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Valentine's Daya brief history |
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Valentine's Daya brief history |
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| Valentines began in ancient Rome. Boys drew girls' names from a love urn on February 14. The boy spent the next day with girl who's name he had drawn on the next day called Lupercalia or the Feast of Purification. Cupid, the arrow and the heart stem from this tradition. This custom continued through the centuries. |
| St. Valentine was a bishop of Rome who was martyred on February 14, 270 AD. The Roman emperor Claudius II made getting married illegal. He blamed families and love for many men not desiring to join his army. Bishop Valentine believed in love! He married people anyway, even though it was illegal. Claudius II ordered Valentine beheaded for breaking the law. |
| In 496 A.D. Pope Gelasius renamed Lupercalia to St. Valentines Day. The church was trying to get rid of pagan holidays, back then. We now honor the patron Saint of love on the February 14th. The dove is a symbol used for Valentines day. |
| The paper Valentine card along with its sentimental verses began in the 1400's. |
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Valentine Be Mine! is another source of the history of Valentines. They do a good job with the symbols.
Annies Valentines History outlines Valentines customs around the world.
