Did you ever wounder what Valentine's Day was all about? When did this all begin and where?
Every February 14, across the United States and in most other places around the world, candy, flowers and gifts are exchanged between loved ones, all in the name of St. Valentine. But who is Saint Valentine, and where did these traditions come from? You will now find out about the history of this centuries-old holiday, from the ancient Roman to the customs of Victorian England.
The history of Valentine's Day — and its patron saint — is shrouded in mystery. Do know that February has long been a month of romance around the world. St. Valentine's Day, as we know it today, contains vestiges of both Christian and ancient Roman tradition. Who was Saint Valentine and how did he become associated with this ancient rite? Today, the Catholic Church recognizes at least three different saints named Valentine or Valentinus, all of whom were martyred.
One legend contends that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for young men,but this didn't go over very well with the young men. — his crop of potential soldiers. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When Valentine's actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death.
Many stories suggest that Valentine may have been killed for attempting to help Christians escape harsh Roman prisons where they were often beaten and tortured.
According to one legend, Valentine actually sent the first "valentine" greeting himself. While in prison, it is believed that Valentine fell in love with a young girl — who may have been his jailor's daughter — who visited him during his confinement. Before his death, it is alleged that he wrote her a letter, which he signed "From your Valentine," an expression that is still in use today. Although the truth behind the Valentine legends is murky, the stories certainly emphasize his appeal as a sympathetic, heroic, and, most importantly, romantic figure. It's no surprise that by the Middle Ages Valentine became one of the most popular saints in England and France.
While some believe that Valentine's Day is celebrated in the middle of February to commemorate the anniversary of Valentine's death or burial — which occurred around 270 A.D — others claim the Christian church may have decided to celebrate Valentine's feast day in the middle of February in an effort to "christianize" celebrations of the pagan Lupercalia festival. In Ancient Rome, February was the beginning of spring and was considered a time for purification. Houses were ritually cleansed by sweeping them out and then sprinkling salt and a type of wheat called spelt throughout their interiors. Lupercalia, which began at the ides of February, February 15, was a fertility festival dedicated to Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture, as well as to the Roman founders Romulus and Remus.
In England, Valentine's Day began to be celebrated around the seventeenth century. By the middle of the eighteenth century, it was common for people in all social classes to exchange small tokens of affection or handwritten notes. At the end of the century, printed cards began to replace written letters due to improvements in printing technology. Ready-made cards became an easy way for people to express their feelings,and emotions in a time when direct expression of one's feelings was discouraged. Cheaper postage rates also contributed to an increase in the popularity of sending Valentine's Day greetings. Americans probably began exchanging hand-made valentines in the early 1700s. In the 1840s, Esther A. Howland began to sell the first mass-produced valentines in America.
So,there it is where Valentine's day came from,and did you know that Valentine cards are the second most popular cards. The most popular is Christmas cards
Every February 14, across the United States and in most other places around the world, candy, flowers and gifts are exchanged between loved ones, all in the name of St. Valentine. But who is Saint Valentine, and where did these traditions come from? You will now find out about the history of this centuries-old holiday, from the ancient Roman to the customs of Victorian England.
The history of Valentine's Day — and its patron saint — is shrouded in mystery. Do know that February has long been a month of romance around the world. St. Valentine's Day, as we know it today, contains vestiges of both Christian and ancient Roman tradition. Who was Saint Valentine and how did he become associated with this ancient rite? Today, the Catholic Church recognizes at least three different saints named Valentine or Valentinus, all of whom were martyred.
One legend contends that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for young men,but this didn't go over very well with the young men. — his crop of potential soldiers. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When Valentine's actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death.
Many stories suggest that Valentine may have been killed for attempting to help Christians escape harsh Roman prisons where they were often beaten and tortured.
According to one legend, Valentine actually sent the first "valentine" greeting himself. While in prison, it is believed that Valentine fell in love with a young girl — who may have been his jailor's daughter — who visited him during his confinement. Before his death, it is alleged that he wrote her a letter, which he signed "From your Valentine," an expression that is still in use today. Although the truth behind the Valentine legends is murky, the stories certainly emphasize his appeal as a sympathetic, heroic, and, most importantly, romantic figure. It's no surprise that by the Middle Ages Valentine became one of the most popular saints in England and France.
While some believe that Valentine's Day is celebrated in the middle of February to commemorate the anniversary of Valentine's death or burial — which occurred around 270 A.D — others claim the Christian church may have decided to celebrate Valentine's feast day in the middle of February in an effort to "christianize" celebrations of the pagan Lupercalia festival. In Ancient Rome, February was the beginning of spring and was considered a time for purification. Houses were ritually cleansed by sweeping them out and then sprinkling salt and a type of wheat called spelt throughout their interiors. Lupercalia, which began at the ides of February, February 15, was a fertility festival dedicated to Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture, as well as to the Roman founders Romulus and Remus.
In England, Valentine's Day began to be celebrated around the seventeenth century. By the middle of the eighteenth century, it was common for people in all social classes to exchange small tokens of affection or handwritten notes. At the end of the century, printed cards began to replace written letters due to improvements in printing technology. Ready-made cards became an easy way for people to express their feelings,and emotions in a time when direct expression of one's feelings was discouraged. Cheaper postage rates also contributed to an increase in the popularity of sending Valentine's Day greetings. Americans probably began exchanging hand-made valentines in the early 1700s. In the 1840s, Esther A. Howland began to sell the first mass-produced valentines in America.
So,there it is where Valentine's day came from,and did you know that Valentine cards are the second most popular cards. The most popular is Christmas cards
