Valentine is usually celebrated on February 14th every year. There are stories around its origin.
Origin of valentine
The Origin of the Valentine is still with ,any cloud cover. Individuals have promoted versions about its beginning and the role of the church over the years. According to reports, Valentine can be traced back to “Lupercalia”, a Roman festival for fertility. In fact, it is also believed that February 14th was celebrated as an attempt by the Church to add a religious twist to the Lupercalia festival.
IT News Nigeria findings revealed that the festival was dedicated to Faunus, the god of agriculture, and Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome. We also learned that during the celebrations, men and women were paired based on a lottery system, and most of them eventually ended in marriage.
To entrench church the relationship with pagan believes, Pope Gelasius I decided the time of Lupercalia celebrations (February 14) as the date to celebrate Saint Valentine at the end of the fifth century.
Another twist to the story is that it is also believed that Saint Valentine was able to miraculously heal the blind daughter of his jailer. Another legend says that a Bishop named Saint Valentine of Terni was the true namesake of the holiday.
Although it is believed by the people that they are the same person. Saint Valentine became known as a patron saint of love. It was also said that he used to wear a ring with Cupid on it – the symbol of love – that helped soldiers were able to him.
A poem written by medieval author Geoffrey Chaucer in 1381 is considered the origin of the modern celebration of love by historians. It connects Saint Valentine to the celebration of love, solidifying the belief in the history of the festival.
Again, according to the legend, 14th February is celebrated to mark the death anniversary of Saint Valentine who died in mid-February in 270 AD. It is said that Saint Valentine was a priest, who defied emperors’ orders and secretly married couples to spare husbands from war. He was reportedly beheaded by Emperor Claudius II Gothicus.
As you pass that wine and red colours to mark February 14 remember that: Pope Gelasius married church and paganism together. He also alone decided the time of Lupercalia (February 14) as the date to celebrate Saint Valentine at the end of the fifth century CE
