The Story of Saint Valentine's Day
Learn about the origins and evolution of the holiday of love, from ancient Roman times to the modern day.
Every 14th of February, people around the world celebrate love, romance, and the rebirth of spring. But while you are surrounded by pink hearts, chocolates, cupids, and flowers, you might ask yourself, why? Who was Saint Valentine, and why was he so concerned with love? The answer to those questions has been thousands of years in the making--spread, developed, and adopted by many different cultures. Read on to learn more about the murky history of this holiday, its customs, and how it came to be a global commercial phenomenon.
The Roman Origins of Valentine’s Day
Although Valentine’s Day is now internationally recognized, it evolved in many ways as a distinctly Roman holiday. Several elements of the day have Roman origins, including its date, association with Cupid, and even Valentine himself.
Note that much of the legend surrounding Valentine’s Day is based more on folk traditions than historical records.
February and the Roman Festival of Lupercalia
The cultural roots of Saint Valentine’s Day may be traced back to the early days of Rome, before it was either a republic or an empire. Every year on the 15th of February, the people of Rome took to the streets to celebrate a festival called Lupercalia. The celebration sought to purify the city and encourage fertility in its young populace. Its name likely refers to the foundational myth of Rome, the story of Romulus, Remus, and the wolf that raised them. As a consequence, the festival was associated with shepherds, and more loosely with the god Lupercus or Faunus.
During Lupercalia, priests known as Lupercali began the ceremony by sacrificing two goats and a young dog in the cave where Romulus and Remus were thought to have sheltered. They then flicked the blood of these animals onto two youths and washed their heads with milk. The two boys were then required to laugh. The sacrificed animals were then skinned and turned into purifying thongs or whips, known as februa. The youths, and possibly other prominent men, stripped naked and ran through the city carrying these thongs, whipping young women as they went. This action was said to increase their fertility. The rest of the day was typically spent feasting, drinking, and carousing.
Lupercalia persisted well after the Christian conversion of Rome, much to the concern of its popes. In 495, Pope Gelasius I issued an edict suppressing the holiday. Over time, Lupercalia fell out of practice, long after its pastoral origins and meaning had been forgotten.
Further reading:
Cupid and the Cherubs
A common symbol of Valentine’s Day is Cupid with his bow, a chubby-cheeked cherub wielding the unpredictable power of love. In Roman mythology, he is the child of Venus and Mars, a chaotic force of nature sent to punish the unfortunate but beautiful maiden Psyche. Instead, he is scratched by his own arrow and falls in love with her. After many trials, Psyche is granted immortality and marries Cupid.
Cupid became an important figure in art during the Italian Renaissance, when winged children known as putto began appearing as symbols in painting and sculpture. These mixed with Christian mythology until they were also known as cherubim. Perhaps due to their association with mischievous love and youth, cupids and cherubs came to feature prominently in Valentine’s Day cards and artwork.
Further Reading:
Who Was Saint Valentine?
So, how did a pagan Roman fertility festival transition to a Christian holiday celebrating a saint? And who was Saint Valentine? The story behind the man Valentine is nebulous, and there is little proof regarding his life or deeds. According to the most common tradition, Emperor Claudius II once attempted to fill the ranks of his military by banning marriage among young, single people. An early Christian, Valentine broke the law by secretly performing marriages. He was soon caught, sentenced, and martyred in a brutal fashion on February 14, 269.
In reality, three separate Valentines are listed as martyrs on that date, according to the Catholic Encyclopedia, and their lives are poorly recorded. The Roman Catholic Church removed him from its calendar in 1969 due to this lack of evidence, though he remains a saint. Before he became associated with love, people turned to Valentine for help with other issues like epilepsy, beekeeping, and travel.
Further Reading:
Saint Valentine’s Day
Whatever the historical facts, the legend of Valentine lives on. His name would persist for thousands of years, eventually transforming into a concept he likely could never have imagined. The remaining history of Valentine’s Day is only loosely linked to Rome through the Catholic Church, which soon encompassed nearly all of Europe.
Valentine’s Day as a Romantic Holiday
According to the legend, in 496, Pope Gelasius I needed a holiday to replace Lupercalia. He settled on Saint Valentine and declared a feast day on February 14th. It would be several centuries, however, before his holiday came to be linked with love and romance. This change seems to have occurred in medieval England, where writers and poets noted that the mating habits of birds aligned with Valentine’s Day. Among the authors who popularized this idea were Geoffrey Chaucer and William Shakespeare. They were no doubt repeating older public sentiments, but they provide some of the first written evidence of February 14 as a romantic holiday.
On Valentine’s Day, 1400, France’s King Charles VI established the High Court of Love in Paris, which was meant to oversee disputes between lovers and similar matters. Charles, Duke of Orleans, was a French nobleman captured at the Battle of Agincourt in 1415. He remained an English prisoner for the next 25 years. During his time in captivity, he wrote several poems referencing Valentine’s Day.
