History Shorts: The First Valentine Origins of Valentine’s Day: A Pagan Festival in February By the Middle Ages, perhaps thanks to this reputation, Valentine would become one of the most popular saints in England and France. Although the truth behind the Valentine legends is murky, the stories all emphasize his appeal as a sympathetic, heroic and-most importantly-romantic figure. Before his death, it is alleged that he wrote her a letter signed “From your Valentine,” an expression that is still in use today. According to one legend, an imprisoned Valentine actually sent the first “valentine” greeting himself after he fell in love with a young girl-possibly his jailor’s daughter-who visited him during his confinement. Other stories suggest that Valentine may have been killed for attempting to help Christians escape harsh Roman prisons, where they were often beaten and tortured. He, too, was beheaded by Claudius II outside Rome. Still others insist that it was Saint Valentine of Terni, a bishop, who was the true namesake of the holiday. When Valentine’s actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for young men. One legend contends that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. The Catholic Church recognizes at least three different saints named Valentine or Valentinus, all of whom were martyred. But who was Saint Valentine, and how did he become associated with this ancient rite? Valentine’s Day, as we know it today, contains vestiges of both Christian and ancient Roman tradition. We do know that February has long been celebrated as a month of romance, and that St. ![]() Where did Valentine's Day originate from? The history of the holiday-and the story of its patron saint-is shrouded in mystery. Saint Valentine, who according to some sources is actually two distinct historical characters who were said to have healed a child while imprisoned and executed by decapitation.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |