Chaucer and Shakespeare romanticized it in their work, and it gained popularity throughout Britain and the rest of Europe. The real truth behind the origins of Valentine’s Day may surprise you. It is a day many view to celebrate love and romance. I mean, that's kind of a dark story, and I don’t see anyone celebrating this man who was killed in the name of love (well, of Christianity to be precise). The actual historical figure behind St. Valentine’s Day is unknown. As Rome became increasingly Christian, the festival later morphed into one honouring St Valentine. T his Valentine’s Day you will probably either send or receive a valentine from someone. But we're sharing as much as we know about the topic, including the murky origin of Valentine's Day and its interesting history. But Saint Valentine’s feast day didn’t used to be a big to-do — which should please those who think too much is being made of it now. Who needs chocolate and roses, eh? But it wasn’t always so closely associated with roses and teddy bears. But the festival was more of a theatrical interpretation of what it had once been. Lupercalia was generally regarded as the historical version of date night in which men and women were paired off after men chose a name at random and were either stuck together for the duration of the festival or the rest of their lives. Anyway, all three possible Valentines were associated with extraordinary acts of love and kindness. Every year when February 14th rolls around, many of us celebrate Valentine’s Day. It was once associated with sacrifice and murder. All i know is that it doesn't have a biblical support, so it is not for me! Valentine’s Day really doesn’t make anyone happy. As we celebrate the day, here is looking at an interesting history behind the day. The more popular opinion, which supports the lovey-dovey holiday we know today, is that he was a Roman priest martyred after secretly marrying Christian couples. Valentine's Day Origins: Fox News spoke to expert Nikki Lewis who deals with love year-round to learn more about the heart-filled holiday. The Romans executed two men by that name on Feb. 14 of different years in the 3rd century A.D. They believed this would make them fertile. Think about your favorite holiday — do you know the story behind it? You remember what I’m talking about, when you brought a Valentine for everyone in your class and you walked out of school with a box full of candies and cards that said “Be Mine.” No one felt left out, no one felt ugly, or not loved or unwanted. By Racked Video Feb 6, 2018, 1:43pm EST Even if it's celebrated with parades, barbecues, and gifts, it may have a surprisingly dark history. At least that’s what it seems like now. Court fines Daddy Freeze N5m for committing adultery with Benedicta Elechi while she was still married, Full biography of Nigerian fashion designer Adebayo Oke-Lawal and other facts about him, BBNaija Nengi buys new house in Lekki, Lagos, Queen Elizabeth reacts to Prince Harry and Meghan’s Oprah interview, Nollywood actor Frederick Leonard blasts fan over marriage advice, Full biography of Nigerian singer Bella Shmurda and other facts about him, Full biography of Nigerian singer Omah Lay and other facts about him, Full biography of Nigerian singer Zinoleesky and other facts about him. The men sacrificed a goat and a dog, then whipped women with the hides of the animals they had just slain. Valentine’s day is a secular celebration despite being connected to the western Christian church. And you will know what God expects you to do about it! Celebrated all over the world, among all age groups, this day is regarded as an appreciation for love and romance. Originating in ancient Roman times, the feast of Lupercalia was a pagan festival held on February 15. Senator Wants to Judge your Social Media History Before You Can Buy a Gun; And Now the Gun Regulation Debate Begins…Again, and it’s Wrong. So there you have it: the bizarre historical twists and turns that have led us to this point. Ola – The Tale of a Young Moon Maiden by Daniel Nkado. Eventually, the tradition made its way to the New World. Perry-Castañeda Library, University of Texas, How Chocolate Became A Sweet (But Not So Innocent) Consort To Valentine's Day, Americans Lost $143 Million In Online Relationship Scams Last Year, Be Mine? Valentine's Day is a celebration that happens on February 14. That didn't stop it from being a day of fertility and love.". What you may not know are the roots behind it. The origins of St Valentine’s identity are equally murky as Claudius II beheaded two men of the