The ODD ORIGIN OF VALENTINE’S DAY | Saint Valentine story. Why is St Valentine’s Day on 14 February?

History Calling・2 minutes read

St. Valentine's Day is linked to the martyrdom of two potential saints named Valentine, rather than just one, with their stories focused on faith, healing, and martyrdom. The holiday's association with love and romance grew over the centuries, influenced by writers like Chaucer and Shakespeare, leading to the modern customs of exchanging gifts and cards on Valentine's Day.

Insights

  • The origins of St. Valentine's Day are rooted in the martyrdom and faith of potential saints, with executions and religious devotion shaping the true stories behind the holiday, diverging from the common association with romance and love.
  • The evolution of Valentine's Day customs, including exchanging gifts and choosing Valentines, dates back centuries, with historical figures like Princess Mary and Samuel Pepys showcasing early traditions of giving gifts to friends and loved ones, emphasizing a broader context beyond romantic relationships.

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Recent questions

  • What is the origin of St. Valentine's Day?

    It is associated with executions, not romance.

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Summary

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Origins of St. Valentine's Day: Truth Revealed

  • St. Valentine's Day is commonly associated with cards, flowers, chocolates, and romance, but the true origins are different from what is commonly believed.
  • The holiday is often linked to St. Valentine, a supposed patron saint of love, but the real stories of St. Valentine involve executions and dismembered bodies.
  • There are multiple potential contenders for the identity of St. Valentine, with two main figures discussed, both supposedly living and dying in the late 3rd century.
  • The first potential St. Valentine was a Roman priest who refused to renounce his faith, healed a blind girl, and converted a nobleman's household to Christianity, leading to his execution.
  • The second potential St. Valentine was the bishop of Terni, known for healing and converting people to Christianity, but he was also arrested, beaten, and beheaded for his faith.
  • Various churches across Europe claim to possess relics of St. Valentine, including body parts and blood, indicating his widespread veneration.
  • Despite popular but unsupported stories of St. Valentine conducting secret marriages or falling in love with a blind girl, the true stories of his life are more focused on his faith and martyrdom.
  • The earliest records of St. Valentine's association with love and romance come from poems by English writer Geoffrey Chaucer in the 14th century, linking the saint with birds and mating.
  • Over the centuries, the association between St. Valentine and romance grew, with Shakespeare and other writers further solidifying the connection between Valentine's Day and love.
  • The modern customs of choosing a Valentine and exchanging gifts and cards on Valentine's Day have roots in centuries-old practices, such as Valentine's Day lotteries in England and the tradition of young men and women choosing special friends on that day.

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Valentine's Day Gifts in History

  • Princess Mary, daughter of Henry VI, was known for celebrating Valentine's Day by giving gifts to those who drew her as their Valentine, such as a gold brooch with rubies.
  • By the 1530s, it was common for people to exchange gifts on Valentine's Day, not limited to romantic partners, as seen in Samuel Pepys' diary entry from 1667 where he received a gift from a little girl who drew him as her Valentine.
  • In the 17th century, men typically gave gifts to women on Valentine's Day, as seen in Pepys' diary entries where he mentions giving gloves, silk stockings, and money as Valentine's gifts.
  • The tradition of drawing Valentines was common amongst friends, even when one wasn't present, as seen in Pepys' accounts where he describes the practice of drawing names to determine Valentines, with the exchange of gifts being a common custom.
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