1. The Real Saint Valentine Is Shrouded In Mystery
Although he lived within the third century AD, almost nothing is known about this saint or the life he led. It’s not even clear what number of holy men named Valentine there were, or which one is honored on Valentine’s Day.
Regardless, bits and pieces in regards to the saint have made it into the realm of legends. The consensus is that he was a priest who broke the law doing what he believed in. Some stories say he performed marriages between soldiers and their beloveds. In Rome during that time, this was in opposition to the law. Soldiers weren’t allowed to marry. When Valentine was caught, he was imprisoned and put to demise for defying Roman rules.
One other story additionally entails his imprisonment, however this time for practising his faith and refusing to worship the emperor. While in jail, he turned friends with the jailer’s daughter. He prayed for her, and she was healed of her maladies. On the night of his execution, Valentine gave his friend a note to comfort her. It read, quite simply, “From Your Valentine.”
2. Matchmaking Was An Historic Roman Tradition That Preceded Valentine’s Day
Lupercalia was a festival that took place annually in historical Rome between the thirteenth and 15th of February. Its function was to cleanse and protect the community. Among the festival traditions have been meant to get rid of evil spirits and bless crops.
There was additionally a matchmaking part to the festivities. Women put their names in an urn. Men picked names from the urn. The couples formed by this lottery system had been expected to stay collectively for a year. Surprisingly, many of these random matches resulted in marriages.
Centuries later, this historical celebration merged with the newer tradition of honoring Saint Valentine on February 14. The newer vacation was much more subdued, however among the festival’s romantic points carried forward.
3. Valentine Cards Turned All The Rage In Victorian England
Within the Center Ages, noblemen wrote (or hired others to write for them) impassioned love notes to their expensive ones. But it wasn’t till the Victorian Era within the mid-1800s that sending valentine cards became a well-liked custom.
First it was handmade cards embellished with lace and ribbon. These were fancy cards with intricate designs that included cutouts and pop-ups. The tradition was popularized in England and made its way to the U.S. several decades later.
With advances in printing technology, cards started to be mass-produced. In the present day a hundred and eighty million valentine cards are exchanged each year in the U.S. alone. Designs proceed to evolve, however heart and floral themes remain as fashionable as they were in Victorian times.
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