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What are the historical origins of Valentine's Day? Learn how romantic cards and chocolates helped commercialize this day of love. Valentine’s Day, holiday (February 14) when lovers express their affection with greetings and gifts. Given their similarities, it has been suggested that the holiday has origins in the Roman festival of Lupercalia, held in mid-February. St. Valentine, a name that is synonymous with love and romance across the globe, lived at a time when the Roman Empire was at its peak. He is often best remembered for the act of marrying couples in secret defiance of the Roman Emperor's bans. The earliest possible origin story of Valentine’s Day is the pagan holiday Lupercalia. Occurring for centuries in the middle of February, the holiday celebrates fertility. Valentine's Day always falls on February 14, meaning that the day of the week varies year on year. In 2025, Valentine's Day will fall on a Friday for the first time since 2020. Where did it come Valentine’s Day is celebrated every February 14 as couples across the globe honor their spouses, partners and sweethearts. Hundreds of years of traditions and customs have made it into the Ready to fully dive into the real story behind Valentine’s Day? Read on for an in-depth look at the origins of the holiday, including its namesake saint, Shakespeare’s surprising connection, and some decidedly NSFW rituals practiced in the Roman Empire. Happy Heart Day, y'all! In Need of Valentine's Day Gift Ideas? Historians can't quite pinpoint the exact origin of the holiday, but they can trace how Valentine's Day traditions have evolved over time. Why does V-day fall on the same day in February every year? When and why did it become associated with romantic love? The Feast of Saint Valentine, also known as Saint Valentine's Day, was established by Pope Gelasius I in AD 496 to be celebrated on February 14 in honour of the Christian martyr. [41] A shrine of Saint Valentine in Whitefriar Street Carmelite Church in Dublin, Ireland. February 14 is Saint Valentine's Day in the Lutheran calendar of saints. [12] Pope Gelasius declared Feb. 14 as St. Valentine’s Day in 496 AD, and the rest is this history. Two centuries after Valentine’s death, Pope Gelasius became the head of the Catholic Church, and decreed that February 14 th should be Valentine’s Day. By now, the uprising of Christianity had well and truly gotten rid of the Lupercalia festivals, so everybody could concentrate on the day of love during this month. Valentine's Day is a time to celebrate romance and love and kissy-face fealty. But the origins of this festival of candy and cupids are actually dark, bloody — and a bit muddled. The History of Valentine's Day, and Why We Celebrate Valentine’s Day may be associated with romance, but the history of the holiday isn’t exactly lovey-dovey. Here are the facts you may not know—plus, fun ideas for Valentine's Day . Whether you love Valentine's Day or hate it, one thing is clear: The holiday goes way back. In this article, we take a look at the various historical and cultural influences that have shaped Valentine’s Day. From the mysterious figure of Saint Valentine and the ancient Roman festival of Lupercalia to the medieval traditions of courtly love and the commercialization of the holiday in the modern era, we explore how February 14th became the day to celebrate love. We might typically associate Valentine's Day with romance, roses and chocolate, but the holiday's history has a lot more to it than meets the eye. From a Roman festival and Christian martyrs to a medieval celebration of spring , we explore the origins of Valentine's Day in more detail The origins of Valentine’s Day The origins of Valentine’s Day can be traced back over 2000 years ago to ancient Rome. The festival of Lupercalia was held annually to celebrate the coming of spring and fertility. Young men and women would be paired up in a lottery system to choose their “valentine” and spend the day together. Chaucer’s depiction of Valentine’s Day as the moment when birds united in pursuit of love, serves as the reference point that has linked Valentine’s Day to romance in the present. Parliament of Fowls, it turns out, sparked a tradition. A Brief History of the Valentine’s Day Card An ornate Victorian-era Valentine’s Day card (1860-1880). The Catholic Church doesn’t recognize St. Valentine’s Day on its calendar anymore, but people throughout the world still celebrate the day. CHANGING TRADITIONS. Valentine’s Day traditions have evolved a lot over the years. For example, in the Middle Ages—which lasted from the 5th to 15th centuries in Europe—people started exchanging The history of Valentine's Day can be traced back to ancient Roman and Christian traditions, evolving over centuries into the celebration of love and affection that we recognize today. Despite its commercialization, many people view Valentine's Day as an opportunity to express their love and appreciation for their partners, friends, and family members. Pagan Origins Saint Valentine’s Day has also been associated with a Christian effort to replace the older holiday of Lupercalia, which Romans celebrated on February 15. Some modern stories paint Lupercalia as
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