Valentine's Day

The origin of Valentine’s Day is a mystery. There are numerous stories surrounding the day and where and when it originated.

It is widely believed that Valentine’s Day is a combination of Christian and Roman celebrations.

The Roman celebration of Lupercalia was dedicated to Faunus, god of agriculture, and Romulus and Remus. It was celebrated on February 15, the ides of March.

It is believed the Catholic Church used the day to celebrate the death, or burial, of St. Valentine. Lupercalia was outlawed at the end of the 5th century by Pope Gelasius, who named February 14 the official St. Valentine’s Day.

Valentine’s Day did not become known for romance until the Middle Ages when France and England associated it with the first day of bird mating season. Geoffrey Chaucer first wrote about the romance of St. Valentine’s Day in his 1375 poem “Parliament of Foules.”

Written Valentines did not appear until after the 1400s. 

By the middle of the 1700s it became common for friends and lovers of all classes to exchange small gifts and written notes for Valentine’s Day. By 1900 printed cards began replacing handwritten notes.

Today it is estimated that more than 145 million Valentine’s cards are sent each year.