Valentine’s Day is fast approaching. It is not difficult to forget about it, because from the beginning of February in shops, television and in any other place we can see hearts, red decorations – in a word, everything that is associated with love and falling in love. This is a fantastic opportunity for traders to earn some extra money. But as Valentine’s Day always been this commercial? Is their idea just to give a loved one a gift and spend time together, or is Valentine’s Day more meaningful?
This is where it started…
The date February 14th comes from a holiday that was celebrated by the Romans every year on that day to honor Juno, the goddess of marriage called “Matronalia”. February 14 was the Day of Fertility and Motherhood. The celebration included a feast to celebrate health and fertility, both because spring was coming and the Romans wanted their plants to grow, but also human fertility. On this occasion, each young unmarried woman threw a piece of paper with her name into a large jug. Then the bachelors drew cards. The one he drew became his partner for all of the games, not once and for a lifetime.
Once the Romans lost power and Christianity took over, February 14th, now called Valentine’s Day, was celebrated. In the Middle Ages, people believed this was the date that birds chose their mates. “It was a little far-fetched, but it was part of the intrigue.” In England, they believed that if you met or dreamed about someone on this day they could be your true love.
Why St. Valentine?
The patron saint of Valentine’s Day is St. Valentine. He lived in ancient Rome during the reign of Emperor Claudius II of Goth, who forbade young men to marry. St. Valentine broke the ban and secretly celebrated weddings. He was allegedly jailed by Roman emperor Claudius II for his deceit and unwillingness to obey the emperor’s orders to stop performing Christian marriages. He was also said to be guilty of helping persecuted Christians. Claudius had ruled against Christian teaching as he did not want people to worship anyone other than him. According to legend, Saint Valentine wrote letters to Claudius’ daughter, and miraculously rid her of blindness. He also befriended Claudius, but when he tried to convert the emperor to Christianity, he was condemned to death. Valentine wrote his final letter to the daughter of Claudius before his execution, signing it “from your valentine.” He was beaten with clubs and stones, then beheaded outside the Flaminian Gate in Rome before being buried at a Christian cemetery on the Via Flaminia. Saint Valentine is not thought to have had an intimate relationship with Claudius’ daughter.
English poet Geoffrey Chaucer may have invented Valentine’s Day.
The medieval English poet Geoffrey Chaucer often took liberties with history, placing his poetic characters into fictitious historical contexts that he represented as real. No record exists of romantic celebrations on Valentine’s Day prior to a poem Chaucer wrote around 1375. In his work “Parliament of Foules,” he links a tradition of courtly love with the celebration of St. Valentine’s feast day–an association that didn’t exist until after his poem received widespread attention. The poem refers to February 14 as the day birds (and humans) come together to find a mate. When Chaucer wrote:
“For this was sent on Seynt Valentyne’s day /
Whan every foul cometh ther to choose his mate,”
he may have invented the holiday we know today.
You can celebrate Valentine’s Day several times a year
Because of the abundance of St. Valentines on the Roman Catholic roster, you can choose to celebrate the saint multiple times each year. Besides February 14, you might decide to celebrate St. Valentine of Viterbo on November 3. Or maybe you want to get a jump on the traditional Valentine celebration by feting St. Valentine of Raetia on January 7. Women might choose to honor the only female St. Valentine (Valentina), a virgin martyred in Palestine on July 25, A.D. 308. The Eastern Orthodox Church officially celebrates St. Valentine twice, once as an elder of the church on July 6 and once as a martyr on July 30.
What Valentine’s Day looks like today..?
Today, Valentine’s Day is celebrated in almost every place in the world. Everywhere it takes on a very commercial character (numerous hearts, cards, roses). However, there are some differences that make the feast in various places a slightly different, unique way:
- In France, instead of cards, it is customary to send bouquets of flowers with an invitation to a concert or to the theater.
- In Italy, on the other hand, the custom of buying red clothes for a loved one has become widespread.
- In America the Holiday is truly overpowered by commercialism. Nobody spend more on dinners, flowers, gifts, cards, chocolates and almost everything related to Valentines, than Americans!
