What is the history of Valentine's Day?
Valentine's Day Facts and Information:
Who is St Valentine and where does Valentine's day originate?
Around 270AD Rome was in decline; taxes were high and learning decreased as did trade. Claudius II, a cruel Roman Emperor, wanted to
build up a great army to protect against growing enemies within and outside of the empire. He expected his men to sign up to join but
very few people wanted to leave their wives and families. Claudius II was furious and decided to ban marriages so that more men would
remain single and would join the army.
The Christians were despised by the Romans and vice versa. St Valentine was a Christian priest at the time of the Emperor's decree.
He believed it to be unjust and continued to perform marriage ceremonies in secret. The Emperor discovered this defiance of his orders
and ordered the arrest of St Valentine. The Emperor was impressed with the priest because of his conviction and his dignity and many
discussions followed during which the Emperor tried to convert St Valentine to Roman gods and St Valentine tried to convert the Emperor
to Christian gods. Eventually, the Emperor ordered St Valentine to be executed, some say by having his head beaten with clubs and
chopped off.
St Valentine was held in prison before his death on 14th February. During his prison sentence St Valentine was visited by a
young girl, possibly his jailors blind daughter who wanted to be cured. She was miraculously cured and during her visits she provided
him with good moral support. On the day he was to be executed, he allegedly wrote her a letter thanking her for her friendship and
loyalty and he signed it "from your Valentine".
St Valentine's death occurred at a time of celebration in Rome. Historically on 14th February, Romans celebrated Juno. Juno was
the Queen of the Roman Gods and Goddesses, also known as the Goddess of women and marriage. The daily lives of young Roman males and
females were normally kept separate, but on the 14th February the girls names were put in a jar and the boys would take turns to take
a name out of the jar and see who they were paired with for the rest of the celebrations which continued through the 15th February with
the Feast of Lupercalia. These names were worn on their sleeves for up to a week and this was probably the origin of the saying
"to wear your heart on your sleeve".
It is thought that a combination of St Valentines death and the Roman celebrations of women and marriage has evolved to become the
St Valentines day that we know of today.
In 1415 Charles, duke of Orleans sent one of the earliest valentines cards to his wife while he was a prisoner in the Tower of London.
This card is now preserved in the British Museum.
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