Valentine history is something that has been controversial and sometimes contradicting. This is because there has been different sides of it. However, there are school of thoughts that are held in higher esteem than others, with regards to the origin of Valentine.
The story of its patron saint is shrouded in mystery. St. Valentine’s Day, as we know it today, contains vestiges of both Christian and ancient Roman tradition. We also know that February has long been celebrated as a month of romance. Before we delve into that, let’s look at Valentine’s day.
What is Valentine’s Day?
Valentine’s Day, is a holiday celebrated on February 14th. It is a day when lovers express their affection with greetings, gifts, romance, etc. It is sometimes highly characterized by public display of affection. Other very glaring evidences of Valentine, includes; exchange of gifts, exclusive dinner dates, outings and sometimes, marriage proposals.
Valentine season on its own has a way of making people feel a heightened sense of love and other emotions associated with romance. Happy couples tend to get happier during Valentine, and couples who are struggling tend to want to make amends and be together during Valentine. It is safe to say that Valentine may have a spirit of its own, that makes people want to couple up and be together.
This is what Valentine looks like in the more recent times.
Let’s see what it was about many centuries ago.
Brief history
Valentine holiday has origins in the Roman festival of Lupercalia, held in mid February. The festival celebrates the coming of spring. It includes fertility rites and the pairing of women with men by lottery. At the end of the 5th century, Pope Gelasius 1 replaced Lupercalia with St. Valentine’s Day. It came to be celebrated as a day of romance from about the 14th century.
Although there were several Christian martyrs named Valentine, the day may have gotten its name from a priest who was martyred around 270 CE by the emperor Claudius II Gothicus. According valentine history, the priest signed a letter “from your Valentine” to his jailer’s daughter, whom he had befriended and by some accounts, healed from blindness. Other accounts hold that it was St. Valentine of Terni, a bishop, for whom the holiday was named. It is somehow possible the two saints were actually one person.
Another common legend states that St. Valentine defied the emperor’s orders and secretly married couples to spare the husbands from war. It is for this reason that his feast day is associated with love.
Cupids.
Cupid is often portrayed in Valentine history as a naked cherub launching arrows of love at unsuspecting victims. However, the Roman god Cupid has his roots in Greek mythology as the Greek god of love; Eros.
Valentine commonly depicts Cupid, the Roman god of love, along with hearts as the traditional seat of emotion. This is because the avian mating season begins in mid February. Birds became a symbol of the day too, according to Valentine history.
Traditional gifts for Valentine include; candy and flowers, particularly red roses; a symbol of beauty and love.
Loving on You.
Most of what we know about Valentine revolves around lovers, married couples, and other forms of intimate partners. You should know that this holiday has expanded to expressions of affection among relatives and friends as well.
If the scope has been broadened to this point, who is to say you can’t love on yourself to celebrate?
You can make the love season memorable for yourself as a “single pringle” – spoil yourself as much as you can.
Take yourself out, buy yourself dinner, go see a movie, buy some gifts for yourself, and pamper yourself as much as you can afford.
Being single is not a death sentence or an exile into misery, as a lot of people make it seem. Make the most of your time alone. Savor your own company, and have yourself a grand Valentine celebration.