Valentine's Day History : On Valentine's Day, people across the world celebrate it as a day of love. People show their love and affection to others by sending cards, gifts, flowers, and chocolate among others. Every year the day is celebrated on February 14 and this year it falls on Friday. Want to history and why we celebrate the day, then you are in the right place.
Many even call the day as Hallmark holiday and Singles Awareness Day. Many people have already started celebrating Valentine's Week as well. The week starts off with Rose Day and ends with Kiss Day.
Honestly, there are several legends surrounding the same, however, we just know that the day gets its name from Saint Valentine. However, there are several folklores associated with St. Valentine. As per one of the popular stories, St. Valentine, a priest from the 3rd-century era, thought the soldiers should get married and went against Emperor Claudius II's rules. The Emperor had banned the marriage of soldiers as he thought married men will be bad soldiers.
However, Valentine, who thought it was unfair, was arranging marriages in secret. This Saint Valentine used to wear a ring with a Cupid on it—a symbol of love and in this way, the soldiers were able to recognize him. Thanks to this legend, he has been known as the patron saint of love.
When the Emperor found out that Valentine has been hosting weddings for soldiers he gave him a death sentence. During his jail time, Valentine fell in love with Jailer's daughter. Before he was taken to be killed on February 14, he had sent a love letter signed as "from your Valentine". As per another legend, many believe that a bishop named St. Valentine of Terni was the one who had inspired Valentine's Day. He too beheaded by Claudius II around 270 A.D.
As per several reports, the very first Valentine's day was celebrated in the year 496. Yes, you read it right! Many believe that Valentine's day originated from the Roman Festival. By the end of 5th century, Pope Gelasius had declared February 14 St. Valentine’s Day, and since then it is being celebrated. The actual celebrations of the day are apparently thought to have started off from a popular Roman festival. For the unversed
The Romans had a festival called Lupercalia and it was celebrated from mid-February. During the celebrations, many couples used to get married as well. Later on, the church turned the festival into a Christian celebration and decided to remember St Valentine too. Apparently in 1375, a poet named Geoffrey Chaucer became the first to record Valentine's Day as the day of love, with his poem called Parliament of Foules.
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