Valentine's Day is related to St. Valentine, a Christian saint who was martyred in ancient Rome. The holiday has its roots in ancient Rome, where a pagan festival called Lupercalia was celebrated in honor of Lupercus, the god of fertility, on February 15. During Lupercalia, rituals were performed where young singles would pair up for the following year by drawing names of single women from a jar.
With the spread of Christianity, the Catholic Church associated St. Valentine with the holiday on February 14, trying to Christianize existing pagan festivities. Although the exact details about who St. Valentine was and why he is associated with romantic love are unclear, one popular story suggests he was a Christian priest who defied Emperor Claudius II's orders and continued to marry couples in secret until his arrest and execution on February 14.
Another legend states that while imprisoned, St. Valentine sent a love letter signed as "your Valentine" to the jailer's daughter, which contributed to associating St. Valentine with romantic love and the exchange of letters on the holiday of February 14.
Over the centuries, the holiday has evolved into a celebration of romantic love, friendship, and affection. In 1840, Valentine's Day began to spread in Anglo-America with the first mass-produced Valentine's postcards sold by Esther A. Howland, known as "valentines." Today, Valentine's Day is widely celebrated around the world with exchanges of cards, gifts, and romantic gestures between couples and friends.
Valentine's Day, a special date for couples and lovers, which promotes consumption and dining out, will be celebrated this Wednesday. Although the history behind this celebration is not entirely clear, it continues to spark debate and is a highly anticipated occasion to express love and friendship.
