The History of Valentine’s Day, and Why We Celebrate
Valentine’s Day could also be related to romance, but the origin of the vacation isn’t romantic. Here’s the history of Valentine’s Day you'll not know—plus when Valentine’s Day 2021 is so you'll plan ahead.Whether you're keen on Valentine’s Day or hate it, one thing’s clear: Valentine’s Day history goes way back. And while Valentine’s Day is now known for kissing, Valentine’s Day gifts for him, and hard-to-get dinner reservations, the origins of the vacation are far less romantic. Here, the Valentine’s Day history that wouldn’t make it into a rom-com, featuring a saint, a massacre, and even sinful nuns of Valentine’s Day (seriously!). this is often everything you would like to understand about the important origins behind the Valentine Day holiday before you begin buying Valentine’s Day gifts for teenagers .
When is Valentine’s Day?
First, a fast refresher: Valentine’s Day always falls on Valentine Day . Valentine’s Day 2021 is Sunday, Valentine Day , and Valentine’s Day 2020 was Friday, Valentine Day . (For those eager to make big plans, Valentine’s Day 2022 are going to be Monday, Valentine Day .)
At the top of the 5th century, Pope Gelasius declared Valentine Day St. Valentine’s Day, and since then, Valentine Day has been each day of celebration (religious or romantic).
How did Valentine’s Day start?
Valentine’s Day may be a fixed day on the calendar, and therefore the ancient Roman calendar included a mid-February holiday even before St. Valentine’s time. that vacation (arguably the origin of Valentine’s Day), called Lupercalia, celebrated fertility, and should have included a ritual during which men and ladies were paired off by choosing names from a jar. In Ancient Greece, people observed a mid-winter celebration for the wedding of the god Zeus and therefore the goddess Hera. Some historians wonder if these traditions may have influenced the way we now celebrate Valentine Day .
Who was Saint Valentine? (And what does he need to do with chocolate hearts?)
Not much, it seems . Saint Valentine’s Day was a fete day within the Catholic religion, added to the liturgical calendar around 500 AD. (Thanks, Pope Gelasius!) The day was commemorated for martyred saints named—you guessed it—Valentine. Differing legends celebrate three different saints called Valentine or Valentinus, but since little or no was known about these men and there have been conflicting reports of the Saint Valentine Day story, the fete day was faraway from the Christian liturgical calendar in 1969.
But albeit not much is understood about the important history of the Saint Valentines on whom the vacation is predicated , the legend of Saint Valentine has several tellings. One legend says that Saint Valentine refused to convert to paganism and was executed by Roman Emperor Claudius II. before his death, he was ready to miraculously heal the daughter of his jailer, who then converted to Christianity along side his family. Another legend says a bishop called Saint Valentine of Terni is that the true namesake of the holiday; this Saint Valentine was also executed.
But consistent with others—and this is often how Saint Valentine became affiliated with a love-focused holiday—Saint Valentine was a Roman priest who performed weddings for soldiers forbidden to marry, due to an Roman Emperor edict decreeing married soldiers didn't observe warriors and thus young men couldn't marry. This Saint Valentine wore a hoop with a Cupid on it—a symbol of love—that helped soldiers recognize him. And, during a precursor to greeting cards, he handed out paper hearts to remind Christians of their love for God.
Because of this legend, St. Valentine became referred to as the defender of affection . The Saint Valentine prayer asks Saint Valentine to attach lovers together, in order that two become one, and therefore the couple remembers their devotion to God.
While the Saint Valentine story set the groundwork for establishing the day as a vacation for romantic love, what truly solidified the connection between Saint Valentine and love was a poem by medieval author Chaucer in 1381, which historians consider the origin of the “modern” celebration of Valentine’s Day, where we celebrate our romantic partnership with one other person.
Why can we celebrate Valentine’s Day?
Chaucer lived within the Middle Ages, the age of code of conduct , when broad, romantic statements of devotion—poems, songs, paintings—celebrated partnership. By the top of the 15th century, the word “valentine” was getting used to explain a devotee in poems and songs of the day, and within the 18th century, a book called The Young Man’s Valentine Writer was published in England. By the mid-19th century, mass-produced paper Valentine’s Cards were being created (though Valentine card ideas are still worth trying), and Valentine’s Day as we all know it had been born.
The truth about Valentine’s Day history is that the romantic holiday isn’t resistant to trauma. In Prohibition Chicago in 1929, seven men were killed by a gang organized by Capone on Valentine Day . The Valentine’s Day Massacre became a flashpoint in Prohibition history, with police and lawmakers going after the gangs and mobs that had formed in cities to regulate then-illegal substances like alcohol.
What is the meaning of Valentine’s Day?
Over the years (and centuries), Valentine’s Day has been a spiritual celebration, an ancient ritual day, and a billboard holiday. All that change means the meaning of Valentine’s Day is actually whatever you would like it to be: you'll skip the celebrations completely, buy yourself some chocolate or flowers, or express your love and appreciation for the people in your life, whether they’re co-workers, romantic partners, friends, or relations . Some people love Valentine’s Day, and a few people just like to hate it; Galentine’s Day (and Galentine’s Day gifts) are a comparatively new thanks to celebrate, as women refill on Valentine’s Day ideas for her and celebrate their love for his or her closest friends.
If you’re trying to work out what to try to to on Valentine’s Day, just know that there are not any rules: It’s a replacement era, and you'll celebrate the day of affection however you would like , albeit it’s just through self-love. a pleasant dinner out, getting to the films , cooking a flowery meal reception , or hosting a Valentine’s Day party also are great ways to celebrate; whatever you are doing , if you've got a romantic partner, just confirm you’re on an equivalent page to avoid any disappointments or hurt feelings.
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