February is here, again! Ah yes, and the air is filled with love! Valentine’s Day is February 14, 2023. This is the day we celebrate love for our families, friends, and most importantly for that special person who moves your heart.
Valentine’s Day is a day couples go the extra mile to show kindness and love to their spouses and sweethearts. Gifts and cards are given. Special romantic treatment is far and beyond the norm.
There’s a commercial benefit for candy companies, florists, specialty gift shops, and card makers. There may also be a benefit for Jewelers.
Love and romance are shown and various ways across the world. But not everybody celebrates this wonderful day of love. Some non-Christian organizations view the day as Christian and ban members from participating or celebrating.
In this article, I will answer key questions according to the most popular beliefs. Valentine’s Day is a significant cultural, ritual, religious, and commercial holiday. Many will set goals, develop a plan, and organize to have a successful celebration.
How did Valentine’s Day begin?
In Ancient Rome Lupercalia was celebrated to promote health and fertility on February 15. Priest sacrificed goats and covered the goat skins with the goat’s blood. Men would walk about the streets with bloody goatskins and touch women who flooded the streets.
This festival is viewed as a precursor to Valentine’s Day. However, Pope Gelasius believed Pagan festivals took focus away from Christianity and caused people to fall back into their Pagan roots. He banned the Lupercalia festival around 496 AD. He declared February 14 to be St. Valentines Day.
Who was Saint Valentine?
Valentine’s Day is named after a Roman Catholic priest named Valentine or Valentinus in Latin. There about three legends about St. Valentine’s connection to Valentine’s Day. Henry the eighth declared Valentine’s Day an official holiday in 1537.
There were three Valentines who were martyred around February 14. One in Rome, one the bishop of interamna, presently Terni, the last serving Africa. Doubt, mystery, and controversy involved is which of the three is commemorated by Valentine’s Day.
The most popular of the three was the priest in Rome. He is credited with conducting marriage ceremonies for young soldiers. Young soldiers were forbidden to marry by a Roman Emperor’s edict. He also passed out hearts drawn on paper to remind Christians of God’s love. The priest in Rome is traditionally the St. Valentine of Valentine’s Day.
His unwelcome notoriety became his downfall. He was jailed and beheaded. Before his death, he fell in love with the jailer’s daughter. On the evening of his execution, the bishop passed her a note which ended “from your Valentine.”
His dedication to promoting love caused him to be known as the patron St. of love. There is a prayer asking St. Valentine’s to bring lovers together. As they become a couple lovers are reminded of their devotion to God.
How did Valentine’s Day become a holiday?
Pope Gelasius made a declaration for February 14th to be Saint Valentine’s Day in 496 C.E. Ever since then February 14th has been celebrated as Saint Valentine’s Day. It was generally a Christian celebration more than a romantic celebration.
Christian holidays usually coincide with pagan festivals to prevent Christians from participating in pagan festivals. Lupercalia (a Roman festival of purification and fertility) is celebrated on February 15. Therefore, it is reasonable for the Pope to declare February 14th Saint Valentine’s Day.
However, “Parliament of Fowls” a 14th-century love poem by Geoffrey Chaucer strengthened the connection between love and Valentine’s Day. It has blossomed defining today’s traditional Valentine’s Day celebration. The poem was written to honor the marriage of King Richard II of England and Anne of Bohemia.
About one billion cards are sent each year making it the second-largest card-sending holiday behind Christmas.
How is Valentine’s Day celebrated?
About 150 million Valentine’s Day cards are purchased every year in the United States. Valentine’s Day has the tradition of giving flowers which dates back to the 17th century.
Celebrate this wonderful day of love however you desire. You can go out for a nice dinner, have a romantic dinner at home, Have family fun doing Valentine’s crafts, or celebrate with a group of couples.
Enjoy your celebration of Valentine’s Day by showing love to your spouse or sweetheart. Even if it’s not a national or local paid holiday. Plan something special with the person that fills your heart with love.
There are several ways Valentine’s Day can be celebrated.
- You can follow the tradition by giving a box of chocolates with flowers.
- Sharing dinner at your favorite restaurant or a romantic dinner at home.
- Plan a Valentine’s Day gathering with other couples.
- Have a fun day creating Valentine’s Day crafts with your family and friends.
- Make it a romantic movie night, in or out.
- Put an extra touch of love with a gift. Click Here to brighten the day!
- Give a website with online training to start an online business.
9 Interesting Facts About Valentine’s Day
- Henry the eighth declared Valentine’s Day an official holiday in 1537.
- The oldest handwritten Valentine was written in the 1400s and is held in the British Museum.
- About 3% of pet owners buy Valentine’s gifts for their furry friends you
- Approximately 27% of flower buyers on Valentine’s Day are women and 73% are men.
- The origin of Valentine’s Day is traced back to the ancient Roman Lupercalia which was celebrated on February 15th.
- About one billion cards are sent each year making it the second-largest card-sending holiday behind Christmas.
- Valentine’s Day is no longer a Catholic holiday and was removed from the Christian Liturgical calendar in 1969.
- Richard Cadbury, a British chocolate manufacturer, started the tradition of giving a box of chocolates on Valentine’s Day.
- Vinegar Valentines or penny dreadfuls were sent to unwanted suitors in the Victorian era.
Conclusion
Valentine’s Day, Saint Valentine’s Day, or the Feast Day of Saint Valentine are names given to refer to the same day. Whichever one you prefer is a day to show love to your spouse, family, friends, and co-workers.
Valentine’s Day is my preference. The day started as a Christian feast day honoring a Christian martyr or maybe three Christian martyrs. It has transformed over the centuries to be a cultural and commercial celebration as well as a religious celebration of romance and love.