Valentine's Day is an annual celebration of romantic love. On February 14 each year lovers exchange Valentine's cards, flowers, chocolates, or just a nice gift.
The Roman Emperor Claudius Gothicus (May 10, 214 – January 270), decided to abolish the institution of marriage for many, as he felt that husbands did not make good soldiers. Claudius tried to enforce the new law with the utmost rigor. Valentine of Terni, who had become bishop of Interamna, considered such a policy against the spirit of God and of human nature and was secretly marrying Christians. His "crime" was discovered and while on a temporary stay in Rome Bishop Valentine was arrested, imprisoned, and brutally clubbed to death on February 14, 269.
Bishop Valentine had prayed for the restoration of a young girl's sight, and she was cured. Shortly before his death he wrote the girl a farewell message signed "From your Valentine."
St. Valentine's Day was set as February 14th by Pope Gelasius I in 494. He included Saint Valentine among all those "... whose names are justly reverenced among men, but whose acts are known only to God."
The idea of a mid-February romantic celebration may have been inspired by the Roman fertility festival of Lupercalia on February 15. The festival which originated in pre-Christian Rome, honoured Lupercalia, the god of sheep and shepherds. That wasn't very romantic, however, and Lupercalia was later replaced by Februata June, a festival where young people chose the person they would marry.
In the Middle Ages, young men and women drew names from a bowl to see who their valentines would be. They would wear these names on their sleeves for one week. To wear your heart on your sleeve now means that it is easy for other people to know how you are feeling.
A traditional tale says, the type of man a woman would marry can be told by the bird she first saw on Valentine's Day.
Geoffrey Chaucer, who is more known as the writer of The Canterbury Tales. also wrote other things, such as a 700 line poem in 1382 called the Parliament of Foules, written in honor of the first anniversary of King Richard II of England and Anne of Bohemia's engagement. Chaucer mentioned, in his “Parliament of Foules” a belief that February 14 was the date birds choose their mate. This poem is generally considered to include the first explicit Valentine's Day / love connection.
The world’s first Valentine message is believed to have been sent by Margery Brews of Norfolk, to her fiancé John Paston in 1477. She addressed it to "my right wellbelovyd voluntyne".
Anne of Burgundy was the first woman to receive a diamond engagement ring. It was given to her by Maximilian I of Germany in 1477. Previously only men wore diamonds, as a symbol of their courage and virility. However after Archduke Maximilian of Austria gave a diamond ring to Mary of Burgundy, diamonds have been the gem of choice for men who wanted to melt a woman's heart.
In 1537, England's King Henry VII officially declared February 14 the holiday of St. Valentine's Day.
Cadbury's created the first heart-shaped chocolate box. Richard Cadbury came up with the idea for St. Valentine’s Day, in 1861.
The Catholic church dropped St Valentine's feast from the General Roman Calendar in 1969, leaving his liturgical celebration to local calendars.
Thailand issued the world’s first rose-scented postage stamps in February 2002 for Valentine’s Day.
A Pakistan high court banned Valentine's Day celebrations across the country in 2017, since the holiday is not a part of Muslim tradition.
St. Valentine was not only the patron saint of love and marriage, but also of beekeepers, epilepsy and plague.
In Finland, Valentine's Day is called Ystävänpäivä, which means Friend's Day and focuses on remembering friends.
In China, a holiday called Qi Xi is also called "Chinese Valentine's Day", especially by younger people. Qi Xi is traditionally held on the 7th day of the 7th month of the lunar calendar.
Valentine's Day in Japan is a day when girls buy chocolates and other gifts for boys they like. A month later, on March 14th, is called White Day. On that day, the boys will buy gifts to give back to the girls who bought them gifts on Valentine's Day.
Valentine’s Day is the second most popular day for sending cards, beaten only by Christmas.
3% of all pet owners around the world give Valentines gifts to their pet.
Worldwide, over 50 million roses are given for Valentine's Day each year.
15% of U.S. women send themselves flowers on Valentine's Day.
220,000 is the average number of wedding proposals on Valentine's Day each year.
Over $1 billion worth of chocolate is purchased for Valentine's Day in the U.S.
