St. Valentine’s Day

A brief history (plus a couple of poems)

Photo by Joanna Kosinska on Unsplash

Every year on February 14th, people commemorate St. Valentine's Day, or Valentine's Day. It has become synonymous with love and romance, a day when people express their affection and appreciation for their loved ones. People began associating love and devotion with Valentine's Day during the Middle Ages, although we can trace its origins back to ancient Rome.

By following the thread of history, we can intertwine St. Valentine’s Day with the ancient Roman festival of Lupercalia. This celebration, which took place in February, honored Faunus, the god of bountiful harvests, and the legendary founders of Rome, Romulus and Remus.

In a whimsical dance, young men would pluck the names of young women from a mystical chest, binding themselves to their chosen companions throughout the duration of the festival. The enchanting belief held that this intricate matchmaking spectacle gave them a flourish of fertility and blessings beyond measure.

The association between Lupercalia and love continued even after the spread of Christianity in Rome. Declaring February 14th as St. Valentine's Day, Pope Gelasius 1 honored two Christian martyrs named Valentine executed on that day in the 5th century. As a celebration of love, the day held significance in the Middle Ages.

In the realm of European literature and culture, there blossomed a courtly love, casting its enchanting spell during the Middle Ages. This noble and chivalrous form of affection featured admiration, devotion, and romantic gestures.

With a symphony of words and melodies, people adorned courtly love with vibrant poetry, serenades, and acts of gallantry. St. Valentine’s Day entwined itself with courtly love, igniting a fire that sparked the exchange of love letters, sonnets, and precious tokens of affection among the lofty echelons of nobility.

By including it in his poem, The Parliament of Fowls, Geoffrey Chaucer, the famous English poet, played a significant role in popularizing St. Valentine's Day as a day of love.

People may know The Parliament of Fowls as the “Parlement of Foules,” “Parliament of Foules,” “Parlement of Briddes,” “Assembly of Fowls,” or “Assemble of Foules.”

The poem, covering 699 lines, serves as the narrator's dream vision. It is among the earliest references to St. Valentine's Day as a lovers' day.

For this was on seynt Volantynys day. Whan euery bryd comyth there to chese his make.

The Parliament of Fowls survived in fourteen manuscripts (excluding lost ones), despite the absence of the printing press during Chaucer’s time. Scholars agree Chaucer composed the poem in 1381-1382.

The plot follows the narrator, dreaming of passing through landscapes, from a dark temple to bright sunlight. As they gather to choose their mates, Dame Nature oversees a large flock of birds. The birds have a parliamentary debate while three male eagles try to seduce a female bird. The debate is full of speeches and insults. None of the three eagles wins the female eagle in the end. The dream ends, welcoming the coming spring.

As the centuries unfolded, St. Valentine’s Day bloomed into a day adorned with love and tenderness. Throughout the 18th century, the tradition of love took flight as handwritten love notes, affectionately known as “Valentines.” The essence of passion permeated these heartfelt missives as in the example below.

With every beat, my heart sings your name,
A melody sweet, setting my soul aflame,
In your presence, my love, I'll never be the same.

Your eyes, like stars, light up my darkest night,
Your smile, a beacon, guiding me to the light,
In your embrace, my love, everything feels right.

Together we dance, in love's eternal embrace,
Our souls entwined, bound by love's grace,
Forever and always, my valentine, you hold my place.

So on this day, I declare my love anew,
With every breath, my valentine, I choose you,
For in your arms, my love, my dreams come true.

With the dawn of the 19th century, the commercialization of Valentine’s Day began, a cacophony of mass-produced cards, delectable chocolates, and other tokens of romance.

Capitalized,
Valentine's Day now sells,
Emotions packaged in boxes,
Love commodified, hollowed out,
Illusion.

Let us defy the alluring whispers of consumerism and embrace the power of genuine affection. Love, in its purest form, transcends the boundaries of price tags and material possessions. It thrives in the tenderness of a touch, the sincerity of a smile, and the warmth of a heartfelt word. It surpasses the confines of commerce.

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