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How Did Saint Valentine's Day Develop

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[[File:Saint Valentine by Bassano.jpg|thumbnail|left|300px|Saint Valentine as depcited by Bassano.]]
Saint Valentine's Day is widely celebrated in the Western world as a day of love and romantic relationships. While this tradition does go far back and has connections to early Christian traditions, there are also more complex links with pre-Christian holidays that were likely changed or modified into Saint Valentine's Day traditions.
====Early History====
The story of Saint Valentine does have a direct link to one or several early saints called Valentine (Figure 1). Many traditions have developed around this holiday, and most likely there were multiple traditions that were integrated as original records were lost. One of those traditions state that Valentines was a priest in Rome martyred for defying Claudius II, who had decreed his soldiers would not marry. He may have tried to marry soldiers in secret and when the emperor found out he had him executed. The heart may have been a symbol of love between the pair and this could have become a love symbol. Other scholars, however, dispute that such an edict would have ever been done by an emperor. Another story states Valentine tried to help Christians escape and he was imprisoned after he was caught. He eventually may have fallen in love with his jailor's daughter and he sent the first "valentine" to her. He may have greeted her by saying "Your Valentine" and this is where using valentine as part of the Valentine Day greeting may have originated. Another idea is that Valentine of Terni , who was a Christian bishop , who was martyred in 273 during persecutions. There is a legend that he married a young pagan soldier with a young Christian woman. On hearing his wife was dying, he the soldier converted to Christianity so that he could be bounded with her forever and then he subsequently diedshortly after his wife's death.<ref>For more on the early saints associated with Valentine's Day, see: Sabuda, R. (1999). <i>Saint Valentine</i>. Aladdin. </ref>
We do know that Saint Valentine's Day was a feast day that likely celebrated a Christian saint and had developed when Pope Gelasius in the late 5th century CE declared the that February 14th as would be the feast dayassociated with the saint. However, the motives for this and stories associated with Saint Valentine suggest there may have been some other motives for thisearlier influences on the tradition. What we do know is that many early Christian traditions and feast days were often created to be similar to pagan festivals, as it helped early converts in transitioning to the new religion. Saint Valentine's Day may have not been different. The Lupercalia celebrations were a festival held on February 15th in honor of fertility and dedicated to the Roman god Faunus. The celebration may have also focused on the mythical founding of Rome by Romulus and Remus and how they were raised by a she-wolf. Goats would be sacrificed and the blood from goats, along with the hide, would be dragged and slapped or sprinkled on crops and women. This would bring women and crops luck in fertility. One legend stated that in this celebration, single women and men were sometimes paired and these matches often ended in marriage. However, some authors dispute its association with love between people. While it is possible that Pope Gelasius by the end of the 5th century CE saw Lupercalia as un-Christian and his declaration of Saint Valentine's Day on February 14th may have been intended to replace the pre-Christian holiday by combing some of the ideas of Lupercalia with a saint story, this is also uncertain.<ref>For more on how the Saint Valentine's traditions may have evolved between pre-Christian and later Christian traditions, see: Pogue, C. (1996). T<i>reasury of celebrations</i>. Kelowna, B.C.: Northstone, pg. 132</ref>
====Later Developments====[[File:Saint Valentine by BassanoCourt of Love in Provence in the Fourteenth Century Manuscript of the National Library of Paris.jpgpng|thumbnail|Saint left|Figure 2. Depiction of the Charter of the Court of Love that may have influenced Valentine as depcited by Bassano's Day traditions.]]In Saxon England, young men or boys would often give women of their affections small gifts that included gloves. The fact that Saint Valentine's Day is near spring and foreshadowed it could have made it more festive in association with love. In some regions, Saint Valentine's Day began to be associated with spring since it was often the time people began to rework in their fields in preparing for the planting season. However, these events did not associate the day directly with love. Although the Roman and other stories associated with Saint Valentine could have connected the day with love, other later traditions may have further added to this idea. Geoffrey Chaucer, the famous early English author, wrote that the time was associated with birds beginning to pair themselves. In effect, it was a time of pairing and matches and associations of this to humans may have begun around that time.<ref>For more on early Medieval traditions of Saint Valentine's Day, see: Diehl, D., & Donnelly, M. (2011). <i>Medieval celebrations: your guide to planning and hosting spectacular feasts, parties, weddings, and renaissance fairs</i> (2nd ed). Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books.</ref>
==Later Developments==<dh-ad/>
In Saxon England1400, Charles VI of France commissioned <i>Charter of the Court of Love </i>, young men or boys which was a charter where on February 14th contests would often give women be held related to love songs and poetry readings about love (Figure 2). While the accuracy of the story of this are not certain, what we do know is by the 15th century people did begin to wish their affections small gifts that included glovesbeloved valentine greetings. The fact that Saint developments around this time made have made chivalrous acts between maidens and single men and Valentine's Day is near spring and foreshadowed it could have made it more festiveassociated. The Duke of Orléans, who was captured in battle against the English, wished his wife a sweet valentine. In some regionsEngland, Saint Valentine's Day also began to be associated with spring since it gifts of sweets for children. It was often during the time Medieval period that young people began put the names of the person they wanted to rework in marry on their fields sleeves, which has come to us in preparing for the planting seasonexpression of putting your heart on your sleeve. HoweverIn the 15th century, these events cards may have begun to be created with notes of affection, although they did not associate the day become popular until much later. By 1600, Shakespear's Hamlet has Ophelia discuss her love for Hamlet in association with loveValentine's Day. Although <ref>For more on late Medieval traditions and the Roman and other stories associated with Saint growing popularity of Valentine could have connected the day with love's Day then, see: Skarmeas, other later traditions may have further added to this ideaN. J. Geoffrey Chaucer, the famous early English author& Venturi-Pickett, wrote that the time was associated with birds beginning to pair themselvesS. (1999). <i>The Story of Valentine’s Day</i>. In effectNashville, it was a time of pairing and matchesTenn.: Candy Cane Press. </ref>
