ST. VALENTINE’S DAY ORIGIN

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THERE ARE SEVERAL LEGENDS

One belief is that Valentine’s Day commemorates the martyrdom of Saint Valentine, a Christian saint who lived during the Roman Empire.

But who was St. Valentine?

One narrative suggests that he was a priest in Rome during the reign of Emperor Claudius II in the 3rd century AD. Claudius II had forbidden young men from marrying, believing that unmarried men were more devoted to their military duties.

However, St. Valentine defied this decree and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When this was discovered, he was imprisoned and eventually executed on February 14, around 270 AD.

Another legend suggests that Valentine may have been martyred for helping Christians escape harsh Roman prisons where they were often beaten and tortured. According to this narrative, he sent a letter to his jailer’s daughter, whom he had befriended, signed “from your Valentine”, which is a phrase commonly used today.

The association between Valentine’s Day and romantic love appears to have originated in the Middle Ages, when English poet Geoffrey Chaucer wrote a poem in the 14th century entitled “Parlement of Foules” (The Parliament of Fowls). In this poem, he links the tradition of courtly love with the celebration of St. Valentine’s Feast Day, which was already recognized as a day of romance by that time.

Over the centuries, Valentine’s Day evolved into a popular celebration of love and affection, marked by the exchange of cards, flowers, chocolates and other tokens of affection. Today, it is celebrated in many countries around the world, with millions of people participating in the exchange of gifts and expressions of love on February 14.

The following lists will include gifts for men and women from Amazon. These gifts will have special pricing for Valentine’s Day. As an Amazon associate, I am able to show the links in my articles and earn from purchases from the links.

As always, each link will provide details, pictures and suggestions for similar or complementary items.