The origins of St Valentines Day

 The origins of Valentines Day

The origins of Valentine’s Day trace back through layers of ancient traditions, Christian martyrdom, medieval poetry, and evolving cultural customs, rather than a single straightforward event. While popularly linked to ancient Roman fertility rites and a heroic saint, modern scholarship shows the romantic holiday we recognise today emerged much later

One of the most frequently cited ancient influences is the Roman festival of Lupercalia, celebrated around February 15 (with festivities spanning February 13–15) as early as the 6th century BCE. 

This was a purification and fertility ritual dedicated to Faunus (the god of agriculture and the wild) and honouring the mythological she-wolf who nursed Romulus and Remus, Rome’s legendary founders. The rites included dramatic and visceral elements: priests (Luperci) sacrificed a goat and sometimes a dog, smeared blood on their foreheads, then ran nearly naked through the streets whipping women with thongs made from the animal hides. The act was believed to promote fertility, ward off evil, and ensure purification. Some accounts describe a matchmaking lottery where men drew women’s names to pair off for the festival period or longer. These practices were rowdy, public, and tied to spring’s arrival and renewal.

As Christianity spread through the Roman Empire, church leaders sought to replace pagan observances with Christian ones. In 496 CE, Pope Gelasius I condemned Lupercalia and removed it from the calendar. He established February 14 as the feast day of Saint Valentine (or Valentinus), though evidence does not clearly indicate this was a deliberate replacement for Lupercalia’s fertility themes. The timing may have been coincidental, as the Lupercalia festival had already begun declining by the late 5th century. The direct link between the two is now considered a later speculation by 18th- and 19th-century scholars rather than a well-documented historical fact.

Who was Saint Valentine? Historical records are sparse and contradictory, with at least two or three martyrs named Valentine associated with February 14. The most common legend centers on a 3rd-century priest (or possibly bishop) executed around 269–270 CE under Emperor Claudius II Gothicus. One popular story claims he secretly married Christian couples despite an imperial ban on soldiers marrying (to keep them focused on battle), and another says he restored sight to his jailer’s blind daughter, sending her a farewell note signed “from your Valentine.” These romantic embellishments appeared centuries later; early accounts focus simply on his martyrdom for aiding persecuted Christians. The Catholic Church eventually removed Valentine’s Day from its general calendar in 1969 due to the uncertain historical details, though he is still commemorated in some traditions.

The transformation into a celebration of romantic love occurred in the Middle Ages, far removed from Roman rites or early martyrdom stories. In 14th-century England, Geoffrey Chaucer first explicitly connected February 14 to romance in his poem The Parliament of Fowls (c. 1382), describing birds choosing mates on “Seynt Valentynes day.” This tied into medieval beliefs that birds began pairing in mid-February, symbolising the start of spring and courtship. Courtly love traditions flourished, with “valentines” referring to lovers or sweethearts. By the 15th century, the custom of drawing names to select a “valentine” for the year emerged in England and France, often involving gifts or duties like paying for expenses.

Printed valentines appeared in the 18th and 19th centuries, evolving into mass-produced cards in the Victorian era, especially after advances in printing and postal systems. Commercialism accelerated in the 20th century, turning the day into a global occasion for flowers, chocolates, jewellery , and expressions of affection.

In summary, Valentine’s Day has no single origin but represents a fascinating blend of elements: ancient Roman fertility customs (with debatable direct influence), Christian commemoration of martyrdom, and medieval European literary and folk traditions that shifted the focus to romantic love. What began with animal sacrifice and purification rites has become a worldwide symbol of affection, demonstrating how holidays adapt and accumulate new meanings over centuries.