same name, on February 14, in the third century. In this festival, several priests, and other men, made up an order referred to as Luperci. Why the Confederate Statues Must Stand; You’ve Heard of the Tea Party and You Know What We Stand For. There’s a true-life story. Again, the romance is palpable. Valentine’s Day is celebrated annually throughout the world, on February 14. It is the day of the year when lovers celebrate their love. Lenski adds, "It was a little more of a drunken revel, but the Christians put clothes back on it. Perry-Castañeda Library, University of Texas But that commercialization has spoiled the day for many. 14th of February, a day we all exchange gifts, greetings, and affection with our beloved(s) is not all that it looks […] It was once associated with sacrifice and murder. From Feb. 13 to 15, the Romans celebrated the feast of Lupercalia. Valentine’s Day: The Dark, Romantic History Behind This “Hallmark Holiday” Chris Foster. Your email address will not be published. Around the same time, the Normans celebrated Galatin's Day. Here is the fascinating story of the dark history behind what made February 14 the love-fest it is today. "If people didn't want to buy Hallmark cards, they would not be bought, and Hallmark would go out of business.". Valentine's Day Origins: From Cupid to Chaucer. Claudius was not a liked man, and soon began to have trouble recruiting good soldiers for his army. Young women would actually line up for the men to hit them, Lenski says. Jan 17, 2020 - Explore Valentines Day News's board "History of Valentines Day" on Pinterest. Learn of the holiday's dark origins in ancient civilizations and throughout history. Galatin meant "lover of women." Soon, people began penning and exchanging love letters to celebrate Valentine's Day, and by the early 1910s, an American company that would one day become Hallmark began distributing its more official "Valentine's Day cards." Caitlin McBride is the executive editor of Independent Style, Ireland’s biggest news site. William Shakespeare helped romanticize Valentine's Day in his work, and it gained popularity throughout Britain and the rest of Europe. The brutal fete included a matchmaking lottery, in which young men drew the names of women from a jar. But the origins of this festival of candy and cupids are actually dark, bloody — and a bit muddled. The Catholic Church recognizes three different saints named Valentine, each of which was Christian martyrs under ancient Roman rule.One legend suggests that Valentine was a Christian priest in the 3rd century under Emperor Claudius II. Vondechii's Vault: A Wicked Concoction of Witchy Wellness, Public Health and Black Girl Magic Why the Confederate Statues Must Stand; You’ve Heard of the Tea Party and You Know What We Stand For. hide caption. “It was a little more of a drunken revel, but the Christians put clothes back on it. But ironically, this day of roses, chocolates, and heart-shaped cards has a dark history. Can’t Vote Democrat? How did St. Valentine become associated with love and romance? This can be done by giving flowers, chocolates, Valentine's cards or just a nice gift. The ancient Romans may also be responsible for the name of our modern day of love. The DARK history behind Valentine’s Day by Caitlin McBride For some, Valentine’s Day is a chance to embrace commercialism and guilt your partner into a date night; for others, it’s a reminder of another day they’d rather not to be single and for the rest, it’s an annual memorial of drunken debauchery dating back to Ancient Rome. However, the history behind the Valentine’s Day traditions vary from source to source. SweetHeart Candies Hard To Find This Valentine's Day, Between Love And Hate: A Valentine's Day Playlist. William Shakespeare helped romanticize Valentine's Day in his work, and it gained popularity throughout Britain and the rest of Europe. A story that most people believe to be true is that the Catholic Church took the festival of Lupercalia, which was celebrated in mid-February, and “Christianized” it in order to celebrate St. Valentine. This year, while making plans to celebrate, consider the dark history and global traditions behind the day of love. The Story of Saint Valentine. From the billions of dollars spent to the number of babies born, Valentine's Day is more than what it seems. The Vacuums And Fallacies of Adichie’s Feminism. Valentine's Day is a time to celebrate romance and love and kissy-face fealty. Me Too. Valentine’s Day, in fact, originated as a liturgical feast to celebrate the decapitation of a third-century