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[[File:Saint Valentine by Bassano.jpg|thumbnail|left|300px|Saint Valentine as depicted by Bassano.]]
Saint Valentine's Day is widely celebrated in the Western world as a day of love and romantic relationships. While this tradition does go far back and has connections to early Christian traditions, there are also more complex links with pre-Christian holidays that were likely changed or modified into Saint Valentine's Day traditions.
====Early History====The story of Saint Valentine does have a direct link 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 been a symbol of love between the pair, which could have become a love symbol. Other scholars, however, dispute that an emperor would have ever 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," which uses valentine as part of the Valentine Day greeting may have originated. Another idea is that Valentine of Terni, a Christian bishop, was martyred in 273 during persecutions. There is also a legend that he married a young pagan soldier with a young Christian woman. On hearing his wife was dying, the soldier converted to Christianity so that he could be bounded with her forever, and then he subsequently died shortly after his wife's death.<ref>For more on the early saints associated with Valentine's Day, see: Sabuda, R. (1999). <i>Saint Valentine</i>. Aladdin. </ref> ====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 associated with 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 to be similar to pagan festivals, as it helped early converts in transitioning to the new religion. Saint Valentine's Day may not have been different. The Lupercalia celebrations were a festival held on February 15th to honor fertility and dedicated to the Roman god Faunus. The celebration may have also focused on Rome's mythical founding by Romulus and Remus and how a she-wolf raised them. Goats would be sacrificed, and the blood from goats, along with the hide, would be dragged and slapped or sprinkled on crops and women. This would bring women and crops luck in fertility. One legend stated that single women and men were sometimes paired in this celebration, and these matches often ended in marriage. However, some authors dispute its association with love between people. While it is possible that Pope Gelasius by the end of the 5th century CE saw Lupercalia as un-Christian and his declaration of 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.<ref>For more on how the Saint Valentine's traditions 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> ====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 Court of Love that 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 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 associated with spring since it was often the time people began to 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 other stories associated with Saint Valentine could have connected the day with love, other later traditions may have further added to this idea. Geoffrey Chaucer, the famous early English author, wrote that the time was associated with birds beginning to pair themselves. In effect, it was a time of pairing and matches, and associations of this to humans may have begun around that time.<ref>For more on early Medieval traditions of Saint Valentine's Day, see: Diehl, D., & Donnelly, M. (2011). <i>Medieval celebrations: your guide to planning and hosting spectacular feasts, parties, weddings, and renaissance fairs</i> (2nd ed). Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books.</ref>
The story of Saint Valentine does have a direct link to one or several early saints called Valentine (Figure 1). Many traditions have developed around this holiday, and most likely there were multiple traditions 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 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 symbol. Other scholars, however, dispute that such an edict would have ever been done by an emperor. 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 valentine as part of the Valentine Day greeting may have originated. Another idea is that Valentine of Terni was 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. <dh-ad/>
We do know that Saint Valentine's Day In 1400, Charles VI of France commissioned <i>Charter of the Court of Love </i>, which was a feast day that likely celebrated a Christian saint and had developed when Pope Gelasius in the late 5th century CE declared the charter where on February 14th as the feast day. However, the motives for this contests would be held related to love songs and stories associated with Saint Valentine suggest there may have been some other motives for poetry readings about love (Figure 2). While this. What story's accuracy is not certain, what we do know is that many early Christian traditions and feast days were often created to be similar to pagan festivalsby the 15th-century, as it helped early converts in transitioning people did begin to the new religion. Saint wish their beloved Valentine's Day may have not been differentgreetings. The Lupercalia celebrations were a festival held on February 15th in honor of fertility developments around this time have done chivalrous acts between maidens and single men and dedicated to the Roman god FaunusValentine's Day. The celebration may have also focused on the mythical founding Duke of Rome by Romulus and Remus and how they were raised by a she-wolf. Goats would be sacrificed and the blood from goatsOrléans, along with who was captured in battle against the hideEnglish, would be dragged and slapped or sprinkled on crops and women. This would bring women and crops luck in fertilitywished his wife a sweet valentine. One legend stated that in this celebrationIn England, single women and men were sometimes paired and these matches often ended in marriageValentine's Day also began to be associated with gifts of sweets for children. HoweverDuring the Medieval period, some authors dispute its association with love between young people. While it is possible that Pope Gelasius by put the end names of the 5th century CE saw Lupercalia as un-Christian and his declaration of Saint Valentine's Day person they wanted to marry on February 14th may have been intended their sleeves, which has come to replace the pre-Christian holiday by combing some of us in the ideas expression of Lupercalia with a saint story, this is also uncertainputting your heart on your sleeve.
