To some people Valentine’s Day is a day to celebrate and be showered with flowers and gifts by their loved ones. However, there are also those who do not enjoy it, who feel it is meaningless, commercialised or just silly.
What is Valentine’s Day?
As many readers of this article may be aware, Valentine’s Day is named after Saint Valentine, and is celebrated on 14 February each year. Historically, ‘February has always been regarded as a month of romance’. However, what many readers may not know is that the modern St Valentine’s Day traces its origins to ancient Rome and has Christian’ characteristics.
Who was Saint Valentine?
There is also some debate over the identity of St Valentine himself. One view is that St Valentine was a third century Roman priest, Valentine of Rome. At the time Emperor Claudius II ordered the ‘banning of marriage for young men’ because he considered that single unmarried men without families were better equipped to become soldiers than married men with children.
Legend has it that this suspected Saint Valentine railed against what he thought was the injustice of Emperor Claudius’ order, opposed the decision, and carried on ‘performing marriages for young lovers, albeit in secret’. Sadly for this Saint Valentine of Rome, his actions did not escape the attention of Emperor Claudius II and when St Valentine’s actions were discovered, he was imprisoned and later executed.
But not everyone is convinced this is the correct St Valentine. Another suspect appearing to fit the bill, is a bishop named Saint Valentine of Terni, who historians believe to have been around during Claudius II’s reign, and was executed outside Rome’. And there are rumours from Roman times that appear to suggest that Saint Valentine lost his life trying to assist people of the Christian faith escape from torture in Roman jails.
How and when did our traditional Valentine’s Day celebrations start?
One story has it that whilst incarcerated in jail, Saint Valentine of Rome, ‘after falling in love with a young girl, sent the first Valentine greeting himself’. There is speculation that Valentine sent it to the daughter of this jailor, who visited him during his time in prison. Prior to meeting his end, it is thought that Valentine wrote a letter signed ‘From your Valentine’. Interestingly this signature continues to be used in today’s Valentine’s Day celebrations, on cards and presents.
The common denominator at the heart of how Valentine’s Day originated appears to be a heroic and romantic figure who, by the Middle Ages, Saint Valentine became one of the most popular saints in England and France (patron saint of lovers, people with epilepsy and beekeepers).
Does the day have pagan origins?
Many believe the Day itself is timed to mark Saint Valentine’s demise or funeral on that day in 270 CE. However, there is a school of thought in Christian circles that Valentine’s Day may have been scheduled for February and designated a feast day, attempting to Christianize the pagan celebration of Lupercalia. Lupercalia was a pagan fertility festival held on 15 February which was dedicated to Faunus, the roman god of agriculture, and Romulus and Remus.
The pagan festival eventually fell by the wayside when Pope Gelasius declared Lupercalia unchristian in the late 5th century CE.
Also in February there was the celebration of Galatin’s Day under the Normans, and when Pope Gelasius declared 14 February to be Saint Valentine’s Day’, the two festivals may have joined forces. However Valentine’s Day only became associated with love much ‘later on in the Middle Ages.
In England and France 14 February fell at the start of the ‘birds’ mating season, adding to the idea of Valentine’s Day being a day for romance’. The first record of the romantic side of Valentine’s Day was the great poet Chaucer in his poem entitled “Parliament of Foules’. He wrote:
For this was sent on Seynt Valentyne’s day
Whan every foul cometh ther to choose his mate.
Why do campaigners want Valentine’s Day to be a Bank Holiday?
This is just a snapshot of the early history of how Valentine’s Day originated. For all the reasons given above and more, some people would like Valentine’s Day to be a Bank Holiday and actually started a petition to ask for Valentine’s Day to become a designated Bank Holiday, wanting ‘people to be given the chance to spend time with their loved ones, and take holiday’. Those wanting the change to be introduced think ‘the additional bank holiday would help improve the wellbeing of those in the workforce’ because ‘it would give people the chance to have a break between the last Bank Holiday on New Year’s Day in January and the varying Easter break’.
Economic benefits of a special day
Valentine’s Day looks here to stay as it provides a boost to the economy. There is evidence of ‘increased spending and economic activity across many sectors as people purchase presents for loved ones, colleagues, and their animals’. People visit restaurants, purchase cards, dinners, theatre tickets and other related products to celebrate the occasion.
Does everyone support Valentine’s Day?
Valentine’s Day is not viewed positively by everyone and is not without its critics. Many people are critical of the festival as encouraging unnecessary overconsumption and spending. Others have made the observation that the day makes those people without loved ones experience feelings of negativity and low self-esteem for not having someone to love romantically’.
However, despite all the economic benefits, those hoping for Valentine’s Day to be designated a Bank Holiday are, I am afraid, going to be disappointed as the petition aiming to achieve this aspiration only attracted a total of 27 signatures, 9973 short to be considered for a response by the government.
Valentine’s Day looks here to stay
Love it or loathe it, it looks like Valentine’s Day is here to stay due its romantic nature, its long history and the (albeit small) economic benefits for businesses.
