Have you ever wondered why Valentine’s day is even a thing or a holiday for that matter? Would you believe me if I told you how this ultimate Hallmark holiday began with a Roman priest who used to marry couples in secret?
In ancient Rome, there was an emperor called Claudius II who outlawed marriage for young men. His reasoning was that single men were better soldiers than those who had wives and children. Despite Claudius’ ban, priest Valentine continued to marry young couples… talk about breaking the rules for love!
Unfortunately, Claudius found out and sent Valentine to jail. During his time as a prisoner, rumor has it Valentine fell in love with his jailer’s daughter. Before he was executed on– you guessed it–February 14th, Valentine wrote a letter to her and signed it “From your Valentine”. Does that sound familiar?
It was years after Valentine’s death that the Romans decided to name their annual festival in February after Valentine. Their festival was originally named Lupercalia and it typically happened in mid February. Lupercalia symbolized the start of spring. This festival had several odd activities, including a sacrifice for purification. There was also one activity where single women would place their names in an urn and then men would choose a name and the two would be paired for a year. These pairs would often end up marrying one another.
After ancient Roman times, couples began writing letters and poems to each other for centuries across Europe. It wasn’t until the 17th century when people began to give each other small presents. Once the 19th century hit, greeting cards took over and the rest is history.
So, before you say you hate Valentine’s day or call it a pointless holiday, keep St. Valentine in mind. That man risked his own life and freedom just to marry young couples in love. Have a piece of chocolate and a glass of wine in memory of a fallen hero.
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