Valentine's Day Origins: A Priest's Defiance That Shaped History

Valentine's Day is a day cherished by some and scorned by others, but most of us are unaware of its violent origin. Valentine's Day has its roots in the Third Century with a priest named Valentine of Terni. In defiance of Emperor Claudius II's decree against young men marrying, Valentine secretly wed young couples in marriage ceremonies. The consequence of this defiance was his beheading on Feb. 14, leading the Catholic Church to recognize him as a saint. Some suggest that Valentine's Day is also connected to the Roman festival Lupercalia, which celebrates fertility and purification. Luperci, the priests of the god Lupercus, would run naked, striking women with animal hides to ensure fertility. The condemnation of this tradition eventually led to the establishment of St. Valentine's Day on Feb. 14 in 496 AD. The modern commercialized celebration we know today began to take shape in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Hallmark Cards mass-produced Valentine's Day cards in 1913, solidifying February 14 as the ultimate day of romantic expression.