Valentine's Day
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For other uses, see Valentine and Valentine's Day (disambiguation).
Valentine's Day
Antique Valentine's card
Observed by
Many countries
Type
Cultural, Christian, commercial
Significance
Love and affection celebrated between lovers
Date
February 14 (in most countries, see text)
Observances
Sending greeting cards and gifts, dating
Related to
Lupercalia
Saint Valentine's Day, commonly shortened to Valentine's Day,[1][2][3] is a holiday observed on February 14
honoring one or more early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine. It is traditionally a day on
which lovers express their love for each other by presenting flowers, offeringconfectionery, and
sending greeting cards (known as "valentines").[1][3] The day first became associated with romantic love in the
circle of Geoffrey Chaucer in the High Middle Ages, when the tradition of courtly love flourished. It was first
established by Pope Gelasius I in 496 AD, and was later deleted from the General Roman Calendar of saints in
1969 by Pope Paul VI.
Modern Valentine's Day symbols include the heart-shaped outline, doves, and the figure of the winged Cupid.
Since the 19th century, handwritten valentines have given way to mass-producedgreeting cards.[4]
Contents
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1 Saint Valentine
o
1.1 Historical facts
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1.2 Legends
2 Attested traditions
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2.1 Lupercalia
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2.2 Chaucer's love birds
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2.3 Medieval period and the English Renaissance
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2.4 Modern times
3 Antique and vintage Valentines, 1850–1950
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3.1 Valentines of the mid-19th and early 20th centuries
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3.2 Postcards, "pop-ups", and mechanical Valentines, circa 1900–1930
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3.3 Children's Valentines
4 Similar days celebrating love
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4.1 In the West
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4.1.1 Europe
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4.1.2 Latin America
4.2 East Asia
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4.2.1 Japan
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4.2.2 Similar Asian traditions
o
4.3 India
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4.4 Middle East
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5 Conflict with Islamic countries and political parties
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5.1 Saudi Arabia
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5.2 Pakistan
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5.3 Iran
o
5.4 Malaysia
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6 See also
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7 References
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8 Related information
Saint Valentine
For more details on this topic, see Saint Valentine.
Historical facts
Numerous early Christian martyrs were named Valentine.[5] The Valentines honored on February 14 are
Valentine of Rome (Valentinus presb. m. Romae) and Valentine of Terni (Valentinus ep. Interamnensis m.
Romae).[6] Valentine of Rome[7] was a priest in Rome who was martyred about AD 269 and was buried on
the Via Flaminia. His relics are at the Church of Saint Praxed in Rome,[8] and at Whitefriar Street Carmelite
Church in Dublin, Ireland.
Valentine of Terni[9] became bishop of Interamna (modern Terni) about AD 197 and is said to have been
martyred during the persecution under Emperor Aurelian. He is also buried on the Via Flaminia, but in a
different location than Valentine of Rome. His relics are at the Basilica of Saint Valentine in Terni (Basilica di
San Valentino).[10]
The Catholic Encyclopedia also speaks of a third saint named Valentine who was mentioned in
early martyrologies under date of February 14. He was martyred in Africa with a number of companions, but
nothing more is known about him.[11]
No romantic elements are present in the original early medieval biographies of either of these martyrs. By the
time a Saint Valentine became linked to romance in the 14th century, distinctions between Valentine of Rome
and Valentine of Terni were utterly lost.[12]
In the 1969 revision of the Roman Catholic Calendar of Saints, the feast day of Saint Valentine on February 14
was removed from the General Roman Calendar and relegated to particular (local or even national) calendars
for the following reason: "Though the memorial of Saint Valentine is ancient, it is left to particular calendars,
since, apart from his name, nothing is known of Saint Valentine except that he was buried on the Via Flaminia
on February 14."[13] The feast day is still celebrated in Balzan (Malta) where relics of the saint are claimed to be
found, and also throughout the world by Traditionalist Catholics who follow the older, pre-Second Vatican
Council calendar. February 14 is also celebrated as St Valentine's Day in other Christian denominations; it has,
for example, the rank of 'commemoration' in the calendar of the Church of England and other parts of
the Anglican Communion.[14]
Legends
Saint Valentine of Terni and his disciples.
The Early Medieval acta of either Saint Valentine were expounded briefly in Legenda Aurea.[15] According to
that version, St Valentine was persecuted as a Christian and interrogated by Roman Emperor Claudius II in
person. Claudius was impressed by Valentine and had a discussion with him, attempting to get him to convert
to Roman paganism in order to save his life. Valentine refused and tried to convert Claudius to Christianity
instead. Because of this, he was executed. Before his execution, he is reported to have performed a miracle by
healing the blind daughter of his jailer.
Since Legenda Aurea still provided no connections whatsoever with sentimental love, appropriate lore has
been embroidered in modern times to portray Valentine as a priest who refused an unattested law attributed to
Roman Emperor Claudius II, allegedly ordering that young men remain single. The Emperor supposedly did
this to grow his army, believing that married men did not make for good soldiers. The priest Valentine, however,
secretly performed marriage ceremonies for young men. When Claudius found out about this, he had Valentine
arrested and thrown in jail.
There is an additional modern embellishment to The Golden Legend, provided by American
Greetings to History.com, and widely repeated despite having no historical basis whatsoever. On the evening
before Valentine was to be executed, he would have written the first "valentine" card himself, addressed to a
young girl variously identified as his beloved,[16] as the jailer's daughter whom he had befriended and healed,[17].
It was a note that read "From your Valentine."[16]