Valentine’s Day

What are your thoughts on this day? Do you know the history behind it? Is there a history or is it really just a marketing stint to increase sales of chocolate? In looking into the story, you can find various examples in history depending on which website you go to. The question is how can we differentiate between fact and fiction?

One thing is clear, however, it has both Christian and ancient Roman traditions. The one story I found was about Emperor Claudius II, when he decided that single men made for better soldiers so he outlawed marriage for young men. Valentine, realizing the injustice, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers. When Claudius found out, he ordered Valentine be put to death.

There are similar stories of saints, who may have been killed for attempting to help Christians escape harsh Roman prisons, where they were often beaten and tortured. According to one legend, an imprisoned Valentine sent the first “valentine” greeting himself after he fell in love with a young girl writing to her and signing off as “from your valentine”.

As you can see just from the two examples above, it really isn’t a nice history! It wasn’t until much later, around the Middle Ages, the day became associated with love. History says around 1375 when poet Geoffrey Chaucer, recorded February 14^th as a romantic celebration in his poem “Parliament of Foules.” The statement was “For this was sent on Seynt Valentyne’s day/Whan every foul cometh ther to choose his mate.”¹

So, it still bears the question, what are we truly celebrating? Shouldn’t we be celebrating love or a loved one all the time not just one day? What about those who don’t have a person? Celebration of friendship?

Would love to hear from you?