What Are The Origins Of Valentine’s Day?
Why do we celebrate Valentine’s Day? Was it made for greeting card companies to increase sales? Nope. The origins may be much older than you imagine. Back when Rome was just forming as a settlement, they had a festival called Lupercalia. It was in honor of the god, Lupercus, who they believed protected them from wolves. The night before the festival, all the single girls put their names into a vase. Each single man drew a name and they would be partners in all the games and dances.
Eventually, Rome became a walled and very protected city no longer plagued by wolves, but the people loved the festival too much to give it up. When they became Christians, they still wanted an excuse to keep the holiday. An early Christian priest named Valentine had been executed by the Roman Emperor Claudius II on February 14, 279 AD. So, this became his feast day and the new reason to commemorate the day.
There were several priests named Valentine, and history is hazy as to which the day is really named for. One story about Valentine is that he performed wedding ceremonies illegally when the emperor passed a law forbidding young men to marry. Claudius wanted their minds solely on military service and conquering more land.
Another tale suggests that Valentine was put in jail for preaching Christianity. The emperor heard of his good qualities and was prepared to forgive Valentine if he converted to the pagan religion. He refused and even went so far as to try to convert the emperor! This angered Claudius and Valentine was sentenced to death. However, he had befriended the jailer’s blind daughter and performed a miracle for her. As he was being led out to die, he asked that a note be given to the girl. When she opened