how these traditions started?
Valentine’s Day is a holiday dedicated to celebrating our loved ones. It is named after Saint Valentine, who was a part of the Catholic Church in the 14th century (so like, a really long time ago). At that time, the emperor of Rome, Claudius II, who had obviously been dumped a few times, decided single men made better soldiers than those with families. After coming to this conclusion, he decided to ban marriage for all young men. Despite this new law, Valentine still decided to bless marriages (major green flag, in my opinion). His actions were soon discovered.
What happened after that is disputed amongst historians. Two different people by the name of Valentine were imprisoned on this day, so there are many different accounts of what really happened, and which Valentine the holiday is actually named for. Some stories claim that Valentine was instantly put to death while others say he first went to jail. Rumor has it that he fell in love with the jailer's daughter during his imprisonment. Legend tells us that just before his death he sent one last letter to her, signed “From your Valentine.” How romantic! Sadly, we may never know if that’s what really happened.
Although we’re uncertain on the true origins of Valentine's Day, Saint Valentine truly did raise the bar for romantic gestures. This February 14th, let's follow Valentine’s lead and express our love. Whether it be encouraging a friend, treating yourself to some chocolate, or expressing your feelings to your true love. Who knows, you might just find your forever Valentine.
Source:
History of Valentine’s Day, History.com (2009, December 22) https://www.history.com/topics/valentines-day/history-of-valentines-day-2
Murtaugh, Taysha and Terri Robertson ( 2024, February 6) The Real History of Valentine’s Day, Country Living https://www.countryliving.com/life/a46353/history-of-valentines-day/