<youtube>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=El2h8EnN5Go</youtube>
__NOTOC__
[[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.
The story of Saint Valentine does have a direct link to one or several Geoffrey Chaucer, the famous early saints called Valentine (Figure 1). Many traditions have developed around this holidayEnglish author, and most likely there were multiple traditions wrote that were integrated as original records were lostthe time was associated with birds beginning to pair themselves. One of those traditions state that Valentines In effect, it was a priest in Rome martyred for defying Claudius IItime of pairing and matches, 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 associations of love between the pair and this could to humans may have become a love symbol. Other scholars, however, dispute begun around that such an edict would have ever been done by an emperortime. Another story states <ref>For more on early Medieval traditions of Saint 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, see: Diehl, D. Another idea is that Valentine of Terni was Christian bishop who was martyred in 273 during persecutions, & Donnelly, M. There is a legend that he married a young pagan soldier with a young Christian woman(2011). On hearing his wife was dying<i>Medieval celebrations: your guide to planning and hosting spectacular feasts, parties, weddings, he converted to Christianity so that he could be bounded with her forever and then he subsequently diedrenaissance fairs</i> (2nd ed). Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books. </ref>
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 the February 14th as the feast day. However, 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 to be similar to pagan festivals, as it helped early converts in transitioning to the new religion. Saint Valentine's Day may have not been different. The Lupercalia celebrations were a festival held 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<dh-wolf. 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 in this celebration, single women and men were sometimes paired 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.ad/>
[[File:Saint In 1400, 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 love (Figure 2). While this story's accuracy is not certain, what we do know is by the 15th-century, people did begin to wish their beloved Valentine's greetings. The developments around this time have done chivalrous acts between maidens and single men and Valentine by Bassano's Day. The Duke of Orléans, who was captured in battle against the English, wished his wife a sweet valentine.jpg|thumbnail|Saint In England, Valentine as depcited by Bassano's Day also began to be associated with gifts of sweets for children. During the Medieval period, young people put the names of the person they wanted to marry on their sleeves, which has come to us in the expression of putting your heart on your sleeve.]]
==Later Developments==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>
In Saxon EnglandBy the 17th century, young men or boys would often give women of their affections small gifts that included gloves. The fact that Saint Valentine's Day is near spring day became popular among friends and foreshadowed it could have made it more festivelovers of different classes. In some regionsAt this point, Saint Valentine's Day people began to be associated exchange tokens of affection and notes with spring since it was often each other expressing their feelings. Charles II of Sweden in the time people 18th century began to rework in their fields in preparing for the planting season. However, these events did not associate the day affection with love. Although the Roman flowers, and other stories associated it was possibly at this time that flowers were used with Saint Valentine could have connected the day with love, other later traditions 's Day. The single rose at this time may have further added come to this ideasymbolize romantic love. Geoffrey Chaucer<ref>For more on Charles II of Sweden, the famous early English authorsee: Moore, wrote that the time was associated with birds beginning to pair themselvesK. (2011). <i>Roses Are Red ...: a Book for Lovers</i>. In effectLondon, it was a time of pairing and matchesUK: Michael O’Mara. </ref>
In 1400, 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 love (Figure 2). While the story of this are not certain, what we do know is ====Modern Celebrations====Modern Valentine's Day has been strongly influenced by American traditions that first derived from the 15th mid-19th century people did begin to wish their beloved valentine greetings. The Duke of OrléansEsther A. Howland, who was captured in battle against the English1840s, began selling cards and gifts that contained real lace, wished his wife a sweet valentineribbons, and colorful pictures. In EnglandThis time, Valentine's Day also women began to be more strongly associated with gifts of sweets for children. It was during the Medieval period that young people put the names of the person they wanted on their sleevesValentine's Day than men, which has come where marketing began to us in the expression of putting your heart focus more on your sleevethem. In the 15th centuryToday, cards may have begun to be created with notes they constitute about 85% of affection, although they did not become popular until much later. By 1600, Shakespear's Hamlet has Ophelia discuss her love for Hamlet on Valentine's Daysales.
By the 17th centuriesAround 1900, Valentine's day cards were popularly produced throughout Europe and began to be popular among friends replace letters and notes that lovers among different classeswould exchange. At this pointValentine cards often contained secret compartments that the women of affection would have to find, people began to exchange tokens which may have contained additional messages or gifts of affection and notes with each other expressing their feelings. Charles II The British chocolate company of Sweden Cadbury began to create decorated boxes of chocolates for Valentine's Day in the 18th century began to associate affection with flowers 1860s, and it was possibly at this time that flowers were used has since made chocolates another association with Valentine's Day. The single rose at this time may have come to symbolize romantic love<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>
[[File:Court of Love in Provence in In the modern world, China and South Korea have taken the Fourteenth Century Manuscript mantel of spending the National Library of Paris.png|thumbnail|Figure 2most on Valentine's Day. Depiction In other countries outside of the Charter West, many of the Court of Love that may them had feasts or festivals associated with love. These customs have influenced often been replaced or sometimes integrated with Western Valentine's Day traditions, such as sending chocolates and flowers to a 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]]
