Do you have plans with friends? Are you going to surprise your significant other with a romantic date?
Every 14th of February, Valentine's Day, also calledSaint Valentine's Day or the Feast of Saint Valentine, is celebrated.
Many consider this date to be a special day to strengthen the bonds between couples or friends, but do you know why it started?
Here we explain some things you probably didn't know about Valentine's Day.
A mystery that dates back to ancient Rome
According to National Geographic, it turns out that the origin of this holiday "isn't very clear."
Regardless, the magazine indicates that its history dates back centuries in which various historians place the festivities in ancient Rome.
"Some historians place the origin of the Feast of Saint Valentine in ancient Rome, in a pagan festival calledLupercalia, which is celebrated on the 15th of February," the magazine stated.
That is to say, according to National Geographic, the celebration of Lupercalia derives from lupus,the Latin word for "wolf," which represents the god Faunus who took the name of Luperco and Hircus which signified "an impure animal."
During its history, the magagzine informs that the priests gathered in a sacred cave with the purpose of making a sacrifice: the sacrifice of a goat. As part of the ritual, males would hit women with the skin of the animals to "incentivize" their fertility.
In addition, National Geographic says there is another theory that exists in which male participants of the Lupercalia would choose a woman’s name from a box to have a temporary sexual union, a union that was discarded if it became enduring. This way, couples could be selected during the Roman festival called Juno Februata.
Americans are expected to buy 58 million pounds of chocolate for Valentine’s Day, according to Candystore.com.
Another theory: A priest called Valentine
When the Christian religion began to expand, Emperor Claudius II Gothicus governed and declared a law prohibiting couples to marry so that young men could enlist in the military.
A priest named Valentine did not agree with the law and began to marry couples in secret.
Valentine was discovered and as a consequence, was arrested and confined in a dungeon. A prison guard challenged him to return sight to his daughter Julia who was born blind. The priest accepted and in "the name of the Lord" her sight was restored, resulting in the guard and his entire family converting to Christianity, according to History.com.
"The young priest Valentine, confined in a cell, performed the miracle of returning sight to Julia, the daughter of his jailer. Despite this he was condemned to death," it stated.
Nevertheless, they add that the priest continued to be incarcerated until the 14th of February of the year 269 and was tortured and decapitated, but not before sending a letter to Julia, who he was in love with, according to the legend.
Centuries later it's said that he was elevated to the altars which drove Pope Gelasio I in the year 494 to declare the 14th of February, on the day of his torture, the official day of Saint Valentine.
Con la llegada del Día de San Valentín dentro de pocos días, el sitio web de WalletHub realizó un estudio para determinar cuales estados dentro de los Estados Unidos son los mejores y peores para las personas solteras.
Although there is no certain history for the holiday, many stories and theories exist about how Valentine's Day arose.
In the end, the significance of Valentine's Day is different for everyone. Many see it as a celebration of love and friendship, while others view it as a way to implement consumerism and boost the economy.
FAQs
The Catholic Church made Valentine a saint for his sacrifice, and chose February 14, the date of his death, as the day on which he would be honored. Centuries later, in medieval England and France, people believed that February 14 was also the day that many birds, returning for the spring, picked their mates.
Why do we celebrate Valentine's day on February 14th? ›
VALENTINE'S DAY HISTORY
Credit is traditionally given to Pope Gelasius for declaring February 14th as Saint Valentine's Day around the year 496 to separate the church from the Roman celebration of Lupercalia, an ancient pagan fertility festival that occurred on February 15th.
Where did Valentine's day originate from and why? ›
Valentine's Day was a feast day in the Catholic religion, added to the liturgical calendar around 500 AD. The day was commemorated for martyred saints named—you guessed it—Valentine.
What is the real story of Valentine's day? ›
Turns out, it was a pretty common name during Late Antiquity. As far as anyone can tell, the Saint Valentine of Valentine's Day was one of two guys preaching the good word in Rome in the third century. One of these two was martyred on February 14th 269, thus giving us the date for his eponymous day.
What is the dark truth about Valentine's day? ›
One Valentine was a priest in third-century Rome who defied Emperor Claudius II after the ruler outlawed marriage for young men. St. Valentine would perform marriages in secret for young lovers, ultimately leading to his death.
What is the actual point of Valentine's day? ›
St Valentine's Day is an annual festival to celebrate romantic love, friendship and admiration. Every year on 14 February people celebrate this day by sending messages of love and affection to partners, family and friends.
What is the pagan origin of Valentine's day? ›
However, many historians believe the day originated from the Roman pagan festival of fertility called Lupercalia, an event filled with animal sacrifice, random coupling and the whipping of women; not quite the romantic chocolate and roses day that we celebrate today.
What is the real meaning of Valentine? ›
It originated as a Christian feast day honoring a martyr named Valentine, and through later folk traditions it has also become a significant cultural, religious and commercial celebration of romance and love in many regions of the world. Valentine's Day. A Valentine's card, c. 1909.
What is the spiritual meaning of Valentine's day? ›
While the holiday has undergone secularization over time, its origins in Christian martyrdom and acts of love align with broader spiritual themes of compassion, selflessness, and devotion. For some, Valentine's Day serves as a reminder of the importance of love in both human relationships and spiritual practice.
Who was Saint Valentine and what did he do? ›
Saint Valentine was a clergyman – either a priest or a bishop – in the Roman Empire who ministered to persecuted Christians. He was martyred and his body buried on the Via Flaminia on February 14, which has been observed as the Feast of Saint Valentine (Saint Valentine's Day) since at least the eighth century.
1 John 4:7-12. Dear friends: let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
What is the logic behind Valentine's day? ›
Held in mid-February, the festival celebrated the coming of spring with raucous celebrations and fertility rites. At the end of the 5th century, Pope Gelasius forbade the celebration of Lupercalia, and some suggest that he replaced it with a day to celebrate the martyred St. Valentine.
What is a real fact about Valentine? ›
Some trace Valentine's Day origins to a Christian effort to replace a pagan fertility festival that has been dated as far back as the 6th century B.C. During the festival of Lupercalia, Roman priests would sacrifice goats and dogs and use their blood-soaked hides to slap women on the streets, as a fertility blessing.
What is the deeper meaning of Valentine's day? ›
It is about sacrifice and devotion, love and honor, in the face of overwhelming and dangerous odds. While making your Valentine's Day plans, remember St. Valentine who was willing to give his life in pursuit of love and marriage, and ask yourself if you would be willing to do the same for those you profess to love.
What is the myth behind Valentine's day? ›
According to NPR, Emperor Claudius II of Rome executed two different men named Valentine on February 14 (in two different years) during the third century. One account of St. Valentine says that he was a priest who was arrested for defying a Roman decree that forbade soldiers from marrying.
What does black mean in Valentines day? ›
6. Black: Healing from a Rejected Proposal. Black might be a favourite of many, but on Valentine's Day, it symbolizes rejection. You just got your heart broken because of a rejected proposal.
Is Valentine's day biblical? ›
While certain elements might lead people to believe Valentine's Day is Christian, the first celebrations might have been less than holy. Some historians believe that Valentine's Day originated as a pagan festival and was later adopted by the church to honor Saint Valentine.
What day is Galentine's day? ›
Galentine's Day is a global holiday that celebrates women's friendship. Galentine's Day is typically marked as February 13, but can be observed any day. Galentine's Day events are typically all-female occasions of mutual "empowerment...a reminder for women to support and uplift one another."
