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Every February 14th, young lovers and couples work hard to renew the flame of their love. Here and there, gifts are exchanged, kisses and expressive looks. Sweet words are said over dinner, by the pool or in an alleyway reminiscent of the first meeting. Whatever the case, Valentine's Day has spanned the years, decades and centuries, making February one of the most special months in the calendar. But the story of February 14th did not begin with roses and hearts. In the beginning, there was blood. What do we really know about it? You are about to discover the true story of Valentine's Day. Let's go!
Some months may go unnoticed, but not February. While it already stands out for being the only month with fewer than 30 days, February is also the only month where almost everyone universally celebrates love.
And if you think that Valentine's Day comes directly from the USA or England, adjust your seat, because you are wrong. The tradition of February 14th has its origins in ancient Rome. It was first a pagan holiday.
In fact, from February 13 to 14, the Romans celebrated the ancient god of agriculture, fertility and protection of flocks, Faunus Lupercus, as well as the founders Romulus and Remus. It was the feast of Lupercalia, an annual celebration that occupied a very important place in Roman religion.
This festival marked the beginning of spring. It was a festival of purification and fertility intended to promote the prosperity of crops, herds and also Roman women. Nothing to do with Cupid.
The Feast of Lupercalia was held 15 days before the Calends of March. As part of this pagan festival, a goat had to be sacrificed in the Grotto of Lupercalia, the cave in which the mythical founders of Rome were suckled by the mother she-wolf.
It was also an opportunity for young single men from wealthy families to engage in a ritual race with a purifying effect. Stripped naked, smeared with the blood of sacrificed goats and billy goats and dressed in their skins, these young men had to run in the street and whip the young women they encountered.
The ritual was supposed to make these women fertile. The young men also took the opportunity to choose a woman who would become their sexual partner until the Lupercalia festival the following year.
Basically, it was a sex lottery. Needless to say, this pagan festival quickly took a less than savory turn, giving rise to great sexual disorder. At the end of the 5th century, this tradition was stopped. But before we get to that, let's talk about a priest whose story will touch you.
The history of February 14 also draws its roots from the courage and strong love of a Christian martyr who marked the 3rd century. This is the Roman priest, Valentin, or Valentinus, to be more exact, who ended up lending his name to February 14. Here is the story.
Valentine disobeyed the edict of Emperor Claudius II. Claudius had banned marriages in order to facilitate the enlistment of young single men in the army. For the sovereign, young soldiers would be more productive on the battlefield if they were single than if they were married. Marriages were therefore forbidden.
But Valentine had continued to marry Christian couples in secret, letting the wings of love spread.His disobedience discovered, the priest was arrested, imprisoned, beaten and beheaded on February 14, by imperial order. This was around the year 270, after Jesus Christ.
According to legend, Valentine, who was also a doctor in the Roman Empire, met Julia, a blind woman, the daughter of the jailer in charge of his surveillance. On the day he was to be beheaded, February 14, Valentine had Julia sent a love letter that he ended with three words: "From your Valentine." Thus was born the romantic tradition of sending letters to one's "Valentine" on February 14 of each year.
Considering the extent that Christianity was taking and the deviant, bloody and immoral turn that the festival of Lupercalia and the associated ritual race were taking, the Roman Catholic Church, under Pope Gelasius I, decided to act.
The Pope chose to commemorate a Saint Valentine, the Valentine of Terni, on the same day. Let us recall that at that time, the 14the February was dedicated to the celebration of three different Valentines who are all Martyrologies, namely:
In fact, if we really have to take stock, the number of Saint Valentines that the church has known defies enumeration. The purpose of the decision to Christianize the feast of February 14 was to overshadow the feast of Lupercalia and to make people forget these pagan customs that the church does not particularly like, but to which the people were very attached. This was in the 5th century.
February 14 had therefore been Christianized after the abolition of the Lupercalia. But until then, we were not yet at the celebration of couples. For good reason, things were quick to change, to the great surprise of the Catholic Church.
It was particularly in the Middle Ages, under the influence of the courts of England and France, that Valentine's Day began to be associated with lovers. The Christian cross, worn as a pendant or as a cross ring, then became a symbol of faith and protection in these unions celebrated in secret or in public. Even today, THE cross jewelry embody both a spiritual commitment and a timeless declaration of love.
It was not until 1496 that Pope Alexander VI (Rodriogo Borgia), who was greatly feared and considered highly corrupt, changed the situation regarding Valentine's Day.