Sources Daily Express, Latintimes
HISTORY
The Roman Emperor Claudius Gothicus (May 10, 214 – January 270), decided to abolish the institution of marriage for many, as he felt that husbands did not make good soldiers. Claudius tried to enforce the new law with the utmost rigor. Valentine of Terni, who had become bishop of Interamna, considered such a policy against the spirit of God and of human nature and was secretly marrying Christians. His "crime" was discovered and while on a temporary stay in Rome Bishop Valentine was arrested, imprisoned, and brutally clubbed to death on February 14, 269.
Bishop Valentine had prayed for the restoration of a young girl's sight, and she was cured. Shortly before his death he wrote the girl a farewell message signed "From your Valentine."
 |
| Reconstruction. Oil painting by Leonhard Beck, around 1510) |
St. Valentine's Day was set as February 14th by Pope Gelasius I in 494. He included Saint Valentine among all those "... whose names are justly reverenced among men, but whose acts are known only to God."
The idea of a mid-February romantic celebration may have been inspired by the Roman fertility festival of Lupercalia on February 15. The festival which originated in pre-Christian Rome, honoured Lupercalia, the god of sheep and shepherds. That wasn't very romantic, however, and Lupercalia was later replaced by Februata June, a festival where young people chose the person they would marry.
In the Middle Ages, young men and women drew names from a bowl to see who their valentines would be. They would wear these names on their sleeves for one week. To wear your heart on your sleeve now means that it is easy for other people to know how you are feeling.
A traditional tale says, the type of man a woman would marry can be told by the bird she first saw on Valentine's Day.
Geoffrey Chaucer, who is more known as the writer of The Canterbury Tales. also wrote other things, such as a 700 line poem in 1382 called the Parliament of Foules, written in honor of the first anniversary of King Richard II of England and Anne of Bohemia's engagement. Chaucer mentioned, in his “Parliament of Foules” a belief that February 14 was the date birds choose their mate. This poem is generally considered to include the first explicit Valentine's Day / love connection.
The world’s first Valentine message is believed to have been sent by Margery Brews of Norfolk, to her fiancé John Paston in 1477. She addressed it to "my right wellbelovyd voluntyne".
 |
| An English Victorian era Valentine card located in the Museum of London |
Anne of Burgundy was the first woman to receive a diamond engagement ring. It was given to her by Maximilian I of Germany in 1477. Previously only men wore diamonds, as a symbol of their courage and virility. However after Archduke Maximilian of Austria gave a diamond ring to Mary of Burgundy, diamonds have been the gem of choice for men who wanted to melt a woman's heart.
In 1537, England's King Henry VII officially declared February 14 the holiday of St. Valentine's Day.
Cadbury's created the first heart-shaped chocolate box. Richard Cadbury came up with the idea for St. Valentine’s Day, in 1861.
 |
| Pixiebay |
Thailand issued the world’s first rose-scented postage stamps in February 2002 for Valentine’s Day.
A Pakistan high court banned Valentine's Day celebrations across the country in 2017, since the holiday is not a part of Muslim tradition.
VALENTINE'S DAY FUN FACTS
St. Valentine was not only the patron saint of love and marriage, but also of beekeepers, epilepsy and plague.
In Finland, Valentine's Day is called Ystävänpäivä, which means Friend's Day and focuses on remembering friends.
Black Day is the South Korean anti-Valentine's Day, where singles dress in black and gather together to eat dark colored food. Jajangmyeon, a savory black bean sauce over noodles, is the preferred dish for those resenting Valentine's to commiserate over.
In China, a holiday called Qi Xi is also called "Chinese Valentine's Day", especially by younger people. Qi Xi is traditionally held on the 7th day of the 7th month of the lunar calendar.
Valentine's Day in Japan is a day when girls buy chocolates and other gifts for boys they like. A month later, on March 14th, is called White Day. On that day, the boys will buy gifts to give back to the girls who bought them gifts on Valentine's Day.
Valentine’s Day is the second most popular day for sending cards, beaten only by Christmas.
3% of all pet owners around the world give Valentines gifts to their pet.
Worldwide, over 50 million roses are given for Valentine's Day each year.
15% of U.S. women send themselves flowers on Valentine's Day.
220,000 is the average number of wedding proposals on Valentine's Day each year.
Over $1 billion worth of chocolate is purchased for Valentine's Day in the U.S.
Sources Daily Express, Latintimes
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