[[File:Saint 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 by Bassano's Day.jpg|thumbnail|Saint <ref>For more on late Medieval traditions and the growing popularity of Valentine as depcited by Bassano'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>
==Later Developments==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>
In Saxon England, young men or boys would often give women of their affections small gifts that included gloves. The fact that Saint ====Modern Celebrations====Modern Valentine's Day is near spring and foreshadowed it could have made it more festivehas been strongly influenced by American traditions that first derived from the mid-19th century. Esther A. In some regionsHowland, Saint Valentine began to be associated with spring since it was often the time people began to rework in their fields in preparing for the planting season. However1840s, these events did not associate the day with love. Although the Roman began selling cards and other stories associated with Saint Valentine could have connected the day with lovegifts that contained real lace, ribbons, other later traditions may have further added to this ideaand colorful pictures. Geoffrey ChaucerThis time, the famous early English author, wrote that the time was women began to be more strongly associated with birds beginning Valentine's Day than men, where marketing began to pair themselvesfocus more on them. In effectToday, it was a time they constitute about 85% of pairing and matchesValentine's Day sales.
In 1400Around 1900, 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 Valentine cards were popularly produced throughout Europe and began to love songs replace letters and poetry readings about lovenotes that lovers would exchange. While Valentine cards often contained secret compartments that the story women of this are not certainaffection would have to find, what we do know is by the 15th century people did begin to wish their beloved valentine greetingswhich may have contained additional messages or gifts of affection. The Duke British chocolate company of Orléans, who was captured Cadbury began to create decorated boxes of chocolates for Valentine's Day in battle against the English, wished his wife a sweet valentine. In England1860s, and that has since made chocolates another association with Valentine's Day also began to be associated with gifts of sweets for children. It was during the Medieval period that young people put the names of the person they wanted <ref>For more on their sleeveshow modern Valentine's day traditions started, see: Lee, which has come to us in the expression R. W. (1984). History of putting your heart on your sleevevalentines. In the 15th century, cards may have begun to be created with notes of affectionWellesley Hills, although they did not become popular until much laterMass. By 1600, Shakespear's Hamlet has Ophelia discuss her love for Hamlet on Valentine's Day: Lee Publications.</ref>
By In the 17th centuriesmodern world, China and South Korea have taken the mantel of spending the most on Valentine's day began to be popular among friends and lovers among different classesDay. At this pointIn other countries outside of the West, people began to exchange tokens many of affection and notes them had feasts or festivals associated with each other expressing their feelingslove. 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 These customs have often been replaced or sometimes integrated with Western Valentine's Day. The single rose at this time may have come traditions, such as sending chocolates and flowers to symbolize romantic lovea beloved.
==Modern Celebrations==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>
Modern ====Summary====Valentine's Day has been strongly influenced by American traditions that first derived from the mid-19th centuryis still an uncertain holiday in terms of its origins. Esther A. Howland Many stories exist around it, and there might be some truth in each of the 1840s began selling cards and gifts that contained real lace, ribbons and colorful picturesstories. It was The influence of pre-Christian traditions is also this time possible and likely given many ancient feasts 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. It was revolved around 1900 that Valentine cards were popularly produced throughout Europe and began to replace letters fertility and notes that lovers would exchangelove. Valentine cards often contained secret compartments that the women of affection would have to find, which The modern date may have contained additional messages. The British chocolate company of Cadbury began been a Christian way to create decorated boxes of chocolates for Valentine's Day in syncretize these ideas with the 1860s and that has since made chocolates another association with Valentine's DayChristian faith.
In Whatever the modern worldcase might be, it is China and South Korean that 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 later developments such as flowers associated with love. These customs have often been replaced or sometimes integrated along with Western Valentine's Day traditions such as sending and chocolates and flowers present to a beloveddeveloped more clearly in the modern era. For instanceBy the 19th century, in Wales, St Dwynwenthe commercialization of Valentine's Day was had already become evident in the day to celebrate lovers. This falls on January 25th. Aspects of this tradition are sometimes combined United States with February 14th in Wales or people simply celebrate the Welsh holiday with Western style Valentine's Day celebrationsdevelopment of cards and decorative products.
==Summary==References====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 are also possible, and likely given many ancient feasts existed 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 as presents to a beloved developed more clearly in the modern era. By the 19th century, commercialization of Valentine's Day had already become evident in the United States with the development of cards and decorative products.<references/>
==References==[[Category:Wikis]] [[Category:Holiday History]]
