Valentine's Day 2021: Origin, Significance and How is it Celebrated

Saint Valentine's Day is known to be the day of love and affection when everyone shows their love and affection to their respective partners. Every year, Valentine's Day is being observed on February 14. In modern times the day is being seen as showing love and gratitude towards their partners or loved ones but ironically, the history related to the day was actually quite dark and unromantic.

Continue reading this article to know about the significance of this day and its history related to it.

What Valentine's Day is all about?

Saint Valentines was a Catholic clergyman who was from Rome in the third century B.C. Various shadows of the traditions of historic Rome and Christian are comprised of this day but still, there are several stories of its patron saints that are hidden as a mystery.

How the Day was celebrated in ancient times?

In the ancient period, from February 13 to 15, the Romans used to have celebrations and feasting of Lupercalia. During this celebration, the males used to perform sacrificial rituals by sacrificing a goat or a dog. Then, they used to whip young women who stand in a queue with the skins of the sacrificed animals. It was believed that by doing this, the females would be more fertile.

A lottery was also being held where the men used to pick any name of women from a box and then they confess their love to them which sometimes end up in marriage.

But at the last of the fifth century, Pope Gelasius replaced the festival of Lupercalia with St Valentine's Day, and by then; the festival was seen as love and romance.

Why Valentine's Day is named after St. Valentine's?

Saint Valentine used to help every Christian couple to get married secretly which was against the rule of Claudius II, the Roman Emperor who didn't let men get hitched. Lastly, when the emperor found out, Saint Valentine was beheaded.

Saint Valentine was a believer of love and warmness so during his imprisonment, he used to take care of the other prisoners and their blind daughters. It was believed that he healed a girl's blindness and wrote a love letter to her just before his execution with singed as 'from your Valentine'. Eventually, he was executed on fourteen February in 270 AD.

About two hundred years back, February 14 was declared as St. Valentine's Day.

Why Valentine's Day is associated with the festival of love?

The author of 'The Canterbury Tales', poet Geoffrey Chaucer who belonged from the mid ages was the first who associated the day with love. This was actually the commencement of the courtly love tradition which is a ritual to express love and fondness to their loved ones in secret. It was believed that during this tradition, huge gatherings were held where everyone used to recite romantic poetry and played flirt games dedicated to their partners.

The traditions gradually developed into sending wonderfully handmade cards to their loved ones with romantic verses and appreciations that were penned which were dedicated to their partners.

How is it celebrated in modern times?

Valentine's Day is being celebrated in several ways in different parts of the world and with changing times, people are having several perceptions and ways of celebrating this day. The romantic couple usually spends time with each other going out on a romantic date or dinner, exchanging gifts to express love and gratitude. Some spend time with friends and families. In some parts of the globe, chocolates and gifts are bought for children while others go out and have good times with friends. Basically, the day is all about showing and expressing love and admiration to close ones whether it may be between couples or families or friends.

Gradually with the advent of social media, this day has gained more popularity and people got to understand the significance and motif behind the day.

We are living in a whole new era, and Valentine's Day is just not meant for showing love with close ones rather one needs to learn to love one's individual self.

Hence, spend this day of love however you want or with whomever you want be it friends, family, partners, or even with yourself, the only intention should be spreading love and affection because the world needs it the most.

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