Christian martyr, or perhaps two. The industrial revolution ushered in factory-made cards in the 19th century. Your email address will not be published. However, the legend behind the Valentine's Day celebration has not been about love and couples since time immemorial. Strange traditions, pagan rituals, and grisly executions abound. February has not been the same since. The most popular theory relates back to the ancient Roman festival of Lupercalia, which involved the incredibly romantic ritual of goat sacrifice, followed by naked men whipping women with the remains of the blood-soaked goat in order to improve fertility. Handmade paper cards became the tokens-du-jour in the Middle Ages. Labor Day, for example, is celebrated with a day off work and a final barbecue before the end of summer, but it was created in 1894 after a bloody strike. Go to the Bible. The Romans executed two men by that name on Feb. 14 of different years in the 3rd century A.D. Feel Trapped? The Roman romantics "were drunk. Today, the holiday is big business: According to market research firm IBIS World, Valentine's Day sales reached $17.6 billion last year; this year's sales are expected to total $18.6 billion. The story behind Valentine’s Day begins in the third century, when Emperor Claudius II Gothicus, who was nicknamed Claudius the Cruel, ruled the Roman Empire. Think about your favorite holiday — do you know the story behind it? Helen Fisher, a sociologist at Rutgers University, says we have only ourselves to blame. The existence of Valentine's Day was not before the 14th century. That was likely confused with St. Valentine's Day at some point, in part because they sound alike. Who knows? And in 1913, Hallmark Cards of Kansas City, Mo., began mass producing valentines. Home of Nigerian Entertainment News, Articles and Stories. The Dark History Behind Your Valentine’s Day Lingerie Before February 14th was about shopping, it was about animal sacrifice and whipping. It involved the sacrifice of goats and dogs and actually included the men whipping the women with the hides of the sacrificed animals. Sick of Spineless RINOs? But just like many of our holidays, there’s a lot more behind it than just cards and gifts. But why is February 14th As the years went on, the holiday grew sweeter. Love notes can be given to one another. Many will break the bank buying jewelry and flowers for their beloveds. For some, Valentine’s Day is a chance to embrace commercialism and guilt your partner into a date night; for others, it’s a reminder of another day they’d rather not to be single and for the rest, it’s an annual memorial of drunken debauchery dating back to Ancient Rome. Though no one has pinpointed the exact origin of the holiday, one good place to start is ancient Rome, where men hit on women by, well, hitting them. Share on Facebook Pin . https://dnbstories.com/2018/02/the-dark-history-behind-valentines-day.html Follow Caitlin McBride on Twitter @mcbride_caitlin. That didn’t stop it from being a day of fertility and love,” he said. Required fields are marked *. To find out more about the fascinating history of this holiday, check out the video below! Let's know about them. A drawing depicts the death of St. Valentine — one of them, anyway. But let's not go there. That didn’t stop it from being a day of fertility and love,” he said. Fast forward to present day, and over 1 billion cards are sent every Valentine's Day. - Story Behind The Origin of Valentine's Day… Hulton Archive/Getty Images Introducing, The Wedge Party. Next time you hear someone say Hallmark created Valentine's Day, enjoy the look on their face as you tell them all about how naked dudes used to run around with bloody lamb skin whips. If you're not faint of heart, though, you'll enjoy learning about everything we've compiled here. Buzz60’s Taisha Henry has the story. Such a glorious excuse to dwell on love and romance. Ask anyone what colour they associate Valentine's Day with and chances are they'll say red - the colour sparks connotations with everything from roses to love hearts, but the reason behind why the colour red and Valentine's Day are so intertwined could have a far more sinister undertone.. A few may even be spending this day the same way the early Romans did. In my opinion, Valentine’s Day reached its prime in elementary school. Others will celebrate in a SAD (that's Single Awareness Day) way, dining alone and binging on self-gifted chocolates. Valentine's Day hasn't always been associated with romance. Historian Noel Lenski, told National Public Radio in 2011 that it