Valentine's Day, also called Saint Valentine's Day or the Feast of Saint Valentine, [1] is celebrated annually on February 14. [2] It originated as a Christian feast day honoring a martyr named Valentine , and through later folk traditions it has also become a significant cultural, religious and commercial celebration of romance and love in Valentine’s Day did not come to be celebrated as a day of romance until about the 14th century. ( Read Britannica’s essay “Why Do We Give Valentine Cards?” Why the history of Valentine's Day is so complicated Learn how St. Valentine, an ancient Roman festival, and the poet Geoffrey Chaucer all contribute to the history of Valentine's Day. The English poet Geoffrey Chaucer was the first to record St. Valentine’s Day as a day of romantic celebration in his 1375 poem “Parliament of Fowls,” writing, “For this was sent on Seynt The Feast of Saint Valentine, also known as Saint Valentine's Day, was established by Pope Gelasius I in AD 496 to be celebrated on February 14 in honour of the Christian martyr. [41] A shrine of Saint Valentine in Whitefriar Street Carmelite Church in Dublin, Ireland. February 14 is Saint Valentine's Day in the Lutheran calendar of saints. [12] Two Valentines are listed in the Roman Martyrology for February 14. The first Saint Valentine was a Roman priest who reportedly was martyred on the Flaminian Way during the reign of the Emperor Claudius. The other Saint Valentine was a third-century bishop of Terni who was martyred in Rome but whose relics were sent back to his home see. St. Valentine (died 3rd century, Rome; feast day February 14) was the name of one or two legendary Christian martyrs whose lives seem to have a historical basis. Although the Roman Catholic Church continues to recognize St. Valentine as a saint of the church, he was removed from the General Roman Calendar in 1969 because of the lack of reliable The association of Valentine's Day with love and romance can be traced back to the 14th century, particularly through the works of Geoffrey Chaucer. Chaucer, in his poem "Parliament of Foules," for the first time linked the tradition of courtly love with the feast of St. Valentine, suggesting that birds chose their mates on this particular day. Pope Gelasius declared Feb. 14 as St. Valentine’s Day in 496 AD. It was not until much later, however, that the day became definitively associated with love. Enter poet Geoffrey Chaucer for a Celebrating Valentine’s Day is for the birds. Or maybe, it would be better to say that celebrating Valentine’s Day is from the birds.. At least one explanation of why the Feast of St. Valentine is considered a day for love and romance has to do with what the Catholic Encyclopedia called “a conventional belief generally received in England and France during the Middle Ages, that on Feb Valentine’s Day is a romantic holiday celebrated each year on February 14. Learn about St. Valentine, Valentine's Day quotes and the ancient origins of Valentine's Day. "By 1601, St. Valentine’s Day appears to be an established part of English tradition, as William Shakespeare makes mention of it in Ophelia’s lament in Hamlet: To-morrow is Saint Valentine's Saint Valentine's Legacy and Holiday. Saint Valentine was executed on February 14, around the year 269 AD. Over time, this date became associated with celebrating love and affection, leading to the modern Valentine's Day holiday. In this article, we take a look at the various historical and cultural influences that have shaped Valentine’s Day. From the mysterious figure of Saint Valentine and the ancient Roman festival of Lupercalia to the medieval traditions of courtly love and the commercialization of the holiday in the modern era, we explore how February 14th became the day to celebrate love. The Origins of Saint Valentine and Valentine’s Day Where Did Valentine’s Day Come from in Ireland? Though Ireland didn’t invent Valentine’s Day, it has become an unexpected keeper of its legend thanks to the relics in Dublin. How Did St. Valentine’s Day Originate? The origins of Valentine’s Day are murky, but the most popular story St. Valentine. Valentine’s Day is rooted in the feast day of St. Valentine which honors the martyrs as explained below. When is Valentine’s Day? It is always celebrated on February fourteenth. Learn more about the Communion of Saints and How the Saints Pray for You. Valentine’s Day is often seen as a day of romantic love, but at its heart, it is a celebration of deep, selfless love — the kind of love that reflects Christ. While the world emphasizes romance only, we can use this day to celebrate God’s love, the love of family and friends, and the faith that binds us together. As we approach St. Valentine’s Day, a day celebrated across the world for love and affection, it is an opportune moment to reflect on the deeper meaning of love as envisioned by our Catholic Faith. For those called to the vocation of marriage, the path to this sacrament is not just a pursuit of companionship, but a journey toward sanctity. The story of St. Valentine has much legend and myth surrounding it and the origin of Valentine's Day. We run into problems immediately when we attempt to identify the personhood of Valentine. Although we do have a story of one Valentine above – most likely the most accurate story about the Saint – we have three separate Valentine saints in history, all martyrs. Today, Valentine’s Day is perhaps the most secular holiday named for a Catholic saint. What started as a commemoration of a third-century religious martyr is now a commercialized tradition of romance and candy. But even digging back into the holiday’s past, it’s unclear exactly which St. Valentine was the cause for celebration in the first place. There were up to three saints named The Christianization of Valentine’s Day: Who was Saint Valentine? By the 5th century, Pope Gelasius I abolished Lupercalia and replaced it with Saint Valentine’s feast day on February 14. However, the identity of Saint Valentine is unclear – there are at least three different early Christian martyrs by that name.
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