ALT-1 The History of Valentines Day
Behind the charming red flowers, red candies, red cards and red kisses of Valentine's Day lurks a more sinister, ominous type of red – the red of blood. Although historical accounts of the holiday's origin vary, and often verge on speculation, its beginnings sometimes point to rituals that were more seamy than steamy. Maybe Cupid took piercing people's hearts a tad bit too literally. Here are several theories about how Valentine's Day got its start, and who its patron saint, the elusive St. Valentine, might have been.
There's no place like Rome – men would actually hit the women they hit on in 3rd century Rome. From February 13 through February 19, Romans celebrated a feast calledLupercalia. The dubious festivities included sacrificing a dog and a goat. Afterwards, men would whip women with the animals' bloody hides. Believing it would make them fertile, women would actually line up to have their own hides tanned. Amidst this chaos, where drunkenness and nudity were rampant, a lottery was held, in which the men discovered which women's bodies they'd be roamin' over for the rest of the festival.
By the time the 5th century rolled around,Pope Gelasiushad Lupercalia outlawed to nullify non-Christian, pagan practices. He also decreed that February 14 would be St. Valentine's Day. The holiday, however, wouldn't become the gold – or red – standard of love until much later.
Ancient Romans may have coined the name of this holiday of love, as well. Two men, both named Valentine, were executed byEmperor Claudius IIon February 14 of different years. The church, regarding the two men as martyrs, honored them with sainthood and the celebration of St. Valentine's Day.
Legend has it that there was also a third Valentine, who served as a priest in ancient Rome, and who was also martyred. During this Valentine's tenure, Claudius outlawed marriage for young men, decreeing that single men made better soldiers. Believing this law unjust, Valentine continued to clandestinely perform weddings. When Claudius discovered these secret ceremonies, he ordered Valentine's execution.
Another popular story suggests that Valentine was executed for helping Christians escape the brutalities of Roman prisons. While jailed, he fell in love with a young woman – perhaps the jailer's daughter – who regularly visited him. Before his execution, he allegedly penned a letter to her signed, "From your Valentine" – an expression that is still extremely popular.
Through the years, Valentine's reputation escalated to that of a very caring, heroic and romantic icon. When theMiddle Agesdawned, Valentine achieved the stature of one of the most beloved saints in France and Britain. There are some who believe that Valentine's Day is celebrated in the middle of February to memorialize the anniversary of St. Valentine's death. During the Middle Ages, a popular notion in France and England was that February 14 marked the start of birds' mating season, which further imprinted the notion that Valentine's Day was linked with romance. The day became even more fully enmeshed with romantic love through the poignant writings ofGeoffrey ChaucerandWilliam Shakespeare.
The Middle Ages also marked the advent of Valentine greetings. A poem written byCharles, Duke of Orleansin 1415 is the oldest Valentine still in existence. It's theorized that a few years later,King Henry Vhired writerJohn Lydgateto write a Valentine letter toCatherine of Valois.
Today, Valentine's Day is celebrated globally – in the US, Mexico, England, Canada, Australia and France. During the 17th century, the holiday was regularly celebrated, and by the 18th century, it was booming – the exchange of handwritten notes and tokens of affection were commonplace. With the evolution of technology in the 1900s, printed cards expressing thoughts too personal to voice began replacing handwritten letters in Britain. During the 1840s in America,Esther A. Howland, referred to as "The Mother of the Valentine," started selling the first mass-produced Valentines in the US.
Currently, according to theGreeting Card Association, approximately 1 billion Valentines are exchanged each year – making it the second-largest card-sending holiday. It's eclipsed only by New Year's Day as the most celebrated holiday around the world. Cupid must be very proud – and very, very tired!
