Valentine’s day is celebrated by many throughout the world on February 14th. This year Valentine’s day falls on a Tuesday. Valentine’s day is a time to celebrate love, friendship and admiration. Candy, flowers, gifts, and messages of love are exchanged between loved ones and friends.  

Many of us remember in elementary school the excitement that came with the upcoming holiday. Creating boxes for your classmates to put candy in, making cards, and having class parties. But do people know the origin of the holiday?  

There are two main theories of where the holiday originated from. The first theory involves the well-known St. Valentine, whom the holiday got its name from. The Catholic Church recognizes at least three different Priests named Valentine. One of the most common legends is about St. Valentine who was imprisoned during the third century in Rome, by Emperor Claudius II, for wedding soldiers to their wives in secret after the emperor had outlawed it.  

According to one legend, the now imprisoned Saint Valentine sent the first “valentine” after he fell in love with the jailor’s daughter who visited him in secret. Before his death he wrote a letter to the young girl, in which he signed “From your Valentine,” an expression that is still used today. Although there are many mysteries surrounding the famous Saint, all the legends focus on the sympathetic, heroic, and romantic actions that he made.  

The second theory is that the Christian Church may have decided to place the St. Valentine’s feast, the current valentine’s day celebration, in the middle of February to “Christianize the pagan celebration of Lupercalia. Celebrated on February 15th, Lupercalia was a fertility celebration in dedication of the Roman god of agriculture, Faunus.  

Despite its mysterious origin, the holiday is widely beloved by many. This upcoming Valentine’s Day, take the time to learn more about the fascinating history of Valentine’s Day.  

History.com Editors. “History of Valentine’s Day.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 22 Dec. 2009, https://www.history.com/topics/valentines-day/history-of-valentines-day-2

“Valentine’s Day.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., https://www.britannica.com/topic/Valentines-Day