{"id":857712,"date":"2022-02-11T15:57:00","date_gmt":"2022-02-11T14:57:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/?p=857712"},"modified":"2022-10-06T16:29:08","modified_gmt":"2022-10-06T15:29:08","slug":"history-behind-valentines-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/history-behind-valentines-day\/","title":{"rendered":"The unromantic history behind Valentine&#8217;s Day"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>While Valentine\u2019s Day conjures up images of chocolate hearts, red roses and indulgent dinners out, this happy holiday conceals a dark and mysterious past. From a bloody pagan fertility festival to the heart-swelling 14 February many cherish today \u2013 we uncover the true history behind Valentine\u2019s day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-history-behind-valentine-s-day-starts-with-the-lupercalia-pagan-festival\">The history behind Valentine&#8217;s Day starts with the Lupercalia pagan festival&#8230;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1013\" height=\"756\" src=\"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/2022\/02\/celtic_otherworld_273658954_677716710048815_918359851703572270_n.webp_.jpg\" alt=\"Lupercalia pagan festival\" class=\"wp-image-857718\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/celtic_otherworld_273658954_677716710048815_918359851703572270_n.webp_.jpg 1013w, https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/celtic_otherworld_273658954_677716710048815_918359851703572270_n.webp_-330x246.jpg 330w, https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/celtic_otherworld_273658954_677716710048815_918359851703572270_n.webp_-80x60.jpg 80w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1013px) 100vw, 1013px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The history behind Valentine&#8217;s Day dates back to pagan festival of Lupercalia, first held in the 3<sup>rd<\/sup> century BC (13-15 February). Now\u2019s the time to look away if you\u2019re squeamish. People gathered in caves here. Where men stripped naked and sacrificed goats and dogs to the fertility gods. Next, they picked up strips of hides from these sacrificed animals and whipped young women with them. Far from being disgusted, these women would line up \u2013 ready for the hit \u2013 believing it will grant them fertility and ward off evil spirits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Today many of us meet lovers through friends and dating apps. But Lupercalia\u2019s pagan tradition was a little different. All young women placed a their names in a huge urn or jar. The city\u2019s bachelors then picked out a name and would be joined with that woman for the year. Believe it or not, evidence suggests these matches often ended in marriage! Ancient romance, eh?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>5<sup>th <\/sup>century: Pope Gelasius I creates a day for St Valentines<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"579\" height=\"579\" src=\"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/2022\/02\/maria_virgopotens_150403026_999489133792844_3804916405386198038_n.jpg\" alt=\"Saint Valentine\" class=\"wp-image-857719\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/maria_virgopotens_150403026_999489133792844_3804916405386198038_n.jpg 579w, https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/maria_virgopotens_150403026_999489133792844_3804916405386198038_n-330x330.jpg 330w, https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/maria_virgopotens_150403026_999489133792844_3804916405386198038_n-125x125.jpg 125w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 579px) 100vw, 579px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The pagan festival was immensely popular. So popular it still existed for a time even after Christianity became an official religion in the Roman Empire. But in the 5<sup>th<\/sup> century, Pope Gelasius I banned Lupercalia to prevent people slipping back into pagan ways. Instead, he created a day honouring Saint Valentine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Debates around the history behind Valentine&#8217;s Day swirl around which Valentine is honoured. This is because the Catholic Church records three different Valentine\u2019s Saints all martyred in the 3<sup>rd<\/sup> century. Yet the majority believe it was the true Saint Valentine was a man whom secretly married young couples. In direct opposition to  Roman Emperor Claudius Gothicus\u2019 II ban on young marriage. He was consequently executed on 269 A.D. as a martyr. And after doing his bit for love.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em><strong>RELATED CONTENT: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/holidays-february\/\">Need inspiration for holiday&#8217;s in February? Here&#8217;s where to go<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Medieval poetry and bird mating &#8211; why 14 February<\/strong>?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" src=\"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/2022\/02\/v-kiss.jpeg\" alt=\"bird mating\" class=\"wp-image-857714\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/v-kiss.jpeg 800w, https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/v-kiss-330x220.jpeg 330w, https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/v-kiss-360x240.jpeg 360w, https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/v-kiss-600x400.jpeg 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>During the Middle Ages, influential writers William Shakespeare and Geoffrey Chaucer made references to Saint Valentine\u2019s day as a day for lovers. In fact, Chaucer\u2019s poem \u2018The Parlement of Foules\u2019 (written 1380-90) mentions the goddess Nature paired off all the birds on &#8220;Seint Valentynes&#8221; day. A day for lovebirds (and now humans too), 14 February became strongly associated with romance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>1415: the history behind the Valentine\u2019s day card<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"691\" src=\"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/2022\/02\/valentine-card-2-1024x691.jpeg\" alt=\"Valentine's Day card\" class=\"wp-image-857721\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/valentine-card-2-1024x691.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/valentine-card-2-330x223.jpeg 330w, https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/valentine-card-2.jpeg 1400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Across the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Mexico, France and Australia  \u2013 the love-struck beseech others with cards of affection. Often signing off with \u2018Your Valentine\u2019. While couples exchange cards and other gifts. However, the first Valentine\u2019s Day card is a tragic tale. While imprisoned in the Tower of London in 1415, Charles Duke of Orl\u00e9ans sent a love poem to his wife \u2013 referring to her \u2018Valentine\u2019. A sad history behind Valentine&#8217;s day cards for what has become an iconic tradition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em><strong>GET INSPIRED BY: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/ways-to-go\/honeymoon-romantic-holidays\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Romantic tours with Trafalgar<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Gift giving 1800\u2019s and 1900\u2019s traditions<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/2022\/02\/RED-ROSES-2-1024x682.jpeg\" alt=\"red roses\" class=\"wp-image-857723\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/RED-ROSES-2-1024x682.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/RED-ROSES-2-330x220.jpeg 330w, https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/RED-ROSES-2-360x240.jpeg 360w, https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/RED-ROSES-2-600x400.jpeg 600w, https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/RED-ROSES-2.jpeg 1400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>In the 1800\u2019s, Valentine\u2019s cards were mass produced commercially and the holiday continued to emerge from its dark past into a beloved feast day. This continued in the 1900s when Valentine\u2019s products were sold to the middle classes in particular. During this century, Valentine&#8217;s Day became firmly embedded in the yearly calendar. Today everyone does a little something on 14 February. From a tasty take-out for one to a romantic trip to Venice or Paris. Has the history behind Valentine&#8217;s Day made you rethink how you&#8217;re celebrating this year?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>What surprised you most about the history behind Valentine\u2019s Day? Tell us in the comments below!<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>While Valentine\u2019s Day conjures up images of chocolate hearts, red roses and indulgent dinners out, this happy holiday conceals a dark and mysterious past. From a bloody pagan fertility festival to the heart-swelling 14 February many cherish today \u2013 we uncover the true history behind Valentine\u2019s day. The history behind Valentine&#8217;s Day starts with the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":73,"featured_media":857725,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[4910],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-857712","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-inspiration"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.2 (Yoast SEO v27.3) - 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