was made into a Christian holiday in the fifth century. The Feast of Lupercalia. How science has proven that women are stronger than men! This is the story behind Valentine's day. Valentine’s Day wasn’t always known as the day of love. What isn’t clear to this day is exactly who Valentine was. It started with a bunch of drunken, nude Romans. https://www.npr.org/2011/02/14/133693152/the-dark-origins-of-valentines-day Whether you believe these tales or not, the fact of the matter is Valentine’s Day seems to be much more than a commercial celebration. Later, Pope Gelasius I muddled things in the 5th century by combining St. Valentine's Day with Lupercalia to expel the pagan rituals. And so the celebration of Valentine's Day goes on, in varied ways. Can’t Vote Democrat? More than a billion are expected to be given away in the United States alone. Sick of Spineless RINOs? Go to history books and encyclopedias. Here's the story. Buzz60’s Taisha Henry has the story. The new super HOT photos of Michael B. Jordan everyone is talking about! The exact origins of Valentine’s Day still remain a mystery, but historians agree its roots date back to thousands of years. They were naked," says Noel Lenski, a historian at the University of Colorado at Boulder. N owadays, the premise of Valentine’s Day is simple to understand: Feb. 14 is a time to show appreciation for friends, families, significant others and anyone else you might love. Valentine’s Past. Shutterstock. Valentine’s Day -- the holiday made for a Hallmark movie. This year, while making plans to celebrate, consider the dark history and global traditions behind the day of love. For years, the day is mainly celebrated by couples who express their feelings towards each other and mark a romantic journey together. Flowers, candy, jewelry, and more followed, and the rest, of course, is history. Nope. "This isn't a command performance," she says. Today, Valentine's Day means big business for card, flower, and candy companies. “It was a little more of a drunken revel, but the Christians put clothes back on it. Or is it? Even if it's celebrated with parades, barbecues, and gifts, it may have a surprisingly dark history. Feel Trapped? Regardless, he (or they as the case may be) was subsequently sainted by the Catholic Church. A drawing depicts the death of St. Valentine — one of them, anyway. Labor Day, for example, is celebrated with a day off work and a final barbecue before the end of summer, but it was created in 1894 after a bloody strike. Various stories run around the origin of Valentine's Day. See more ideas about valentines, valentines day history, valentine history. Senator Wants to Judge your Social Media History Before You Can Buy a Gun; And Now the Gun Regulation Debate Begins…Again, and it’s Wrong. The couple would then be, um, coupled up for the duration of the festival — or longer, if the match was right. Valentine's Day has a long and complex history that involves several Christian saints, an ancient Pagan festival, and a dedicated card-maker. Ah, Valentine’s Day. Introducing, The Wedge Party. Valentine’s Day wasn’t always known as the day of love. This dark twisted world of Valentine’s Day cards took me by storm so I continued hunting for unusual cards and found some swastika-stamped cards to bring my research full circle. hide caption. Emperor Claudius II executed two men — both named Valentine — on Feb. 14 of different years in the 3rd century A.D. Their martyrdom was honored by the Catholic Church with the celebration of St. Valentine's Day. Then you will know the real truth behind St. Valentine’s Day. Valentine's Day is a celebration of love. Cupid isn’t the only element of this lovey-dovey holiday with an unexpected origin. Its backstory—though not confirmed—is actually quite dark and even a bit bloody. Comment document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "acffaf9e56e4da5561db5df5933167e2" );document.getElementById("dfbc34c436").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. We know he was either a priest or a bishop, however there are three possible Valentine’s documented in history which fit the known description of St. Valentine. That's right, Valentine's Day did not start out with poems and chocolates. This is the surprisingly dark history of Valentine’s Day you never knew.. How Cupid evolved. It all started with naked Romans. For most people, Valentine's Day means handwritten heart-shaped notes, and thoughtful gifts of flowers or jewelry; most importantly, time spent with a loved one.
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