Story of Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day or Saint Valentine's Day is a holiday celebrated on February 14 by
many people throughout the world.
In the West, it is the traditional day on which lovers express their love for each other by
sending Valentine's cards, presenting flowers, or offering confectionery.
The holiday is named after two among the numerous Early Christian martyrs named
Valentine.
The day became associated with romantic love in the circle of Geoffrey Chaucer in the
High Middle Ages, when the tradition of courtly love flourished.
The day is most closely associated with the mutual exchange of love notes in the form of
"valentines." Modern Valentine symbols include the heart-shaped outline, doves, and the
figure of the winged Cupid. Since the 19th century, handwritten notes have largely given
way to mass-produced greeting cards.[1] The sending of Valentines was a fashion in
nineteenth-century Great Britain, and, in 1847, Esther Howland developed a successful
business in her Worcester, Massachusetts home with hand-made Valentine cards based
on British models. The popularity of Valentine cards in 19th-century America was a
harbinger of the future commercialization of holidays in the United States.[2]
The U.S. Greeting Card Association estimates that approximately one billion valentines
are sent each year worldwide, making the day the second largest card-sending holiday of
the year, behind Christmas. The association estimates that, in the US, men spend in
average twice as much money as women.[3]
Numerous early Christian martyrs were named Valentine.[4] Until 1969, the Catholic
Church formally recognized eleven Valentine's Days.
The Valentines honored on February 14 are Valentine of Rome (Valentinus presb. m.
Romae) and Valentine of Terni (Valentinus ep. Interamnensis m. Romae).[5] Valentine of
Rome[6] was a priest in Rome who suffered martyrdom about AD 269 and was buried on
the Via Flaminia. His relics are at the Church of Saint Praxed in Rome.[7] and at Whitefriar
Street Carmelite Church in Dublin, Ireland.
Valentine of Terni[8] became bishop of Interamna (modern Terni) about AD 197 and is
said to have been killed during the persecution of Emperor Aurelian. He is also buried on
the Via Flaminia, but in a different location than Valentine of Rome. His relics are at the
Basilica of Saint Valentine in Terni (Basilica di San Valentino).[9]
The Catholic Encyclopedia also speaks of a third saint named Valentine who was
mentioned in early martyrologies under date of February 14. He was martyred in Africa
with a number of companions, but nothing more is known about him.[10]
Every February, across the country, candy, flowers, and gifts are exchanged between
loved ones, all in the name of St. Valentine. But who is this mysterious saint and why do
we celebrate this holiday? The history of Valentine's Day — and its patron saint — is
shrouded in mystery. But we do know that February has long been a month of romance.
St. Valentine's Day, as we know it today, contains vestiges of both Christian and ancient
Roman tradition. So, who was Saint Valentine and how did he become associated with this
ancient rite? Today, the Catholic Church recognizes at least three different saints named
Valentine or Valentinus, all of whom were martyred.
One legend contends that Valentine was a priest who served during the third
century in Rome. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better
soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for young men — his
crop of potential soldiers. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius
and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When Valentine's actions
were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death.
Other stories suggest that Valentine may have been killed for attempting to help Christians
escape harsh Roman prisons where they were often beaten and tortured.
According to one legend, Valentine actually sent the first 'valentine' greeting himself.
While in prison, it is believed that Valentine fell in love with a young girl — who may
have been his jailor's daughter — who visited him during his confinement. Before
his death, it is alleged that he wrote her a letter, which he signed 'From your
Valentine,' an expression that is still in use today. Although the truth behind the Valentine
legends is murky, the stories certainly emphasize his appeal as a sympathetic, heroic,
and, most importantly, romantic figure. It's no surprise that by the Middle Ages, Valentine
was one of the most popular saints in England and France.
While some believe that Valentine's Day is celebrated in the middle of February to
commemorate the anniversary of Valentine's death or burial — which probably occurred
around 270 A.D — others claim that the Christian church may have decided to celebrate
Valentine's feast day in the middle of February in an effort to 'christianize' celebrations of
the pagan Lupercalia festival. In ancient Rome, February was the official beginning of
spring and was considered a time for purification. Houses were ritually cleansed by
sweeping them out and then sprinkling salt and a type of wheat called spelt throughout
their interiors. Lupercalia, which began at the ides of February, February 15, was a fertility
festival dedicated to Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture, as well as to the Roman
founders Romulus and Remus.

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Valentine's Day or Saint Valentine's Day is a holiday celebrated on February 14 by

many people throughout the world.

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