Valentine’s Day History
No one has pinpointed the exact origin of the holiday, but one good place to start is ancient Rome. One theory about the origins of Valentine’s Day is that it is timed to coincide with the ancient Roman festival Lupercalia, which was celebrated from February 13th to 15th. The festival was held in mid-February celebrating the coming of spring. According to History.com, the day was celebrated with Roman priests sacrificing a goat and dog before dividing the goat’s hides into strips and whipping women with animal skins until they bled, signifying their fertility. Women would then be paired with randomly selected bachelors for the following year.
Where did the name “Valentine” Come From?
Ancient Romans may also be responsible for naming “Valentine’s Day.” Emperor Claudius II executed two men—both named Valentine—on Feb. 14 of different years. Their death was honored by the Catholic Church with the celebration of St. Valentine’s Day. At the end of the 5th century, Pope Gelasius I replaced Lupercalia with St. Valentine’s Day, as Lupercalia was deemed “un-Christian.” It came to be recognized and celebrated as a day of romance and fertility. It was not until much later, however, that the day became associated with love.
The First Valentine Was Written From Prison
The history behind the oldest-known valentine involves imprisonment in a medieval tower. Charles, Duke of Orleans wrote a love letter to his second wife at the age of 21, while captured at the Battle of Agincourt.
Where Did Valentine’s Day Cards Come From?
In Great Britain, Valentine’s Day began to be popularly celebrated around the 17th century. By the middle of the 18th, it was common for friends and lovers to exchange small tokens of affection, including handwritten notes, and by 1900 printed cards began to replace written letters. In the 1840s, Esther A. Howland, known as the “Mother of the Valentine” made classic creations with lace, ribbon and colorful pictures. In 1913, Hallmark Cards from Kansas City, Mo., began mass-producing valentines and Valentine’s Day has not been the same since. Following Christmas, Valentine’s Day is the second-largest card-giving holiday, with an estimated 145 million cards sent each year, according to the Greeting Card Association.
Where is Valentine’s Day Celebrated?
The day is extremely popular in the United States as well as in Britain, Canada, and Australia. In the Philippines, February 14th is the most common wedding anniversary.
Valentine’s Day Fun Facts
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