History of Valentines Day

Learning the Valentines Day history will help you appreciate the holiday all the more, in addition to enhancing your experience when making Valentine arts and crafts projects.

Read the facts and legends below about St Valentine and his special day.

Who was Saint Valentine?

The Catholic Church recognizes at least three saints named Valentine, or Valentinus. All three died as martyrs. One was a priest in Africa. Not much else is known about him, and it is doubtful that he is the Valentine associated with the celebration of Saint Valentine's Day.

That honor almost certainly goes to one -- or possibly to both -- of the other two Valentines discussed here. One was a priest who resided in Rome and the other was a Bishop who resided in Interamna (now known as Terni) in Italy. At least one of them also was executed in Rome. Both lived in the Third Century during the reign of the same Roman emperor, Claudius II (Claudius the Cruel), and are believed to have died on the same day -- February 14, 269 A.D.

Therefore, some authorities believe that these two Saint Valentines actually were the same person and that the priest Valentinus in Rome became the bishop Valentinus in Interamna and was sentenced there in Internamna before being returned to Rome for execution.

Why was Saint Valentine Executed?

Most sources contend that St. Valentine was martyred for refusing to give up Christianity and for attempting to help other Christians escape harsh Roman prisons where they were often beaten and tortured.

According to some legends, another reason why Valentine was executed was be because he secretly married couples.

Under the rule of Claudius II, Rome experienced economic problems and also was involved in many bloody and unpopular campaigns. Faced with turmoil and revolt, the emperor had difficulty recruiting soldiers into his army.

Claudius decided that the reason was that men did not want to leave their loved ones or families. He therefore outlawed marriage for young men, and canceled all marriages and engagements in Rome, hoping to build a strong army of single men.

Valentine (and another martyr, Saint Marius) defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages in secret. When Valentine's actions were discovered, Claudius had him jailed and ordered that he be put to death.

According to some sources, Valentine was condemned to be clubbed, stoned, and beheaded.

The legend goes that many young people came to the prison to see Valentine after his arrest and, being denied entrance, cheered him from outside the prison walls.

History of Valentines Day Cards

According to legend, Valentine sent the first "valentine" message himself. While waiting in prison for his execution, he sent letters and loving notes to his parishioners.

According to other traditions, when Valentine was in prison, he was befriended by, and perhaps fell in love with, a young woman who visited him.

(In some stories, her name was Julia and she was the blind daughter of Valentine's guard, Asterius. It is said that God enabled Valentine to miraculously restore the young woman's sight.)

Before he was executed on February 14, 269 A.D., Valentine wrote the young woman a letter which he signed "From your Valentine."

Charles, Duke of Orleans, also is credited with starting the written valentine. While he was imprisoned in 1415, he wrote love poems to his wife.

In the United States, Esther Howland is given credit for sending the first valentine cards.

Commercial valentines were introduced in the 1800s.

I hope you have found the history of Valentines Day interesting.

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