Seeing that Valentine’s is less than a month away, stores are busy with preparations for this romantic event and the truck loads of money that will be coming in. Many will be in search of anything covered in red hearts, chocolates, stuffed animals, balloons and cards expressing love in forms of poetry, letters and notes. And while that is what Valentine’s Day has evolved into, February 14th hasn’t always been so sweet.
Saint Valentine sacrificing his life for love
The origins of Valentine’s Day is as mysterious as the identity of Saint Valentine himself. And although not much is known about the Saint, one thing is for sure, he was a huge advocate of love. As noted from the stories below he gave his life for the cause.
One story claims that Valentine was a priest in 3rd century Rome who defied Emperor Claudius II. The emperor, believing single men made superior soldiers, banned marriages for young men. Valentine, however, secretly continued to unite young lovers in matrimony. When his actions were discovered, the emperor ordered his execution.
Another legend suggests Valentine was killed while aiding Christians escaping brutal Roman prisons. Regardless of the specifics, his reputation grew, eventually leading to Valentine’s Day becoming a worldwide celebration of love.
The Dark Side of Valentine’s Day
The exact history of Valentine’s Day is a bit murky, but some historians believe the holiday is linked to Lupercalia. Lupercalia?, almost sounds like a disease that one can get from unhealthy sexual relations!. Anyway Lupercalia was actually a pagan festival that was held annually between 13th Feb and 15th Feb in ancient Rome. The festival was intended to purify the city and facilitate fertility, but it fostered ominous rituals, including sacrificing animals and beating women. Wow, talk about cleansing on another level!.
The festival traces back to the 6th century B.C., and according to Roman mythology, it was to honour the Roman fertility god Lupercus and the she-wolf who nursed twin brothers Romulus and Remus, the future founders of Rome who were abandoned as infants. In the 5th century A.D., Pope Gelasius I, bless his soul, replaced Lupercalia and declared that on Feb. 14, people would celebrate Saint Valentine instead. But even after Lupercalia was no longer celebrated and Saint Valentine was beaten and beheaded, it took quite some time for the day to turn romantic.
Valentine’s Today
Today, Valentine’s Day has become commercialised, popularised and everything in between with most buying Valentine’s Day gifts for their lovers, children, friends and even pets.Unique traditions have also emerged in celebrating love in diverse ways. Bulgarian couples toast with fine local wine, while Welsh lovers exchange intricately carved wooden spoons as tokens of affection. In Romania, Valentine’s Day involves a romantic journey to the forest to gather flowers and wash their faces in the snow, symbolising good luck. And in South Africa….well anything goes, from extravagant dinners to picnicking on the front lawn and receiving perfume, flowers and chocolates. These varied customs demonstrate how Valentine’s Day is celebrated around the world, reflecting distinct cultural expressions of love set aside especially for the 14th Feb.
So, this Valentine’s Day, as you gaze upon a bouquet of vibrant red roses, consider the colours association with romance, that stemmed from a surprisingly dark origin, rooted in the bloody sacrifices of centuries past. Or maybe just grab a box of those conversation hearts and hope the message inside isn’t “Beware the Ides of February”! Happy Valentine’s Day! ❤️
