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====Early History====The story of Saint Valentine directly links to one, or several early saints called Valentine (Figure 1). Many traditions have developed around this holiday, and most likely, multiple traditions were integrated as original records were lost. One of those traditions states that Valentines was a priest in Rome martyred for defying Claudius II, who had decreed his soldiers would not marry. He may have tried to marry soldiers in secret, and when the emperor found out, he had him executed. The heart may have symbolized love between the pair, which could have become a love symbol.

The story of Saint Valentine does have a direct link to one or several early saints called Valentine. Many traditions have developed around this holidayOther scholars, however, and most likely there were multiple traditions dispute that were integrated as original records were lost. One of those traditions state that Valentines was a priest in Rome martyred for defying Claudius II, who had decreed his soldiers an emperor would not marry. He may have tried to marry soldiers in secret and when the emperor found out he had him executed. The heart may have been a symbol of love between the pair and this could have become a love symbolever done such an edict. Another story states Valentine tried to help Christians escape , and he was imprisoned after he was caught. He eventually may have fallen in love with his jailor's daughter , and he sent the first "valentine" to her. He may have greeted her by saying , "Your Valentine," and this is where using which uses valentine as part of the Valentine Day greeting may have originated. Another idea is that Valentine of Terni was , a Christian bishop who , was martyred in 273 during persecutions. There is a legend that he married a young pagan soldier with a young Christian woman. On hearing his wife was dying, he converted to Christianity so that he could be bounded with her forever and then he subsequently died.

We do know There is also a legend that Saint Valentine's Day was he married a feast day that likely celebrated young pagan soldier to a young Christian saint and had developed when Pope Gelasius in the late 5th century CE declared the February 14th as the feast daywoman. HoweverOn hearing his wife was dying, the motives for this and stories associated with Saint Valentine suggest there may have been some other motives for this. What we do know is that many early Christian traditions and feast days were often created soldier converted to Christianity to be similar to pagan festivalsbounded with her forever, as it helped early converts in transitioning to the new religion. Saint Valentineand then he subsequently died shortly after his wife's Day may have not been differentdeath. The Lupercalia celebrations were a festival held <ref>For more on February 15th in honor of fertility and dedicated to the Roman god Faunus. The celebration may have also focused on the mythical founding of Rome by Romulus and Remus and how they were raised by a she-wolf. Goats would be sacrificed and the blood from goats, along early saints associated with the hideValentine's Day, would be dragged and slapped or sprinkled on crops and women. This would bring women and crops luck in fertility. One legend stated that in this celebrationsee: Sabuda, single women and men were sometimes paired and these matches often ended in marriageR. However, some authors dispute its association with love between people(1999). While it is possible that Pope Gelasius by the end of the 5th century CE saw Lupercalia as un-Christian and his declaration of <i>Saint Valentine's Day on February 14th may have been intended to replace the pre-Christian holiday by combing some of the ideas of Lupercalia with a saint story, this is also uncertain</i>. Aladdin.</ref>

==Later Developments==Valentine's Day was a Feast Day====We do know that Saint Valentine's Day was a feast day that likely celebrated a Christian saint and had developed when Pope Gelasius in the late 5th century CE, declared that February 14th would be the feast day associated with the saint. However, the motives for this and stories related to Saint Valentine suggest there may have been some earlier influences on the tradition. We know that many early Christian traditions and feast days were often created similar to pagan festivals, as it helped early converts transition to the new religion. Saint Valentine's Day may not have been different.

The fact that Saint ValentineLupercalia celebrations were held on February 15th to honor fertility and are dedicated to the Roman god Faunus. The festival may have also focused on Rome's Day is near spring mythical founding by Romulus and Remus and foreshadowed it could have made it more festivehow a she-wolf raised them. In some regionsGoats would be sacrificed, and the blood from goats, Saint Valentine began to be associated along with spring since it was often the time people began to rework in their fields in preparing for the planting season. Howeverhide, these events did not associate the day with lovewould be dragged and slapped or sprinkled on crops and women. Although the Roman This would bring women and other stories associated with Saint Valentine could have connected the day with love, other later traditions may have further added to this ideacrops luck infertility. Geoffrey Chaucer, the famous early English author, wrote One legend stated that the time was associated with birds beginning to pair themselves. In effectsingle women and men were sometimes paired in this celebration, it was a time of pairing and these matchesoften ended in marriage.