- Valentine’s Day is a bit different in Japan. There, ladies present men with chocolates. There are two types of “giri-choko” chocolates – given to friends and acquaintances and “Honmei-choko” chocolates – given to that one loved one.
- In the Philippines: For more than a decade, Filipinos have been celebrating Valentine’s Day with mass weddings. Couples gather to exchange vows and celebrate at the same time. Local government agencies usually sponsor these mass weddings. For couples living in poverty, this is a way they can afford marriage.
- In Bulgaria on 14 February, San Trifon Zartan is celebrated in Bulgaria, which means “day of winemakers”. Young and old couples celebrate their love with a glass of wonderful local wine.
- In Denmark people traditionally exchange pressed white flowers called snowdrops instead of fresh bouquets. It’s also traditional for people to send their crushes “joke letters” called gaekkebrev. These poems or rhymes are signed only with dots, so the recipient has to guess who sent it. If they guess correctly, the sender will owe them a chocolate Easter egg later in the spring.
- In Brazil – Lovers Day. “Dia dos Namorados” festival, which is also known as “Lovers day”, is celebrated in Brazil. There’s a usual exchange of chocolates, cards, flowers, and one can witness music festivals and dance performances. Gifting is not reserved for couples during the festival, family dinners are common on the day.
- In Ghana: February 14th is National Chocolate Day. Tastings, dinners and other events are held around the country to promote Ghana’s top agricultural export- the cocoa bean.
- In Germany: if someone gave you chocolate pigs and gingerbread for Valentine’s Day, would you consider it an insult? You wouldn’t if you lived in Germany. The pig represents both luck and lust. It’s traditional to exchange pig-themed gifts with the one you love. Germans also celebrate Valentine’s Day with a much tastier version of those “conversation heart” candies: big, heart-shaped ginger cookies with messages written on them.
- England – Festival Of Romantic Love. On Valentine’s day in England, women used to place five bay leaves on their pillows. This was done with an aim to bring dreams of their future husbands. In Norfolk, Jack Valentine acts as a Santa for Valentine’s day. Children anxiously wait for the Santa, though they don’t get to see Old Father Valentine.
- In Slovenia, St Valentine is one of the patron saints of spring. It is believed that on February 14, plants start to regenerate as this day marks the first day of working in the fields for the New Year. There is another popular belief that birds ‘propose’ to each other on this day. In order to witness this occasion, one must walk barefoot through fields that are often still frozen.
- Finland and Estonia celebrate Friend’s Day on February 14, a day for honoring both friends and significant others. Cards and gifts are still given out, and can be for anyone from a best friend to a neighbor. February 14 is also a popular day to get engaged in both countries. Additionally, Estonia has an interesting tradition for single people—they can take a ride on the Love Bus in hopes of meeting someone special.
Who Is Cupid?
Cupid is often portrayed on Valentine’s Day cards as a naked cherub launching arrows of love at unsuspecting lovers. But the Roman God Cupid has his roots in Greek mythology as the Greek god of love, Eros. Accounts of his birth vary; some say he is the son of Nyx and Erebus; others, of Aphrodite and Ares; still others suggest he is the son of Iris and Zephyrus or even Aphrodite and Zeus (who would have been both his father and grandfather).
These are just a few examples of how the Feast of Lovers is celebrated in individual countries. Unfortunately, it is impossible to list all of them. The best observers and experts in this matter are Poles living abroad. They have daily contact with the culture and inhabitants of a given region. It is worth visiting such places on the web, they are a valuable source of information. For example, such a place is the website www.znajomapolonia.com. There are Poles living in exile. They will certainly be happy to share their experiences and observations on the ways of celebrating St. Valentine.
The Real truth ….
Underneath the façade of all wishes and gifts, there is a need for love. Man wants to love and be loved is a thesis that we can confidently put forward to the inhabitants of all countries of the world and at any time. The statement is valid today as well as 1000 years ago. The need for love is so important in the lives of each of us that the Day of Lovers was established especially for this occasion. This day is to remind us of what is most important in life. Nowadays, the pursuit of work, and a career often fall into the background. We neglect our loved ones, often we don’t have time for them. A day like Valentine’s Day allows you to reflect on love and see something more in a plastic, red heart than just an object.
