<strong>Did you know that St. Valentine’s identity is still a mystery? Intriguing trivia about Valentine’s Day</strong>
With Valentine’s Day being celebrated all over the world, roses and chocolates are bound to be seen galore. The modern interpretation of this day is quite superficial and restricted to a mostly consumerist approach. But, if you read through the actual history and origin behind this day, you would be surprised to learn so much about the religious and cultural significance of this day. Why is February 14 actually celebrated as Valentine’s Day and who exactly is St. Valentine? Read on to learn some intriguing, lesser-known facts about this day.
Valentine’s Day finds its origins in Ancient Rome
Showing up with a box of chocolate truffles and red roses on February 14 would actually have no significance at all 2000 years ago in Ancient Rome. This date falls right in the middle of a three-day Roman festival/ party of sorts which was known as the Feast of Lupercalia. It was an event of merriment for the Romans, where people would come together, eat, drink and frolic around. During this festival, men also used to sacrifice their goats, dogs and other domestic animals. One myth associated with Feast of Lupercalia was that slapping women with the hides of these sacrificed animals would make them more fertile.
St. Valentine: A Roman priest or an Italian bishop?
Evident from its name, Valentine’s Day clearly has a close affiliation with St. Valentine. However, he seems to be a mystery which hasn’t been unravelled yet. According to some historians, St. Valentine was a priest and physician during the reign of Emperor Claudius II in 270 CE. They believe that the saint was sentenced to death after it was found that he was playing a matchmaker and marrying couples to get men out of the military. However, others are of the view that he was a bishop from the Italian city of Terni. All this confusion about his identity led the Catholic Church to remove his name from the General Roman Calendar. However, the Church still recognises and acknowledges him as a saint.
The Victorians twisted the concept of Valentine’s Day
While most of us assume this day to be filled with love and light, the Victorians had a completely different idea of it. They used to take pleasure in sending unfriendly and rude anonymous letters to criticise people they had a problem with. Aptly so, these notes were often referred to as “vinegar valentines.”
Shakespeare popularised Valentine’s Day in the Middle Ages
The great playwright Shakespeare was deemed responsible for popularising Valentine’s Day during the Middle Ages, specifically across England. He made several references to the day in his plays, including the extremely popular A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Hamlet. Although it was not celebrated amongst the lower and middle classes as much, the wealthy cross section of the society often marked the occasion by exchanging cards, flowers and small presents.