The history of Valentines Day and it’s patron saint is clouded in mystery, we know that February has long since been a month of romance and that the day contains vestiges of both Christian and ancient Roman traditions.
The Catholic Church recognizes at least three different saints named Valentine or Valentinus, all of whom were martyred.
One legend suggests that Valentine was a priest during the third century in Rome. Emperor Claudius II outlawed marriage for young men, as he
believed that single men made better soldiers. Valentine thought this was an injustice and so defied Claudius and performed marriages for young lovers in secret. For these reasons Claudius ordered that Valentine should be put to his death.
Other stories suggest that Valentine may have been killed for attempting to help Christians escape harsh Roman prisons.
In another legend, Valentine is said to have been in prison, during this time he fell in love with a young girl who visited him during his confinement, who may have been the jailor’s daughter. It is believed that he sent the first ‘Valentine’ greeting, a letter to the young girl that he signed “From your Valentine”.
Whatever the legend, Valentine seems to be a heroic, sympathetic and romantic figure. By the middle ages he was one of the most popular saints in England and France.
In Great Britain, Valentines Day began to be celebrated around the seventeenth century. It became common place for friends and lovers to exchange small tokens of affection or hand written notes. By the end of the eighteenth century printed cards began to replace written letters. In the 1840’s Esther A. Howland began selling the first mass produced Valentines cards in America, she made elaborate creations using lace, ribbons and colourful pictures.
Valentines Day is widely celebrated in Canada, the United States, Mexico, France, Australia and the United Kingdom. An estimated one billion Valentines cards are sent each year world wide, with 85% of the cards purchased by women.
Tweet