|
|
|
The History of Valentines Day
There are many opinions as to the origin of Valentine's Day. Some experts state that it originated from St. Valentine,
a Roman who was martyred for refusing to give up Christianity. He died on February 14, 269 A.D., the same day that had been
devoted to love lotteries. Legend also says that St. Valentine left a farewell note for the jailer's daughter, who had become his
friend, and signed it "From Your Valentine". Other aspects of the story say that Saint Valentine served as a priest at the temple
during the reign of Emperor Claudius. Claudius then had Valentine jailed for defying him. In 496 A.D. Pope Gelasius set aside
February 14 to honor St. Valentine.
Gradually, February 14 became the date for exchanging love messages and St. Valentine became the patron saint of lovers. The
date was marked by sending poems and simple gifts such as flowers. There was often a social gathering or a ball.
In the US, Miss Esther Howland is given credit for sending the first valentine cards. Commercial valentines were introduced in the
1800's and now the date is very commercialised. The town of Loveland, Colorado, does a large post office business around
February 14. The spirit of good continues as valentines are sent out with sentimental verses and children exchange valentine cards
at school.
Valentines Day began in the time of the Roman Empire. In ancient Rome, February 14th was a holiday to honor Juno.
Juno was the Queen of the Roman Gods and Goddesses and the Romans also knew her as the Goddess of women and marriage.
The following day, February 15th, began the Feast of Lupercalia.
The lives of young boys and girls were strictly separate. However, one of the customs of the young people was name drawing and on
the eve of the festival of Lupercalia the names of Roman girls were written on slips of paper and placed into jars.
Each young man would draw a girl's name from the jar and would then be partners for the duration of the festival with the girl whom he
chose. Sometimes the pairing of the children lasted an entire year, and often, they would fall in love and would later marry.
Under the rule of Emperor, Claudius II Rome was involved in many bloody and unpopular campaigns.
He was sometimes called Claudius the Cruel. He was having a difficult time getting soldiers to join his military leagues because he
believed that roman men did not want to leave their loved-ones. As a result, Claudius cancelled all marriages and engagements in Rome.
The good Saint Valentine was a priest at Rome in the days of Claudius II and he and Saint Marius aided the Christian martyrs. They
secretly married couples, and for this kind deed Saint Valentine was apprehended and dragged before the Prefect of Rome
who condemned him to be beaten to death with clubs and to have his head cut off. He suffered martyrdom on the 14th day of February,
about the year 270. At that time it was the custom in Rome, a very ancient custom, indeed, to celebrate in the month of February the
Lupercalia, feasts in honor of a heathen god. On these occasions, amidst a variety of pagan ceremonies, the names of young women were
placed in a box, from which they were drawn by the men as chance directed.
The pastors of the early Christian Church in Rome endeavored to do away with the pagan element in these feasts by substituting the
names of saints for those of maidens. And as the Lupercalia began about the middle of February, the pastors appear to have chosen
Saint Valentine's Day for the celebration of this new feast. So it seems that the custom of young men choosing maidens for
valentines, or saints as patrons for the coming year, arose in this way.
|
|
|
Featured
Valentines
Gift
Resources
Did You Know?
"Today, over 1 billion valentine cards are sent in this country each year -- second in number only to Christmas cards."
Did You Know?
"In the Middle Ages, people began to send love letters on Valentine's Day. Medieval Europeans believed that birds began to mate on February 14."
Read About the
History of
Valentines Day
|
