Valentine’s Day is the most romantic day in the whole year. Every year on this day lovers pledge their love for each other by cards, flowers and chocolates. Young and old and married and single all celebrate the Valentine’s Day with equal excitement and fervor.
But how many of us know the origin of Valentine’s Day? What is the relation between Valentine’s Day and St. Valentine? Let’s take a look at the history behind St. Valentine’s Day and see how this deeply romantic day came about to be.
Saint Valentine
Saint Valentine was a great saint and holy priest of Rome. He used to get young couples get married. Believing in the union of two souls, Saint Valentine commemorated weddings of couples.
He was a very kind hearted priest and was loved and respected by all. But then things started to change as Emperor Claudius II, the ruler of Rome at that time put a ban on all weddings. The Emperor at the time wanted a big army and expected young men to give their names voluntarily. But many men held back in the fear of loosing their family and wives. Furious to this reason, Emperor Claudius II banged all weddings in this kingdom.
This gave rise to lots of resentment and disappointment among people all over the country. Even St. Valentine was against this decision of the king. He found it inhuman and cruel to its very core. Saint Valentine decided not to support this decision of the king and went ahead marrying couples secretly.
Any couple who wanted to be tied in holy matrimony went to Saint Valentine and he helped them out. He commenced the weddings in a very noble and dignified manner. The couples were married in a small candle lit room with only three people; the bride, the groom, and St. Valentine himself.
Death of Saint Valentine
But these secret weddings soon ended as the king of Rome found out the man behind it and put Saint Valentine behind the bars. For the time St. Valentine was in the jail people from all over Rome used to come to visit him and give him flowers and special messages expressing their love and respect for him.
He died a cruel death as the king gave orders to behead him.
Valentine Love Letters
The origin of Valentine love letters also came from here only. All the time Saint Valentine was in jail a young girl who was the daughter of the prison guard used to visit St. Valentine in the jail and spend lot of time with him. On the day Saint Valentine was to be hanged that is February 14, 269 A.D. he left a small letter of thanks for her friendship and loyalty. The note ended saying;
“Love from your Valentine”
This small letter started the tradition of sending love letters on Valentine’s Day every year.
