Americans spend over 25 billion dollars on Valentine’s Day each year. How did this popular holiday come to exist?
Valentine’s Day is one of the most popular holidays here in America. It’s known for its candy hearts, fancy dates, love letters, and of course, giant stuffed bears. While Valentine’s day is currently a staple for romance, that hasn’t always been the case. Continue reading on as we take a closer look at the rich history of this iconic holiday.
Who was St. Valentine?
You might be aware that Valentine’s Day was named after the Roman priest, St. Valentine. While there were many Christian saints named Valentine, most people assume the priest celebrated in February is St. Valentine of Rome. That said, there are some who argue that it was instead St. Valentine of Terni.
Unfortunately, we don’t know the exact man who inspired the holiday’s name. In fact, the saint’s identity has been debated since A.D. 496.
Regardless, the St. Valentine connected to Valentine’s Day was martyred on February 14th, A.D. 270. This was done by Emperor Claudius II During the Roman persecution of Christians. There are many stories of St. Valentine and what lead to his execution.
One story claims that he was simply sentenced to death for helping Christians escape prisons.
Another story from the early 1400’s states that he was martyred for marrying young couples in secret. At the time, Emperor Claudius II put heavy restrictions on marriages, claiming that single men made better soldiers. This would add to the later romantic theme of Valentine’s Day
When was the first Valentine’s Day?
Valentine’s Day as we know it was created by Pope Gelasious on February 14th, 496 A.D. In it’s infancy, the holiday was a Christian feast held in honor of the martyred St. Valentine. Conveniently enough, the day of Valentine’s death fell on a previously established pagan holiday known as Lupercalia.
You might be familiar with the Roman Catholic’s love for painting over pagan festivals with Christian Celebrations. This practice has been seen with two other well-known holidays, Christmas and Halloween.
What was Lupercalia?
Celebrated on February 15th, Lupercalia was an ancient roman festival centered around health and fertility. The name is derived from the ancient Italian god, Lupercus.
Like most pagan holidays, Lupercalia would always begin with ritualistic blood sacrifices. Goats and dogs were chosen, due to their symbolic significance in the ancient world. The sacrifices were performed by Luperci, a specific type of priest. Once the ritual was complete, the goats would be eaten before their hides were used for other ceremonial rituals.
Some claim that during Lupercalia, men would randomly draw women’s names from a jar. From there, the arranged couple would be expected to spend the rest of the festival in each other’s company. This resulted prolonged relationships and sometimes, even marriage.
...Sounds more like a Netflix dating show to me.
Some partially blame this practice for of the romantic themes that were later added to Valentine’s Day.
When did Valentine’s Day Become about Romance?
Valentine’s Day began exhibiting romantic themes sometime around the 14th century. During the middle ages, England and France related springtime to romance alongside the concept of “lovebirds”. This idea derived from most bird species finding their mates during early spring.
Valentine’s placement in the year combined with the lingering themes of Lupercalia led to the love-crazy holiday we know today.
The first account of Valentine’s Day being romantic can be found in Chaucer's Parliament of Fowls. This 14th century poem describes Valentine’s day as the day birds find their mates, once again playing into the concept of lovebirds.
Why is Cupid Associated with Valentine’s Day?
Most holidays we’re familiar with have some sort of person or figure attached to it, and Valentine’s Day is no exception. At some point, Cupid, the diaper wearing archer took the spot of poster boy for Valentine’s Day.
While some holiday mascots seem to come out of nowhere, it’s not too difficult to connect the dots with Cupid.
Cupid originated from the Greek god Eros. Originally depicted as a young man in his late teens, Eros was known as the god of love and romance. Despite the many differences, from the beginning Cupid was sporting his famous bow and arrow.
The depiction of Cupid that we know today came from the Romans adapting Greek mythology. The name was changed to Cupid, which like Eros, translates to “desire”. He was also changed into a cherub, which are winged, angelic beings from Abrahamic religions.
Many believe this choice was made due to the cherubs’ baby-like appearance, as young children were a symbol of love between two people in ancient times.
As Valentine’s Day grew in popularity during the late 18th Century, so did its association with romance. It’s around this time that Cupid was roped into Valentine’s Day, simply due to him being something of a mascot for romance.
When did Valentine Cards Become Popular?
The first recorded Valentine’s Day card was written by Charles, Duke of Orleans in February of 1477. Addressed to his wife, Charles wrote his Valentine from a prison in London. This was following his capture during The Battle of Agincourt.
Valentine’s Day cards as we know them didn’t arise until the mid-16th century. As you can imagine, they started out as hand-made letters and pomes. Esther Howland was the first person to begin the mass production of Valentine’s Day, back in 1847.
Conclusion
People Spend Valentine’s Day in several different ways. Some go out with loved ones, while others eat chocolate with a solid rom-com (no, I won’t tell you which one of those I’ll be doing). No matter what you’ll be doing this February 14th, I hope this blog helped you appreciate Valentine’s Day and the rich history it possesses.
