Happy Valentine’s Day! Whether you have a valentine, are going to a Galantines/Palatines party, or whatever you’re doing, hopefully you’re having fun during this heart-filled day. I know that might not be the case all the time, but if you’re a history buff (or you are just stuck without a valentine), you might want to know just how Valentine’s Day came to be and how its more than just about that love-y dove-y stuff
The events of the actual St. Valentine were so long ago that not a lot is known about his life, other than the fact he ended up being beheaded. There are a few different stories about him, but in honor of the way the holiday is now, the more love-y dove-y one seems the most appropriate for this article.
Way, way back in third century Rome, there was a clergyman called Valentino who was a minister to persecuted Christians. At the time, as legend goes, the Roman emperor Claudius II was super strict and believed marriage was a distraction to soldiers from being successful in battle. He ended up outlawing marriage for soldiers in general. This had couples scared and outraged because they were denied something important to them. However, Valentino was already breaking the law by being Christian, so he decided to risk his life to officiate marriages during this time. His deeds gained traction and he was eventually caught and executed.
The church recognized him as a saint with his day of feast being February 14th (the day he kicked the bucket), but it wasn’t until hundreds of years later in the 14th and 15th century that the holiday started getting popular and associated with love.
The coming of spring was typically celebrated around Valentine’s Day, and that season was already associated with romance due to it being the beginning of mating season for many species (including some humans). In fact, people would write valentine’s Poetry and held days of feast around that time.
The rebirth of the Valentine’s Day (as we know) and love in modern times, likely stemmed from how in the late 18th early 19th century people would give and receive elaborately decorated love letters. This practice became more widespread with the evolution of the mail system. Eventually one was able to simply buy and send cheaper manufactured cards to their Valentine. The pop culture of Valentine’s Day during the 80’s and 90’s made its way to even elementary school aged children. Children started participating in a fun class activity where valentine’s cards and candies were distributed to their whole class and the room would be decorated. As time went on and these kids got older, they would go to galantines and palatines parties and/or spend the day with their significant other, or their “Valentine.” It also became a very capitalized holiday due to the consumption of heart themed everything: flowers, chocolates, decorations, etc. The media pushes this part of Valentine’s Day, and if anything, that is why it is so popular and relevant today. Its an interesting butterfly effect in the way that a dude getting beheaded lead to a day of celebrating love and eating candy.
About the Contributor
Alma Aranda, Staff Writer
Alma Victoria Aranda is currently a (very tall) junior who wants to dye her hair again. She is always cold, so you can always find her in like seven hoodies and two jackets.