Special Occasions Valentine's Day

The History of St. Valentine’s Day

The first recorded association of St. Valentine’s Day with romantic love was in the 14th century in England and France, where February 14 was traditionally the day on which birds paired off to mate. This belief is mentionedin Geoffrey Chaucer’s Parlement of Foules that for this was seynt Volantynys day, When euery brdy comyth there to chase his mate.

In the following century one of John Lydgate’s minor poems is “A balade made in balade made in wyse of chesing loues at Saint Valentynes day” which indicates that the manner of choosing was drawing lots. By the 17th century a valentine was extended to the gift given, some pretty token.

It was common during that era for lovers to exchange notes on this day and to call each other their “Valentines”. A 14th century valentine is said to be in the collection of the British Library. It is probable that many of the legends about St. Valentine were invented during this period. Among the legends are ones that assert that:

On the evening before St. Valentine was to be martyred for being a Christian, he passed a love note to his jailer’s daughter which read, “From Your Valentine.”

During a ban on marriages of Roman soldiers by the Emperor Claudius II, St. Valentine secretly helped arrange marriages.

In most version of these legends, February 14th is the date associated with his martyrdom.

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