After waiting a whole year for chocolates, red roses, and cheesy cards, Valentine’s Day is finally here – a day full of romantic gestures, cuddling couples, and societal pressure all rolled into one and topped with a bow. As one of the most commercialized holidays, it offers companies a perfect market to sell their jewelry and flowers to those wanting to give the perfect gift to that special someone. Although this encourages frivolous spending and often evokes for some people a feeling of loneliness, the tradition of one day dedicated to love has persevered. This season, if you’re lucky, you might find a Valentine candy gram stuck to your locker. Inside you will probably find a sweet little message or perhaps a corny pick-up line. Either way, Valentine’s Day is a day to support and show your love to those special people: moms, dads, siblings, partners, and best friends. You should undoubtedly spend some money on those special people or yourself, but Valentine’s Day has not always been about a sweet gesture and a few heart-shaped candies.
Centuries ago, the origins of the beloved holiday were instead about religion and ritual. In fact, it may have started with a rivalry between the Greek pagans and the Roman Christians. They represent the common trope of enemies becoming lovers as Greece later joined the Roman Empire and both celebrated the holiday of Lupercalia. Most likely adopted from Greek pagan culture, Lupercalia became a Roman holiday of purification, health, and matchmaking. Eventually, around 490 CE, Pope Gelasius I felt threatened by this pagan celebration and replaced it with our beloved Valentine’s Day, which originally was a day dedicated to St. Valentine. St. Valentine’s story is uncertain, but records say that he was a Roman priest that was performing forbidden Christian marriage ceremonies for soldiers, who were supposed to stay celibate. He was imprisoned, but the story goes that he restored the sight of the jailer’s daughter and convinced them both to convert to Christianity. Since St. Valentine was a devout Christian, the pope replaced Lupercalia with this holiday in order to coax others to convert.
Valentine’s Day went from a religious holiday to a celebration of romance centuries later. We can credit the association of Valentine’s Day with romance to the 14th century poet Geoffrey Chaucer, who is best known for writing The Canterbury Tales. The poem Chaucer wrote about Valentine’s Day was called “Parlement of Foules,” or Parliament of Fowls, in which he reflects on birds in spring finding their mates.
“Saint Valentine, who art full high aloft–
Thus sing the small fowls for your sake…
Since each a marriage with its mate does make”
At that time, birds symbolized the coming of spring, and February was the month that birds began to choose their mates. The month of bird match-making was eventually narrowed down to one specific date, the 14th, the date that St. Valentine was believed to have been martyred. This was then interpreted as the month of love for humans as well – a time where you could quite literally be lovey-dovey. From then on, Valentine’s Day has been known as the day of love.
Today, Valentine’s Day is a time when people exchange handmade cards with love notes and letters inside. Additionally, flowers and chocolates have become a popular gift of affection. Valentine’s Day is now popular in countries around the world. Whether or not you celebrate and regardless of where the tradition started, people around the world recognize February 14th as the day of love. So go show your appreciation by buying a little treat for yourself and acknowledging that special someone this Valentine’s Day.