Valentine's Day Facts

Each year on February 14th, people around the world give each other flowers, cookies, chocolates, balloons and love letters in the name of St. Valentine. There are a few different legends out there that explain the origins of Valentine's Day, and no one knows for sure which one is true. However, it is clear that the customs practiced on Valentine's Day have little to do with St. Valentine and more to do with the ancient Roman festival of Lupercalia.

History

Valentine's Day originates from a celebration on February 14th in fifth-century Rome that paid tribute to a Catholic Bishop named St. Valentine. The holiday originally had nothing to do with lovers. Charles, the Duke of Orleans, France, sent the first "valentine" to his wife while he was imprisoned in London in 1415.

Significance

In ancient Rome, February was considered the beginning of spring. The ancient Romans celebrated a fertility festival called Lupercalia on February 15th. Today's, Valentine's Day customs hail from the Lupercalia festival, during which boys and girls drew names from a box and exchanged gifts.

Theories/Speculation

Other traditions associated with Valentine's Day are believed to hail from the Middle Ages in England and France. A common belief at the time was that on February 14th birds began to mate.

Misconceptions

Many people assume that there was only one St. Valentine, when there were in fact three. According to one legend, St. Valentine was a priest who was executed for performing marriages in secret for young couples. According to another legend, St. Valentine was killed by the Romans for helping Christian prisoners escape. Yet another legend tells that St. Valentine wrote a letter to his lover signed, "From Your Valentine," while he was in prison.

Fun Fact

In the Middle Ages, men and women drew names from a bowl to find out who their valentine would be and put that name on their sleeves for a week. This custom led to the popular phrase, "wear your heart on your sleeve."

Resources

• The History of Valentine's Day