Valentines Day History

February is the month, we start to think about love.  For many centuries, February 14, St Valentines day has been a celebration for lovers.  February 14th reminds us all to tell our loved ones just how much we care.  Do you know the origins of Saint Valentine's day?

At the time of the Roman Empire, Valentine's day started.  On February 14th ancient romans had a holiday to honour Juno, the Queen of the Roman Gods and Goddesses, also known as the Goddess of women and marriage. 

In ancient Rome, the lives of young girls and boys were kept very separate.  On the evening of February 14th, the names of Roman girls were written on slips of paper and placed into jars.  Each man would draw a girl's name to be his partner for the duration of the Lupercalia festival (begining February 15th).  The pairing of the children could last an entire year, they would often fall in love and would later marry. 

Emperor Claudius II cancelled all marriages and engagements in Rome, believing the reason for men not wanting to join his military was due to love and families.  Saint Valentine was a priest in Rome in the days of Claudius II.  Valentine and Saint Marius secretly married couples, but for this kindness, St Valentine was condemned to be beaten to death and have his head cut off on 14th February, approximately year A.D. 270.

In A.D. 496, Pope Gelasius outlawed the Lupercian festival, but retained the lottery.  However, instead of names of women in the box there were the names of saints, both men and women chose a slip and for the next year they were expected to imitate the life of the saint they chose.  As time progressed, more and more Romans replaced the Lupercian festival with St Valentines Day.

The new style lottery did not last long, instead young men started a custom of offering women they admired and wished to court a handwritten letter of affection on February 14, these later became known as Valentine's Day Cards.

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