Beyond the chocolates and roses, Valentine’s Day has an interesting past.
Valentine’s Day was a mosaic of ancient Roman fertility rites, the solemn remembrance of Christian saints, and poetic expressions of courtly love. Today, with romance and affection, we globally celebrate love, friendship, and everything in between.
“Valentine’s Day represents an opportunity to talk about love in a broad cultural sense, not only romantic love, but friendship, family bonds, and appreciation,” said OH Spanish teacher Francisca Castellanos.
In many ways, we celebrate this holiday. Expanding over the years, lovers, friendship, and appreciation, but why?
This holiday did not become associated with romance until the 14th century. Although the origin is unclear, it’s often linked to the Roman festival of Lupercalia.
Lupercalia was an ancient Roman festival of purification and fertility, held annually on Feb 15th. Pope Gelasius banned Lupercalia and is sometimes credited with replacing it with St. Valentine’s Day.
Castellanos shared that “Historically, the holiday is associated with Saint Valentine, but over time, it evolved. In modern times, commercial influences like cards, flowers, and candy have shaped it into a highly market-driven celebration.”
St. Valentine was a Christian priest in the third century who was persecuted for his faith and whose feast day is traditionally marked on Feb. 14, the anniversary of his execution.
Many rumours are associated with St. Valentine, such as having the title of patron saint of lovers or secretly performing marriages. However, his true legacy demonstrates the commercialized version of Valentine’s Day.
Offering a deep spiritual insight into the nature of love, sacrifice, and faith. Over time, these influences merged, further associating this date with love and romance.
“As a Spanish teacher, in my classroom, [Valentine’s Day] is also a chance to connect language learning with cultural traditions in Spanish-speaking countries, where the day is often called El Día del Amor y la Amistad,” Castellanos said. “In the United States, it often emphasizes romantic relationships, but in many Spanish-speaking cultures, it equally celebrates friendship.”
Between countries, Valentine’s Day is continuously celebrated differently. The U.S. is celebrating all relationships, and others are highlighting the romance.
“In France, only couples who are in a romantic relationship tend to celebrate,” said OH French teacher Caitlyn Workman. “They usually celebrate by giving flowers or chocolate, writing a Valentine’s note, or going out to dinner. It is not a day that is celebrated between friends and kids who do not exchange Valentine’s cards at school like we do in the US.”
While there are many differences regarding the celebrations and traditions on this day, most tend to honor the same idea: love.
“It’s a day that you can celebrate people you love,” said OH senior Jordyn Houston. “I feel like I’ve celebrated every year. I used to get stuff from my parents or family, then, as I got older, if I had someone to celebrate it with, then I would just do that.”
Given that there are a variety of ways to celebrate, it comes down to the person’s individual drive and desire to celebrate – or not.
“To me, [Valentine’s Day] means to show the people in your life that you love and appreciate them,” Workman said. “Love comes in different shapes and sizes. I want to show the people in my life how much I appreciate and love them, and spend time together. Of course, it’s not the only day to celebrate and appreciate your loved ones; it is still a fun day if you choose to celebrate.”
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