History of Valentine's Day

Valentine’s Day is a holiday marked not only by 145 million cards being delivered across the world, but by mystery. Did St. Valentine even exist? Is Valentine's Day only a cover-up of the pagan holiday Lupercalia?

Saint Valentine’s life is so mysterious that it is widely acknowledged that the Saint’s life is actually the life of two saints combined, even though the Catholic Church recognizes three saints named Valentine. So little is known about him that the Catholic Church actually removed St. Valentine from the Roman Calendar in 1969. Nevertheless, St. Valentine did exist, even if the story we know today is a combination.

The most popular story is that Saint Valentine was a Roman priest in the third century. The Emperor of the time outlawed marriage for young men because he thought single men were better soldiers. St. Valentine realized the injustice and continued to marry young couples in secret.

Supposedly, sometime in Valentine’s life, while living with the local Judge, Valentine restored the Judge’s daughter’s eyesight, in order to prove Christianity to him. Due to Valentine’s efforts, the Judge later released all of his Christian inmates.

Another story explains that Valentine healed another young blind girl, while imprisoned for refusing to sacrifice to pagan Gods. On the day he was beheaded, he left a note to the girl “Your Valentine.”

From the mysterious life of Saint Valentine to a supposed cover-up, Valentine’s Day has a rich history from widely different cultures. But no matter the origin of this holiday, Valentine’s Day will remain a love and friendship for all ages.