By PAULINA MATA/Staff Writer
Chocolates, roses and teddy bears are a few hallmarks of Valentine’s Day. The holiday of romance is known for heartfelt gestures from loved ones, but it hasn’t always been this way. In fact, the origins of Valentine’s Day may have involved gestures of another kind: violence.
Origins
Valentine’s Day is celebrated Feb. 14. Most stories credit Saint Valentine as the holiday’s namesake, however, the exact origin story is unclear.
Around 270 A.D., Emperor Claudius II of Rome outlawed marriages for young couples, thinking single men made better soldiers. According to History.com, One myth claims Valentine, a priest, defied the decree and continued marrying young couples in secret. When Claudius found out, Valentine was sentenced to torture and death. He was beaten by clubs and decapitated on Feb. 14.
Another story claims Valentine helped Christians escape Roman prisons, earning his own imprisonment and death. Before he died, Valentine is said to have written a love letter to his jailor’s daughter, signed, “from your Valentine”.
Valentine was made a saint by the church afterwards for his service to Christianity.
Even though the varying myths of Saint Valentine end in execution and martyrdom, his secret elopements and farewell letters were possibly the first acts of romance in the name of Valentine.
TRADITIONS
Feb. 14 became St. Valentine’s Day in the 5th century, to commemorate its patron. It wasn’t until the Middle Ages, though, that Valentine’s Day was associated with romance.
In 1375, Geoffrey Chaucer was the first to reference Valentine’s Day as a romantic day in his poem “Parliament of Foules“, according to History.com.
Valentine’s Day cards are a staple for the holiday. Written Valentine’s began to appear in the 1400’s. Charles, Duke of Orleans, wrote a poem for his wife while he was imprisoned in 1415, which is the oldest still existing valentine we know of.
The first heart-shaped box chocolates was believed to be sold by Richard Cadbury, an English chocolate-maker, in the 1800s. The boxes were elaborately decorated and made to be used afterwards for storage.
MODERN DAY
Regardless of its origin, Valentine’s Day is celebrated worldwide. However, the way we celebrate today differs from person to person.
Lovers exchange letters, a rite started by Saint Valentine. Those bitter about a lonely Feb. 14 may choose to spend the day watching cheesy rom-coms and eating out of ice cream tubs.
“Galentine’s Day” is a fun and friendly spin on the holiday where a group of friends – typically girls, spend the day before Valentine’s Day together. It honors the platonic relationships, emphasizing the importance of friendship.
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