In 1400However, Charles VI of France commissioned <i>Charter of the Court of Love </i>, which was a charter where on February 14th contests would be held related to love songs and poetry readings about some authors dispute its association with lovebetween people. While the story of this are not certainit is possible that Pope Gelasius, what we do know is by the 15th century people did begin to wish their beloved valentine greetings. The Duke end of Orléans, who was captured in battle against the English5th century CE, wished his wife a sweet valentinesaw Lupercalia as un-Christian. In England, His declaration of Saint Valentine's Day also began on February 14th may have been intended to be associated replace the pre-Christian holiday by combing some of the ideas of Lupercalia with gifts of sweets for childrena saint story, this is also uncertain. By 1600, Shakespear's Hamlet has Ophelia discuss her love for Hamlet <ref>For more on how the Saint Valentine's Daytraditions may have evolved between pre-Christian and later Christian traditions, see: Pogue, C. (1996). T<i>reasury of celebrations</i>. Kelowna, B.C.: Northstone, pg.132</ref>

By ====Later Developments====[[File:Court of Love in Provence in the Fourteenth Century Manuscript of the National Library of Paris.png|thumbnail|left|Figure 2. Depiction of the Charter of the 17th centuriesCourt of Love may have influenced Valentine's Day traditions. ]]In Saxon England, young men or boys would often give women their affections small gifts that included gloves. The fact that Saint Valentine's day Day is near spring and foreshadowed could have made it more festive in association with love. In some regions, Saint Valentine's Day began to be popular among friends and lovers among different classes. At this point, associated with spring since it was often the time people began to exchange tokens of affection rework in their fields in preparing for the planting season. However, these events did not associate the day directly with love. Although the Roman and notes other stories associated with each Saint Valentine could have connected the day with love, other expressing their feelings. It was around 1900 that Valentine cards were popularly produced throughout Europe and began later traditions may have further added to replace letters and notes that lovers would exchangethis idea.

Modern Valentine's Day has been strongly influenced by American traditions that first derived from the mid<dh-19th century. Esther A. Howland in the 1840s began selling cards and gifts that contained real lace, ribbons and colorful pictures. It was also this time that women began to be more strongly associated with Valentine's Day relative to men, where marketing began to focus more on them and today they constitute about 85% of Valentine's Day sales.ad/>

In the 15th century, cards may have begun to be created with notes of affection, although they did not become popular until much later. By 1600, Shakespear's Hamlet has Ophelia discuss her love for Hamlet in association with Valentine's Day.<ref>For more on late Medieval traditions and the growing popularity of Valentine's Day then, see: Skarmeas, N. J., & Venturi-Pickett, S. (1999). <i>The Story of Valentine’s Day</i>. Nashville, Tenn.: Candy Cane Press.</ref> By the 17th century, Valentine's day became popular among friends and lovers of different classes. At this point, people began to exchange tokens of affection and notes with each other expressing their feelings. Charles II of Sweden in the 18th century began to associate affection with flowers, and it was possibly at this time that flowers were used with Valentine's Day. The single rose at this time may have come to symbolize romantic love.<ref>For more on Charles II of Sweden, see: Moore, K. (2011). <i>Roses Are Red ...: a Book for Lovers</i>. London, UK: Michael O’Mara.</ref> ====Modern Celebrations====Modern Valentine's Day has been strongly influenced by American traditions that first derived from the mid-19th century. Esther A. Howland, in the 1840s, began selling cards and gifts that contained real lace, ribbons, and colorful pictures. This time, women became more strongly associated with Valentine's Day than men, where marketing began to focus more on them. Today, they constitute about 85% of Valentine's Day sales.  Around 1900, Valentine cards were popularly produced throughout Europe and replaced letters and notes that lovers would exchange. Valentine cards often contained secret compartments that the women of affection would have to find, which may have contained additional messages or gifts of affection. The British chocolate company of Cadbury began to create decorated boxes of chocolates for Valentine's Day in the 1860s, and that has since made chocolates another association with Valentine's Day.<ref>For more on how modern Valentine's day traditions started, see: Lee, R. W. (1984). History of valentines. Wellesley Hills, Mass.: Lee Publications.</ref>  In the modern world, China and South Korea have taken the mantel of spending the most on Valentine's Day. In other countries outside of the West, many of them had feasts or festivals associated with love. These customs have often been replaced or sometimes integrated with Western Valentine's Day traditions, such as sending chocolates and flowers to a beloved.  For instance, in Wales, St. Dwynwen's Day was the day to celebrate lovers. This falls on January 25th. This tradition's aspects are sometimes combined with February 14th in Wales, or people celebrate the Welsh holiday with Western-style Valentine's Day celebrations.<ref>For more on how Valentine's Day is celebrated worldwide today, see: Williams, V. (2017). <i>Celebrating life customs worldwide: from baby showers to funerals</i>. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-CLIO.</ref> ====Summary====Valentine's Day is still an uncertain holiday in terms of its origins. Many stories exist around it, and there might be some truth in each of the stories. The influence of pre-Christian traditions is also possible and likely given many ancient feasts that revolved around fertility and love. The modern date may have been a Christian way to syncretize these ideas with the Christian faith.  Whatever the case might be, later developments such as flowers associated with love and chocolates present to a beloved developed more clearly in the modern era. By the 19th century, Valentine's Day's commercialization had already become evident in the United States with the development of cards and decorative products. ====References====<references/> [[Category:Wikis]] [[Category:Holiday History]]