St. Valentine: The man, the myth, the legend

What is it about February 14 that makes it a day for showing your boyfriend or girlfriend that you appreciate them? How is it that tokens of flowers, candy and cards are expected to be in abundance on one particular day of the year, the day we’ve come to call Valentine’s Day?

Well, there isn’t one definite answer, but history gives us some clues and myths as to the origin of this popular romantic holiday. The patron saint of Valentine’s Day, St. Valentine, is surrounded by mystery. Some legends say that in Rome, Emperor Claudius II outlawed marriage for young men because he thought it was a distraction for the men fighting in the army. Valentine saw the unfairness in this royal decree, and went around performing secret marriages under Claudius’ nose. When Claudius found out, he ordered Valentine to be killed.

Other stories claim Valentine was killed for helping the Christians escape the harsh treatment in Roman prisons, and others still believe that Valentine was the one who sent the first valentine’s greeting himself, to a woman he fell in love with while he was in prison.

Valentine’s death in the midst of February, 270 A.D. seems to be the most logical reason we celebrate this holiday on this day. Those who are less romantic might adhere to the theory that the celebration of Valentine’s Day was simply a way to Christianize the pagan festival of Lupercalia, which began on the 15th day of March on the Roman calendar.

But regardless of what myth you choose to believe, Valentine’s Day has established itself as an intensely popular holiday for everyone, with 1 billion cards sent each year, according to the Greeting Card Association. This places Valentine’s Day as the second-largest card-sending holiday of the year, surpassed only by Christmas.

So, go out and keep the sentiment of Valentine’s Day alive; show your significant other that you care by sending him or her a romantic card or a box of candy. Or, you can simply buy the candy for yourself, and impress the next person you see with your newfound knowledge about the origin of Valentine’s Day.