St. Valentines Day Online Dating Secret Friends Guide
St. Valentines Day Began With Mysterious Origins
By John Rafter
The fact that the special day of romance in February
is called St. Valentines Day would suggest that the
origins of the celebration must lie in the life of some
Catholic saint of several hundred years ago.
Furthermore, there must surely be a significant love
story attached to this individual’s life, to have
spawned such a widespread concentration on love and
romance. But the problem is, that the more you review
and look into the life of the mysterious Valentine,
or rather, the lives of the three Valentines, the less
connection you find.
The three different people who supposedly contributed
to St. Valentines Day were each martyred after persecution
by the Romans, sometime in either the second or third
centuries AD.
Three Valentines Martyred In Roman Times
The first two, Valentine of Rome and Valentine of Terni,
are both buried on the Via Flamina in Rome, with a few
of their relics in other places. There was a third Valentine,
martyred in Africa, but that’s about all anyone knows
about him.
The first two especially are frequently mentioned in
connection with the history of Valentines Day, and yet
there doesn’t seem to have been much romance linked
to either of them.
Three Valentines Rolled Into One
By the fourteenth century, when St. Valentines Day
began to grow in significance, all of the Valentines
had coalesced into one figure, with a few legends around
him. One said that he was martyred for continuing to
marry young men even when the Emperor Claudius had forbidden
it.
Claudius supposedly believed that single men fought
better in the army. When this mythical Valentine was
in jail, he was said to have written one or more love
letters or perhaps just a note to the daughter of his
jailer, signing it "From your Valentine."
This, of course, was supposedly the origin of the practice
of sending "valentines" to people.
Lupercalia Fertility Festival
The more likely derivation of St. Valentines Day probably
had little to do with any of the three saints. Mid-February
was when the pagan Lupercalia fertility festival was
celebrated, dedicated to the Roman god of
agriculture.
In an effort to Christianize this festival in the same
way that they had turned the Sol Invictus and Saturnalia
festivals into Christmas, the church took it over and
began emphasizing a more discrete and less licentious
means for people to pair up.
Despite being romantic figures in the sense of being
heroic, it’s possible that the three Valentines simply
provided a convenient name to apply to what was rather
a political move on the part of the church.
About the Author:
John Rafter is an author of articles on romance, dating and gift ideas including
Gifts For Men,
Happy Valentines.
Keep a lookout as more articles are added from this author on this website in the near future.
More Valentines Day Facts....
What is a Valentine's Day Guide?
A Valentine's Day Guide is nothing
more than a list of helpful suggestions that can help
spur ideas. Many people buy gift giving guides for Valentine's
Day because they are not sure what to get that special
someone.
It could be a case of a brand
new relationship and not wanting to send the wrong message.
Some people take Valentine's Day far more serious than
others do so for some a guide is a practical way of
finding ways to express how much a person means to them.
It can also help a person plan the perfect outing or
romantic dinner.
Not all guides deal with just
adult relationships. There are guides that can help
friends or children find the perfect gifts. Many guides
also have sections devoted to do-it-yourself projects.
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