In fact, despite the ingenious initiative of Pope Gelasius I, the Romans adopted and adapted the character of Saint Valentine that was proposed to them.The libertine parties continued, in homage to Valentine's Day, with valentines and valentins all very involved in the celebrations.
Ultimately, although it was not his initial intention, Gelasius I only succeeded in offering the Romans a more serious framework for the celebration of their libertine festivals.Several centuries later, under Pope Alexander VI, Saint Valentine would be officially recognized as the patron saint of lovers. Tender emotions and romantic initiatives were now favored. The dark episode of February 14 marked by violent, bloody and macabre scenes was thus now a thing of the past.
While Valentine's Day has endured through the years, decades, and centuries, what has remained is not its meaning. Rather, it is the name. The transition was probably facilitated by poets like Geoffrey Chaucer.He is indeed the one who established a link between Valentine's Day and romance. His book, " The Parliaments of Crowds " Or " The Parliament of Birds ", was instrumental in the transition to the romantic definition of the holiday.
Thus, during the medieval period, February 14th became the date of celebration of lovers. In Europe and more precisely in France and Great Britain, we already saw valentines and valentins.
Not everyone, however, agrees that the poet was the first to establish this association. Some argue that things were done by Mother Nature and therefore came about by chance.
In fact, some even believed that birds chose their partners on this precise date. The mating season was thus often launched on February 14. This belief had pushed young boys and girls to indulge in games of hide-and-seek on February 14 in the hope of finding their soul mate.
But several other poets would use their pens to associate February 14 with Cupid and romantic acts. One of the greatest poets of the Middle Ages and the author of the first love poem sent to his beloved, Charles of Orleans, will probably always be remembered. Through his many poems sent to his girlfriend, Charles of Orleans played a key role in defining the appropriate approach to celebrating this holiday.
Lovers now send each other love letters and poems, sweet words, specially chosen for the occasion. We were called "Valentine" in honor of this priest that history will never forget. The tradition was so tenacious that many countries were quickly contaminated. Valentine's Day had become a day dedicated to sending love messages to one's partner.
By the 19th century, when the Roman Empire was a distant memory, Valentine's Day found a new lease of life in the Catholic heartland of Britain. February 14 began to take on the appearance of a commercial holiday. People had to buy original gift cards, presents with winged hearts, red roses, chocolates, and other symbols that have become characteristic of Valentine's Day.
In many countries, such as the USA, it is inconceivable that February 14th goes by without someone giving a card to their beloved. In France, February 14th is a day of big sales for florists who sometimes manage to achieve in one day the volume of sales they usually achieve in an entire week. Roses generally represent the biggest purchases. Sometimes, some people did not need to be asked twice to treat themselves to a romantic weekend for the occasion.
Everyone is busy taking advantage of this day to prove their love to their beloved. The tokens of attention multiply. Everyone competes in tricks and ingenuity to mark the day with an indelible seal. Here, it must be clear, the intention is not worth the act. Le Figaro published an article on this subject already in 2016 “Yes, Valentine’s Day is a commercial holiday”.
A gift must be given, however small. Husbands give them to their wives and vice versa.Young boys give them to their girlfriends and vice versa. Outfits, bags, pouches, makeup packs, t-shirts, pairs of socks or shoes, smartphones, a necklace, a romantic weekend, etc., there is no shortage of ideas.
But February 14th is not always about lovers. It is not uncommon to see people giving small and beautiful surprises to their friends and family. In North America for example, you can see the same person sending cards to several different people, not because they are in love with all of them, but to show friendship. In the Philippines, February 14th is a day when mass weddings are often held.
Of course, not all countries recognize February 14 as the day of lovers. In Brazil, for example, the day of love is celebrated on June 12. It is called " Day of the Lovers " In Finland and Estonia, we speak of " friends day ".
China, which had its own Valentine's Day, saw its tradition give way to the universal Valentine's Day. Japan and most countries around the world have also embraced this tradition, emphasizing the gift of chocolates as a sign of affection and appreciation.
But in some countries that have preserved traditions and values, Valentine's Day does not exist. This is the case in Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Indonesia. Thus, apart from a few exceptions, Valentine's Day, in its current format, is celebrated universally.
It is curious how a pagan festival celebrated by the sacrifice of animals becomes a commercial festival dedicated to tenderness and affection. ! What is certain is that Valentines and Valentines take advantage of the day to show each other their mutual affection and love. And if love is an everyday affair, February 14 will remain the lovers' day. Long live love! !
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