When Valentine's Day is discussed people immediately think of romance.
You have Cupid shooting his arrow as love blossoms. You have people popping the question at a romantic location. You have couples sharing flowers, chocolates and cards – lots of cards – on a day geared toward romantic love.
Valentine's Day, though, wasn't always like that. In fact, romance had very little to do with the holiday.
What's the dark truth about Valentine's Day?
The holiday's origins, according to npr.com, date back to ancient Rome where the feast of Lupercalia was celebrated from Feb. 13 to 15. Lupercalia honored Lupa the she-wolf who nursed and sheltered Romulus and Remus and was aimed to please the Roman fertility god Lupercus, according to History.com.
During the festival, Roman men would sacrifice a goat and a dog. The men would then run around naked or nearly naked, hitting women with the hide of the freshly killed animals. Women would line up to be hit, believing it would make them fertile. The women's names were then placed in a jar and the men would draw a name to see who they would be paired with for the remainder of the festival.
When did Valentine's Day become about love and stuff?
According to History.com, Pope Gelasius I, to expel pagan rituals, combined the festival with St. Valentine's Day in the fifth century. The holiday seemed to mature from the revelry of ancient Rome to a day of romantic love over time. Geoffrey Chaucer and William Shakespeare wrote about love and Valentine's Day and during the middle ages people exchanged Valentine's Day cards, according to npr.com.
It was around 1913 when Valentine's Day literally became a Hallmark holiday. The card maker started to mass produce valentines and from that point the romance and commercialism went into overdrive. Today, you have everyone getting in on the Valentine's Day act with items like Valentine's Day cake pops at Starbucks, Love Bug doughnuts at Dunkin', heart-shaped doughnuts at Krispy Kreme, special Little Debbie cakes or a Blizzard Cupid Cake at Dairy Queen.
In modern times people celebrate the day by buying their sweethearts presents and flowers and taking them out to dinner, basically showering them with affection.
Who was St. Valentine?
There have beenmultiple St. Valentines, so it is unclear whoisthe true namesakefor the holiday.
One Valentine was a priest in third-century Rome who defiedEmperor Claudius II after the ruler outlawed marriage for young men. St. Valentine would perform marriages in secret for young lovers, ultimately leading to his death.
Another Valentine, St. Valentine of Terni,was a bishop who wasbeheaded by Emperor Claudius. Many believeheis the namesake behind the holiday, according to the History Channel.
There are many other legends of "St. Valentine," including one of animprisoned saint sending thefirst "Valentine" greeting after falling in lovewith a young girl who often visited him. Before his death, the saint allegedly wrote her a letter signed: "From your Valentine."
While the true story of Valentine's Day remains a mystery, most portray the saint as a heroic, kind, and romantic person.
Olivia Munson contributed to this story.
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FAQs
When did Valentine's Day become about love and stuff? According to History.com, Pope Gelasius I, to expel pagan rituals, combined the festival with St. Valentine's Day in the fifth century. The holiday seemed to mature from the revelry of ancient Rome to a day of romantic love over time.
How did Valentine's day become a love holiday? ›
Geoffrey Chaucer Links Valentine's Day to Romance
By the Middle Ages, thanks to this reputation, Valentine would become one of the most popular saints in England and France. Perhaps that's why, in the 14th century, Valentine's Day took a romantic turn, thanks to the influence of English poets like Geoffrey Chaucer.
What is the origin or origins of Valentine's day? ›
Valentine's Day did not come to be celebrated as a day of romance until about the 14th century. Although there were several Christian martyrs named Valentine, the day may have taken its name from a priest who was martyred about 270 ce by the emperor Claudius II Gothicus.
What is the purpose of Valentine's day? ›
What is Valentine's Day? St Valentine's Day is an annual festival to celebrate romantic love, friendship and admiration. Every year on 14 February people celebrate this day by sending messages of love and affection to partners, family and friends.
Where did the colors for Valentine's day come from? ›
In a more literal sense, red is the color of blood that pumps through our hearts, which represents love and passion and romance. Additionally, red was the first color to be linked with Valentine's Day at Lupercalia in Rome, an ancient pagan festival held each year on February 15.
What is the dark origin of Valentine's day? ›
One Valentine was a priest in third-century Rome who defied Emperor Claudius II after the ruler outlawed marriage for young men. St. Valentine would perform marriages in secret for young lovers, ultimately leading to his death.
What is the real story of Valentine's day? ›
Turns out, it was a pretty common name during Late Antiquity. As far as anyone can tell, the Saint Valentine of Valentine's Day was one of two guys preaching the good word in Rome in the third century. One of these two was martyred on February 14th 269, thus giving us the date for his eponymous day.
What the Bible Says About Valentines day? ›
1 Corinthians 13:4-8
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
Should Christians celebrate Valentine's day? ›
If that works for you, do it. But the biblical pattern teaches us that romantic love between husband and wife should be on display often and much. It isn't that celebrating Valentine's Day is too much; it is too little and weak. Christians, live your married years so that you don't need Valentine's Day.
What Valentine's day is 7 to 14 February? ›
Whether you're in a relationship or cherishing self-love, Valentine's Week is a perfect time to spread joy and warmth. Starting on February 7th with Rose Day, followed by Propose Day, Chocolate Day, Teddy Day, Promise Day, Hug Day, Kiss Day and finally Valentine's Day on February 14th.
1. : a sweetheart chosen or complimented on Valentine's Day. 2. a. : a gift or greeting sent or given especially to a sweetheart on Valentine's Day.
What is the spiritual meaning of Valentine's day? ›
While the holiday has undergone secularization over time, its origins in Christian martyrdom and acts of love align with broader spiritual themes of compassion, selflessness, and devotion. For some, Valentine's Day serves as a reminder of the importance of love in both human relationships and spiritual practice.
What is the secret behind Valentine's day? ›
Some believe Valentine's Day is celebrated on February 14 because that is when Saint Valentine was killed or buried. Others claim the date has to do with the ancient Roman feast of Lupercalia, which was a days-long celebration that would start on February 13 and end on February 15.
What does Valentine's symbolize? ›
It originated as a Christian feast day honoring a martyr named Valentine, and through later folk traditions it has also become a significant cultural, religious and commercial celebration of romance and love in many regions of the world.
Who invented Valentine's day? ›
At the end of the 5th century, Pope Gelasius declared February 14 St. Valentine's Day, and since then, February 14th has been a day of celebration—though it was generally more religious than romantic.
What does wearing black on Valentine's day mean? ›
Black: Healing from a Rejected Proposal
Black might be a favourite of many, but on Valentine's Day, it symbolizes rejection. You just got your heart broken because of a rejected proposal. Wear a black outfit to portray your state of mind. It's alright to take time off and heal.
How did Valentine's day become associated with love? ›
While the Saint Valentine story set the groundwork for establishing the day as a holiday for romantic love, what truly solidified the connection between Saint Valentine and love was a poem by medieval author Geoffrey Chaucer in 1375, which historians consider the origin of the "modern" celebration of Valentine's Day, ...
What is the pagan origin of Valentine's day? ›
However, many historians believe the day originated from the Roman pagan festival of fertility called Lupercalia, an event filled with animal sacrifice, random coupling and the whipping of women; not quite the romantic chocolate and roses day that we celebrate today.
Who was Saint Valentine and what did he do? ›
Saint Valentine was a clergyman – either a priest or a bishop – in the Roman Empire who ministered to persecuted Christians. He was martyred and his body buried on the Via Flaminia on February 14, which has been observed as the Feast of Saint Valentine (Saint Valentine's Day) since at least the eighth century.
