Everyone knows 14th Feb as the day of love, as Valentine’s Day.
This is the day we need to show our love in special ways to our special one, and have to make sure we make it a special day.
This is the day we give roses, buy gifts for our special someone, make sure to spend quality time together, and do all those things with our loved one that we may not be able to do all year round.
But what’s so special about 14th Feb and how did it suddenly become a day of love, all over the world?
Where did Valentine’s Day originate and how?
Valentine’s Day, as it is celebrated today, is an incorporation of ancient Roman as well as Christian traditions.
In ancient Rome, 15th Feb was celebrated as the day of the Roman fertility festival known as Lupercalia. This was dedicated to Faunus, who was the Roman god of agriculture. As part of the celebrations, boys would draw out random names of girls from a box and the pairs would spend the day in the festival as partners.
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In many cases, this pairing, that would initially be done for fun, turned serious and even led to marriage.
Around the end of the 5th century, when Christianity took over the ancient Roman culture, the festival was shifted to the 14th of Feb and was also declared as the day of St. Valentine.
Saint Valentine, who was also recognised by the Roman Catholic Church as a saint, was a real person. Emperor Claudius II had banned marriage, as he thought unmarried men would be better as soldiers. Valentine thought this cruel and opposed it, and often helped couples marry in secret.
When this was found out, he was imprisoned and given a death sentence.
While there is a lot of confusion about the truth of all the related events, some accounts from the 1400s mentions that he was finally beheaded by the emperor.
His skull is still housed in Rome
Apparently, Saint Valentine’s skull was found during an excavation near Rome in the early 1800s. His skull is kept on display in the Basilica of Santa Maria in Cosmedin, Italy.
Some of his other parts are on display in England, France, Ireland, Scotland and the Czech Republic.
What started the tradition of sending Valentine’s Day cards?
It is said that he had fallen in love with a young girl, and when he was in prison, he sent her a letter and signed off as ‘From your Valentine.’
Whatever the story and whether or not it is true, as long as it gives you another reason to celebrate love, go ahead!
Read Also: Romantic Getaways For Valentines’ Day
