The sounds of giggles and awe fill the air as various couples exchange pink and red gifts of love and appreciation with each other on Feb. 14. Valentine’s Day is a historic holiday dating back to the 8th century with the Feast of Saint Valentine on February 4th. It became a romantic holiday between the 14th and 15th centuries and has made significant history in couples’ relationships.
Origins
This holiday is celebrated annually in the United States and other places worldwide with rose bouquets, candy, teddy bears, and chocolates gifted between loved ones. But who is Saint Valentine and where are these traditions rooted? This all started dating back around 270 A.D. when the Christian church decided to place this in the middle of February with the intent to have a feast to celebrate the anniversary of St. Valentine’s death and burial to “Christianize” the pagan celebration of Lupercalia. Lupercalia was a fertility festival celebrated on February 15 and dedicated to Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture.
True meaning
At the end of the 5th century, Pope Gelasius declared February 14th as St. Valentine’s Day, saying that the Lupercalia celebration was “un-Christian”. However, not too long later, that day became associated with love as today’s society interprets it. During the Middle Ages, it was commonly believed in France and England that February 14 was the beginning of birds’ mating season, which added to the idea that Valentine’s Day should be a day for romance. The oldest known Valentine still in existence today was a poem from 1415 by Charles, Duke of Orleans, to his wife while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London.
Who is Cupid?
Cupid is often portrayed on Valentine’s Day cards as a naked cherub shooting arrows of love at unsuspecting people. But the Roman God Cupid has its roots in Greek mythology as the Greek god of love, Eros. According to the Greek poets, Eros was a handsome immortal who played with the emotions of Gods and men, using golden arrows to whip up love. It wasn’t until the Hellenistic period that he began to be portrayed as the mischievous, chubby baby he’d become on Valentine’s Day cards.
Greetings and cards
Valentine’s Day is celebrated in the United States, Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, France, and Australia. It was common for friends and lovers of all societies to exchange small gifts of affection or handwritten notes, and by 1900 printed cards began to replace written letters due to improvements in printing technology. Today, at least 145 million cards are sent and exchanged each year, according to Hallmark.
