There are varying 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 honour 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 United States, 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.
The History of Saint Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day started in the time of the Roman Empire. In ancient
Rome, February 14th was a holiday to honour Juno. Juno was the
Queen of the Roman Gods and Goddesses. 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. 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. Claudius the Cruel was having a
difficult time getting soldiers to join his military leagues. He
believed that the reason was that roman men did not want to leave
their loves or families. 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. He and Saint Marius
aided the Christian martyrs and 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 honour 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 endeavoured 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.
