The Origins of Valentine’s Day
The origins of Valentine’s Day are not definite. Some say it was based on the Roman festival Lupercalia, which occurred on February 13th, 14th, and 15th. It celebrated spring and fertility. Others say it was a Christian festival celebrating one or more priests named Valentine. One was a priest who insisted on marrying couples even though the emperor at that time forbade it. The other healed the jailer’s daughter, but refused to convert to paganism and so was sentenced to die. Before he did, he sent the daughter a letter signed, “from your Valentine.” And still others say it was a Christian festival created to replace the pagan festival.
Geoffrey Chaucer’s poem “The Parliament of Fowls,” written in the 1300s is one of the oldest references of Valentine’s Day romantically. Chaucer describes Valentine’s Day as a day birds choose their mates. Then Oton de Granson, a medieval French poet, wrote a poem speaking of lovesickness and adoring one’s beloved.
It was in the middle ages that Valentine’s Day became associated with love and romance. The romantic traditions we know didn’t come from any single ritual, but from centuries of traditions centering on love and affection. By the mid to late 18th century, commercialism took over and they began to sell Valentine’s cards.
Valentine’s Day Today
Today, Valentine’s Day traditions circle around flowers and chocolate. I must admit, sitting and admiring flowers while munching on chocolate doesn’t sound bad at all!
As a matter of fact, the first Valentine flower I got was when I was around 12. We went to visit my Aunt Flora, who had a birthday around the middle of February. I was intrigued by the plant she had in her sunny living room. She gave me a cutting, saying it was a Valentine gift. She told me it’s nickname was “The Hairy Starfish flower.” She did not tell me it’s other nickname was “Carrion Flower” because the flowers smelled like rotting meat. When I got it to bloom about a year after she gave it to me and called her about the flower, she laughed herself silly!
Happy Valentine’s Day!