The History And Mystery Surrounding The Celebration Of Valentine’s Day
For centuries, Valentine’s Day has been celebrated as a day of love. Yet, the history and true reason for this celebration remain a matter of unsettled debate.
There have been various interpretations for this celebration, and here we’ve outlined some that you should know.
1) Lupercalia Celebration
One legend links Valentine’s Day to the celebration of an ancient Roman festival called Lupercalia.
Lupercalia, a ritual to promote health and fertility, was observed annually from February 13 to 15. Ancient accounts claimed that during this wine-fueled fertility rite, Roman men and women were paired off. However, it is believed that as Christianity spread throughout the Roman Empire, Lupercalia was adopted into a celebration honouring St. Valentine to accommodate ‘pagans’ who wouldn’t abandon the tradition.
2) Saint Valentines’
Even as a Christian celebration, the history is shrouded in mystery. The Catholic Church recognises at least two Saint Valentines who were martyred for different versions of love stories.
One notable one was Valentine of Rome. This Valentine was a Priest in Rome who was murdered in 269 AD and was buried on Via Flaminia, an ancient Roman road leading to Ariminum on the coast of the Adriatic Sea.
Myth has it that Valentine of Rome was killed by Emperor Claudius II. The Emperor, who ruled Rome between 268 and 270 AD, concluded that single men made better soldiers and hence outlawed marriage for young men. Valentine defied Claudius’s decree and continued to wed lovebirds. He was murdered on the Emperor’s order when it was discovered.
Another account insists that it was Valentine of Terni, a bishop, that was murdered for conducting secret marriages.
A different account, perhaps the most popular, speaks of a 5th Century Priest named Valentine, who fell in love with the daughter of his jailer.
The story suggests that Valentine’s jailer’s daughter took pity on him, brought him food, and tried to save him. Before his execution, Valentine wrote what is now regarded as the first Valentine’s letter and signed it “From your Valentine.”
Whether these accounts are true or just myths, February 14 is widely celebrated as a day of love, with lovers gifting their partners gifts.
In the United States of America, the National Retail Federation (NRF) estimates that consumers will spend $25.8 billion for this year’s Valentine’s.
In India, Bloomberg reported that young people are “buying record amounts of roses, chocolates, and hampers to celebrate Valentine’s Day.” It reported that a gifting platform in India, FNP E Retail Pvt, delivered a record 350 roses per minute ahead of Valentine’s Day while a Food delivery platform Zomato Ltd dispatched 406 chocolates per minute on February 9 alone. These record purchases are linked to the country’s growing middle class among young adults.
However, in Nigeria, Neusroom observed a decline in purchases as inflation and naira exchange reforms bite, eroding the purchasing power of Africa’s most populous nation.
