Home > Holidays > Valentine's Day
History of Valentine's Day
Ever Wonder Who St. Valentine Was? Or why so many people
get all mushy around the second week of February? Here's a brief synopsis:
St. Valentine was actually two people (that weren't romantically involved)
who were martyred on the same day (c. 270). Feasts commemorating them were
celebrated on February 14. One was a priest and physician who died in Rome
during the persecution of Christians by Claudius II Grothicus. The other
was the bishop at Terni, Italy who was also martyred in Rome. Both have been
buried at different places along the Flaminian Way.
So why do people send "valentines" or "love-tokens" to one another on that
day? The origin of that tradition is not thought to have any connection with
the saint's day. Rather it comes from an early European belief that the second
week of February was when birds began to mate. The idea suggests that lovers
should probably exchange notes and gifts on February 14 in conjunction with
what nature practiced.
Nowadays, Valentine's Day is observed as a special day for love and romance.
This topic is one of the oldest, and probably most-discussed, issues in history!
As Christians, we know that love originates from God and that God is love
(1 John 4:16).
Copyright © 1999 by the author or Christianity Today International. For reprint
information call 630-260-6200.
| 
