Five Theories About the Origin of Valentine's Day

February 14 is the 45th day of the year in the calendar.

270 A.D. - Roman saint Valentine was executed, and this day was designated as "Valentine's Day" by later generations. Valentine's Day, also known as Valentine's Day, is a national festival in some countries in Europe, America and Oceania. There are many sources of this festival, but it is generally based on the execution of the Roman saint Valentine, and it is more common to be designated as "Valentine's Day" later.

In the 3rd century AD, the Roman Empire was in a general crisis, the economy was depressed, the ruling class was corrupt, the society was turbulent, and the people rebelled one after another. In order to maintain its rule, the aristocracy brutally suppressed the people and Christians. At that time, a Christian Valentine was arrested and imprisoned. In prison, he touched the warden's daughter with his frank heart. They love each other and are taken care of by the warden's daughter. The ruling class ordered his execution. Before his execution, he wrote a long suicide note to the warden's daughter, declaring his innocence. It shows his upright heart and deep love for the warden's daughter.

On February 14, 270 A.D., he was executed. Later, in order to commemorate Valentine's sacrifice for justice and pure love, Christians designated the day of execution as "St. Warren's Day". Change it to "Valentine's Day".

Origin one

In the 3rd century AD, Emperor Claudius II of the Roman Empire announced in the capital Rome that he would abandon all marriage commitments.

At that time, it was out of consideration for war, so that more men who had nothing to worry about could go to the battlefield. A priest named Sanctus Valentinus did not follow this will and continued to hold church weddings for young people in love.

After the incident was reported, Father Valentin was first flogged, then stoned, and finally hanged on February 14, 270 AD. After the 14th century, people began to commemorate this day to commemorate the priest who died for his lover.

Origin Two

It is said that Valentine was one of the earliest Christians, and being a Christian in that era meant danger and death. To cover other martyrs, Valentine was caught and thrown into prison. There he healed the blindness of the warden's daughter. When the tyrant heard of this miracle, he was terrified and beheaded Valentine.

According to legend, on the morning of the execution, Valentine wrote a affectionate farewell letter to the warden's daughter, signed: From your Valentine.

On that day, the blind girl planted an apricot tree with red flowers in front of his grave to express her feelings. This day is February 14th. Since then, Christianity has designated February 14 as Valentine's Day.

Origin Three

In ancient Rome, February 14 was a festival to show respect for Jona. Jona is the queen of the Roman gods, and the Romans also worshiped her as the god of women and marriage. The following February 15th is called "Lupasara Festival", which is a festival used to pay respect to other gods under the rule of Yona.
In ancient Rome, the lives of young men and maidens were strictly segregated. However, on the Lupasara festival, boys can choose a girl's name to be engraved on the vase. In this way, during the festival, the boy can dance with the girl he chooses to celebrate the festival. If the chosen girl is also interested in the boy, they can be paired forever, and eventually they will fall in love and walk into the church together to get married. Later generations set February 14 every year as Valentine's Day for this reason.

Origin Four

Originated from the Lupercalia Festival in ancient Rome. This argument is that the Christian church celebrates this day in order to Christianize the ancient Roman Luperitia (celebrated on February 15 every year, in order to bless the productivity of people, fields, and livestock).

Among the gods worshiped by the Romans, the animal god Lupercus was in charge of the protection of the shepherd and the flock. Every year in mid-February, the Romans held a grand ceremony to celebrate Lupercalia.

The calendar then was slightly later than it is now, so Lupercalia was actually a celebration of the coming spring. It is also said that this festival is to celebrate the god Faunus (Faunus), which is similar to the ancient Greek god Pan with sheep feet and horns on his head, in charge of animal husbandry and agriculture.

With the expansion of Roman power in Europe, the custom of Luperi was brought to France and Britain. One of the most popular holiday activities is a lottery. The names of the young women were placed in the box, and the young man stepped forward to draw. A selected pair of men and women become lovers for a year or longer.

The rise of Christianity made people's custom of commemorating the gods gradually indifferent. The priests did not want people to give up the joy of the festival, so they changed Lupercalia to Valentine's Day and moved it to February 14th. In this way, the legend about the Valentine monks and the ancient festivals are naturally combined. This festival was most popular in medieval England.

After the names of unmarried men and women are drawn, they will exchange gifts with each other, and the woman will become the man's Valentine within this year. The woman's name will be embroidered on the man's sleeve, and it becomes the sacred duty of the man to take care of and protect the woman.

Origin Five

Legend has it that in the UK, all birds would mate and court on February 14, such as blackbirds and partridges, all courting in February. Therefore, human beings also believe that February 14th is a good day for the birth of all things in spring, which represents the beginning of youthful life, and they also follow the example of birds in choosing a partner on February 14th every year.