This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at McGill chapter.

By Matthew Barreto

Today we have a guest writer taking us through the history of Valentine’s Day! Matthew Barreto is a U1 History major and ordained minister, you can find him improvising for the PIT or guest writing for Her Campus. Check out his Improv team or find him on campus for all your wedding needs.

Approximately 150 million Valentine’s Day cards are exchanged every year. That makes Valentine’s Day the second most popular card-sending holiday after Christmas. But how did this all begin?

In terms of Valentines Day’s link to Catholicism, the Catholic church actually recognizes three Saint Valentines, all of which were put to death. While there are three martyrs, the most classic story comes from a Saint Valentine who was serving under the Roman Emperor Claudius II. Claudius had somehow figured that men who were single fought better than men who had wives and consequently outlawed marriage. Valentine, never one to stop in the name of law (get it like stop in the name of love) carried on performing weddings for Roman couples despite the Emperor’s ruling. When Claudius eventually found out he had Valentine put to death. (I mean a man literally dying for love, that’s hot am I right ladies). Other less popular iterations of the Catholic Saint Valentine come from him attempting to help Roman prisoners escape and being put to death for his efforts. Regardless the takeaway is a celebration of a man who devoted his life to others, with the date of February 14th commemorating his death.

The Catholic interpretation isn’t the only origin story to Valentine’s day, as the day also has pagan roots! Selection of mid-February for valentine’s day may, in fact, have come from efforts to Christianize the celebration of Lupercalia, a festival to their fertility God Faunus, as well as to honour Romulus and Remus, the mythical founders of Rome. (Fun Fact! Both Faunus and his Greek counterpart Pan were known for their massive sexual appetites. Now that’s a deity I could get behind. Or in front of ;) ) That’s right your day of love is partially due to a goat. Lupercalia was eventually outlawed by Pope Gelasius at the end of the 5th century for its pagan and therefore “un-Christian” nature. I want you to take a good look at the image below and tell me if there is anything “un-Christian” about it, Pope Gelasius sounds like a prude.

Despite its long legacy, Valentine’s day had yet to become connected to love as it is today. Think about the weirdest thing that you could think of to connect Valentine’s day to love. Now think weirder. That’s right you got it, the connection between Valentine’s day and love come from birds. Mid-February was typically considered to be the beginning of bird mating season in England and France. Could this be where the term lovebirds actually comes from? Who knows! Fun fact, there’s a type of birds known as just love birds!

So that’s that, next time your significant other brings you a chocolate heart or tells you how much they love you make sure to head over to your local pond, tree, or bird sanctuary and give our soaring little friends a piece. (Actually, I just looked it up and chocolate is poisonous to birds don’t give it to them. Maybe some seeds or something? I don’t know how birds work)

Disclaimer: Her Campus McGill does not endorse the mistreatment of birds in any way, shape or form. Happy Valentine’s Day!

Information obtained from:

https://www.history.com/topics/valentines-day/history-of-valentines-day-2

Images obtained from:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faunus#/media/File:Pan_goat_MAN_Napoli_Inv…

http://animalsbirds.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Love-Bird-Pics.jpg

https://www.guideposts.org/sites/guideposts.org/files/styles/open_graph/…