In 1400, Charles VI of France commissioned <i>Charter of By the Court of Love </i>17th centuries, which was a charter where on February 14th contests would Valentine's day began to be held related to love songs popular among friends and poetry readings about love (Figure 2)lovers among different classes. While the story of At this are not certainpoint, what we do know is by the 15th century people did begin began to wish exchange tokens of affection and notes with each other expressing their beloved valentine greetingsfeelings. The Duke Charles II of Orléans, who was captured Sweden in battle against the English, wished his wife a sweet valentine. In England, Valentine's Day also 18th century began to be associated associate affection with gifts of sweets for children. It flowers and it was during the Medieval period possibly at this time that young people put the names of the person they wanted on their sleeves, which has come to us in the expression of putting your heart on your sleeveflowers were used with Valentine's Day. In the 15th century, cards The single rose at this time may have begun come to be created with notes symbolize romantic love.<ref>For more on Charles II of affectionSweden, see: Moore, although they did not become popular until much laterK. (2011). <i>Roses Are Red ...: a Book for Lovers</i>. By 1600London, Shakespear's Hamlet has Ophelia discuss her love for Hamlet on Valentine's DayUK: Michael O’Mara.</ref>
By ====Modern Celebrations====Modern Valentine's Day has been strongly influenced by American traditions that first derived from the mid-19th century. Esther A. Howland in the 17th centuries1840s began selling cards and gifts that contained real lace, ribbons and colorful pictures. It was also this time that women began to be more strongly associated with Valentine's day Day relative to men, where marketing began to be popular among friends focus more on them and lovers among different classestoday they constitute about 85% of Valentine's Day sales. At this point, people It was around 1900 that Valentine cards were popularly produced throughout Europe and began to replace letters and notes that lovers would exchange tokens . Valentine cards often contained secret compartments that the women of affection would have to find, which may have contained additional messages or gifts of affection and notes with each other expressing their feelings. Charles II The British chocolate company of Cadbury began to create decorated boxes of Sweden chocolates for Valentine's Day in the 18th century began to associate affection with flowers 1860s and it was possibly at this time that flowers were used has since made chocolates another association with Valentine's Day. The single rose at this time may have come to symbolize romantic love<ref>For more on how modern Valentine's day traditions started, see: Lee, R. W. (1984). A history of valentines. Wellesley Hills, Mass.: Lee Publications.</ref>
[[File:Court In the modern world, it is China and South Korean that have taken the mantel of Love in Provence in spending the Fourteenth Century Manuscript most on Valentine's Day. In other countries outside of the National Library West, many of Paristhem had feasts or festivals associated with love.png|thumbnail|Figure 2These customs have often been replaced or sometimes integrated along with Western Valentine's Day traditions such as sending chocolates and flowers to a beloved. Depiction of For instance, in Wales, St. Dwynwen's Day was the Charter day to celebrate lovers. This falls on January 25th. Aspects of this tradition are sometimes combined with February 14th in Wales or people simply celebrate the Court of Love that may have influenced Welsh holiday with Western style Valentine's Day celebrations.<ref>For more on how Valentine's Day traditionsis celebrated around the world today, see: Williams, V. (2017). <i>Celebrating life customs around the world: from baby showers to funerals</i>. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-CLIO. ]]</ref>
==Modern Celebrations== Modern Valentine's Day has been strongly influenced by American traditions that first derived from the mid-19th century. Esther A. Howland in the 1840s began selling cards and gifts that contained real lace, ribbons and colorful pictures. It was also this time that women began to be more strongly associated with Valentine's Day relative to men, where marketing began to focus more on them and today they constitute about 85% of Valentine's Day sales. It was around 1900 that Valentine cards were popularly produced throughout Europe and began to replace letters and notes that lovers would exchange. Valentine cards often contained secret compartments that the women of affection would have to find, which may have contained additional messages. The British chocolate company of Cadbury began to create decorated boxes of chocolates for Valentine's Day in the 1860s and that has since made chocolates another association with Valentine's Day.  In the modern world, it is China and South Korean that have taken the mantel of spending the most on Valentine's Day. In other countries outside of the West, many of them had feasts or festivals associated with love. These customs have often been replaced or sometimes integrated along with Western Valentine's Day traditions such as sending chocolates and flowers to a beloved. For instance, in Wales, St Dwynwen's Day was the day to celebrate lovers. This falls on January 25th. Aspects of this tradition are sometimes combined with February 14th in Wales or people simply celebrate the Welsh holiday with Western style Valentine's Day celebrations. Summary==Summary==
Valentine's Day is still an uncertain holiday in terms of its origins. Many stories exist around it and there might be some truth in each of the stories. The influence of pre-Christian traditions are also possible, and likely given many ancient feasts existed that revolved around fertility and love. The modern date may have been a Christian way to syncretize these ideas with the Christian faith. Whatever the case might be, later developments such as flowers associated with love and chocolates as presents to a beloved developed more clearly in the modern era. By the 19th century, commercialization of Valentine's Day had already become evident in the United States with the development of cards and decorative products.
====References====

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