Valentine’s Day in the past
The origins of Valentine’s Day trace back to the ancient Roman times. It evolved from a pagan fertility festival and throughout the ages it gradually acquired its present character. Valentine’s Day and its patron Saint Valentine became very popular in the Middle Ages. Life in medieval Europe was very much governed by religion and the cult of saints was an important part of religious practice. After the introduction of Christianity the papacy managed to sway people to end pagan activities and to turn their minds to Christian saints, among them Saint Valentine.
With time, St. Valentine’s Day became to be celebrated as a special time where much attention was given to romance and affection. The Middle Ages was an epoch of courtly love, chivalrous knights and beautiful ladies, the age of romances and love stories. Given the circumstances, the celebration of Valentine’s Day turned out to have appealed to a wide range of people. It was in this time that lovers began to exchange love letters and flowers. It was common practice to finish the letters with the words: “From Your Valentine”, a custom which traces back its origins to the 3rd century AD. According to a legend, Saint Valentine himself wrote a short note to his beloved when he was in prison shortly before his execution.
Valentine’s Day gained popularity from the Middle Ages onwards. At first people sent to each other notes with short messages describing their feelings, later they began to create hand-made decorative cards which they presented to their beloved ones. In the 18th century Valentine cards began to be printed and sold. Their popularity increased and in the 19th century they were mass-produced, e.g. in England and in the USA. The cards were decorated with various love symbols and they often contained some verses or rhymes telling of love and feelings.
Later, Valentine cards began to be accompanied by other gifts, smaller or bigger. The tradition of exchanging love cards and gifts between lovers on February 14 continues today. Over the centuries, Valentine’s Day has evolved to become a very popular holiday, observed by many nations of the world.