By the 16th or 17th century, several superstitions and customs had developed around the holiday. Young women hoped to meet a man early in the day, a sign that they would soon be married. Friends and family drew each other’s names from a jar to decide their ‘valentine.’ Young lovers began to send each other handmade cards declaring their affections. These cards could be signed, initialed, or delivered anonymously, depending on the bravery of the sender.
Further Reading:
Commercializing Valentine’s Day
As time went on, businesses recognized the potential of monetizing love. Printers began mass-producing valentine cards in the 19th century. According to author Nichi Hodgson, the introduction of the anonymous Penny Post in Britain helped the fad explode in popularity. In 1836, an estimated 60,000 valentine cards were sent. That number had grown to 400,000 by 1840 and over 1.2 million by 1871.
Besides the standard proclamation of affection, American printers of the 19th century also offered ‘vinegar valentines.’ As their name suggests, the contents of these cards were caustic--often accusing the recipient of various vices and character flaws.
At the same time, the Victorian passion for flowers grew alongside the valentine fad. Sending flowers to a loved one became a sign of affection, with strict symbolism surrounding each choice in species and arrangement. Sweets, another natural favorite, also gained favor as a gift between courting couples. All of these factors came together to make the Valentine’s Day we know today. From nude young men whipping women in the streets to the careful etiquette of Victorian England, the holiday has undergone radical transformations, reinterpretations, and modern commercialization.
Worldwide Celebrations of Valentine’s Day
Below are just a few examples of how Valentine’s Day is now held around the world.
Japan
In Japan, Valentine’s Day is primarily celebrated by women giving gifts of chocolate to men. These gifts can be either romantic or friendly. One month later, on a day known as White Day, men are expected to return the favor.
Korea
In Korea, the spirit of Valentine’s Day is extended over multiple months. Like Japan, February 14th is generally viewed as a time for women to bestow gifts on men. White Day is also observed one month later on March 14th. On April 14th, however, single Koreans may choose to celebrate Black Day. This relatively new tradition sees single people dressing in black and getting together over noodles and black bean paste.
Ghana
In Ghana, February 13th and 14th are celebrated as Chocolate Day, promoting the nation’s cocoa industry. As part of the celebration, both foreign and local chefs are encouraged to showcase chocolate dishes, which are then consumed by the public on the 14th.
Germany
Like many other countries, Valentine’s Day in Germany only grew popular in the decades following World War II. German couples may choose to recognize the day by giving their loved one flowers, large gingerbread cookies, and even ornamental pigs, which are a symbol of luck and prosperity.
United States
In the United States, Americans of all ages hand out valentine cards. Childrens’ valentines are often shared with their teachers and classmates and may feature favorite cartoon characters. Adults are more likely to spend on jewelry, a nice dinner, flowers, or chocolates.
Philippines
In the Philippines, the holiday is celebrated in some areas with mass, government-sponsored weddings. This tradition has been ongoing since about 2007. These weddings allow couples to marry without the high costs of a private wedding and typically see hundreds of newlyweds each year.
Of course, Valentine’s Day is not the only cultural holiday set aside to celebrate love. Many countries practice similar festivals and gift-giving on other days of the year. However you choose to spend your February 14, it’s never a bad time to let your friends and loved ones know you care.
References
Franklin, Alberta Mildred. The Lupercalia. Columbia University Press. 1921.
Goodrich, Peter. Law in the Courts of Love: Literature and Other Minor Jurisprudences. Routledge. 2002.
Eugenio, Haidee V. “Hundreds Wed Each Year on Valentine's Day in Philippines.” Pacific Daily News, Pacific Daily News, 18 Feb. 2017, www.guampdn.com/story/news/local/bayanihan/2017/02/18/hundreds-wed-each-year-valentines-day-philippines/97540694/.
Hodgson, Nichi. The Curious History of Dating: From Jane Austen to Tinder. Little, Brown Book Group. 2017.
“Ich Liebe Dich (I Love You): Celebrating Valentine's Day in Germany.” German American Cultural Foundation, German American Cultural Foundation, www.gac-foundation.org/2015/02/09/celebrating-valentines-day-in-germany/.
“National Chocolate Day on Feb. 13.” Government of Ghana, Government of Ghana, www.ghana.gov.gh/index.php/media-center/news/157-national-chocolate-day-on-feb-13.
Smith, K. Annabelle. “Korea's Black Day: When Sad, Single People Get Together And Eat Black Food.” Smithsonian.com, Smithsonian Institution, 13 Feb. 2013, www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/koreas-black-day-when-sad-single-people-get-together-and-eat-black-food-16537918/.
“St. Valentine - Catholic Encyclopedia.” Catholic Online, Catholic Online, www.catholic.org/encyclopedia/view.php?id=11880.
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