By Elise Harcsar
Valentine’s Day is a well known international holiday that is celebrated to commemorate love. But where did this holiday come from? Who is St. Valentine?
Although there were several Saints named Valentine or have similar names, Valentine’s Day originated from a priest named Valentine.
During the third century in Rome, Valentine served as a priest under the Catholic Church. When Emperor Claudius II outlawed marriage for soldiers, Valentine felt this injustice so continued performing marriages for young couples against this law.
Emperor Claudius II was not pleased by his actions and sentenced Valentine to death. It is believed that couples that he married visited him during his confinement giving him flowers and notes as symbols of their gratitude.
The legend also says that Valentine fell in love with his jailor’s daughter. On the day of his execution, February 14, he passed a note to her, signed with “from your Valentine.”
Some believe the holiday is marked on February 14 in memory of Valentine’s death, while others believe it replaced the pagan festival known as Lupercalia.
Lupercalia was a fertility festival held on February 15; however, it was violent and bloody consisting of animal sacrifices and the abuse of women. Symbols of Valentine’s Day such as the color red are believed to symbolize the blood of the festival. However, there is still some uncertainty of the origins of Valentine’s Day.
Cupid is a Roman god and common symbol of Valentine’s Day. He is also known as Eros, the Greek god of love. According to Greek mythology, Eros commonly played with the romance and emotions of gods and goddesses using his golden arrows. Today, Cupid is typically portrayed as a chubby child in contrast with the immortal handsome figure seen under Greek mythology.
It is interesting to understand the history of Valentine’s Day as there are many different perspectives and legends involved with its origins. Hopefully after reading, you will be able to recognize Valentine’s Day as a holiday much more than chocolate, hearts and flowers.
