Every year, February 14 is celebrated as the day of love and romance in memory of Saint Valentine. On this day, we share and express our emotions by giving specially chosen gifts, greetings and flowers. The sentiment of Valentine’s Day fills us with unexpected joy and warmth. But do you know how, why and when it started. Let’s explore the history of Valentine’s Day to make it even more special and meaningful.

According to the Catholic Church, there were three saints named Valentine who were martyred in the name of divine love.

Saint who performs secret marriages:

When Emperor Claudius II restricted the marriages of young men because he believed single men do better in the military than those with wives and families, a saint named Valentine opposed this. He defied the scandalous law and continued to perform secret marriages for young couples. When the secret was revealed, he was imprisoned and killed.

first valentine greeting:

Another legend says that the Roman emperors, even after three hundred years after the death of Jesus Christ, forced people to worship the Roman gods. When a Christian priest named Valentine continued to practice Christianity, he was imprisoned. There he performed a miracle by giving sight to the jailer’s blind daughter. For following Christianity and performing the miracle, he was executed on February 14. The day before his death, he sent a farewell letter to the girl, signing it ‘From your Valentine’. It was the first Valentine’s greeting, which established a tradition of sending greetings, love quotes and poems to loved ones. Today, in the United States, more than a billion cards are sent each year on Valentine’s Day.

Why February?

Valentine was believed to be executed on February 14. To remember him and his teachings of love, Valentine’s Day is celebrated on this date. Another story says that the Romans celebrate the harvest festival of Lupercalia, which was celebrated on February 15. The festival was dedicated to the Roman god of fertility and the founders of the Roman Empire. Celebrating Valentine’s Day on February 14 was the Christian effort to ‘Christianize’ the pagan holiday.

In the Middle Ages it was considered that birds began to mate from February 14. So it was related to love and romance anyway.

gifts

People not only use greetings but also acquire numerous gifts to express their emotions. While flowers, candy, chocolates, stuffed animals, and gift baskets are the usual gifts, many people even choose fine yellow gold sapphire rings, gemstone earrings, watches, vacation packages, and many gifts. luxurious to make it a treasured event of the year.

People also considered it as an auspicious day for engagement and wedding. Little by little, proposing on Valentine’s Day is becoming a trend. Like Christmas and New Year, it is another important day to create important moments.