Valentine's Day has a long and windy history. However, whether you view the day as a commercial invention or a celebration of love, here's why we celebrate on February 14th.
It’s not always been about leaving secret notes or giving chocolates and the biggest bouquet of the reddest roses. Valentine's Day, now a universal celebration of love, has become synonymous with romance, flowers, and gifts, with Australia alone spending an estimated $465 million alone on Valentine's Day in 2024.
The origins of Valentines Day and its purpose, however, have been a state of contention in the historical realm. Some historians trace Valentine's Day back to the ancient Pagan festival of Lupercalia, a ritual promoting fertility and matchmaking, while others link it to the executions of two men named Valentine on February 14th, during the 3rd century in Rome.
One of these men, Saint Valentine, was a priest under Emperor Claudius II, a ruler who had banned Christian marriages. Saint Valentine continued to marry these religious couples in secret ceremonies which, when caught, lead to his imprisonment and execution.
The tradition of signing your cards or love letters with "From your Valentine" is said to have stemmed from Saint Valentine himself, who allegedly sent a love note to the blind daughter of his jailer, a girl he is reported to have miraculously cured.
By the end of the 5th century, as Rome had spread and taken over other territories, festivals like Lupercalia were replaced with a feast honouring the martyred saint, Valentine. Because of this tradition Saint Valentine became known as the Patron Saint of Love.
In 1375, Geoffrey Chaucer known as the ‘Father of English Literature’ wrote a poem linking Saint Valentine with love, popularising the idea of February 14th as a day for romance.
By the late 15th century, the term 'Valentine' was used as an endearment in letters and songs and by the 19th century, mass production of Valentine's Day cards began with the tradition gaining economic success through to the 21st century today.
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