Today, Valentine’s Day is now commonly known as a romantic holiday with heart shaped chocolates and handwritten cards. However, the history behind the holiday is far older and more complex than what its modern romantic image suggests. The origin of Valentine’s Day actually dates all the way back to the days of the Roman Empire, and it took a mix of Christian and Medieval European culture to become today’s globally celebrated romantic holiday.
One of the earliest influences on Valentine’s Day was Lupercalia. Lupercalia was a pastoral festival held in ancient Rome, held to purify the city, promote health and prepare the community for the upcoming spring. The festival was held between February 13 and 15, similar to the modern timing of Valentine’s Day on February 14th. The festival began with Roman priests called the Luperci performing ritual sacrifices of animals, symbolizing cleansing and renewal. Usually goats and dogs were sacrificed and their blood was wiped off with wool dipped in milk.
The priests also cut parts of the animal hides, which were believed to bring good fortune and fertility. The sacrifices were then followed by a sacrificial feast. The festival was celebrated throughout the city and, although it was far from today’s festival of romantic love, its themes of a new start and fertility later influenced such development.
As christianity spread throughout the Roman Empire, the festival went through a drastic change. During the late Roman empire, Christianity became the state religion and the entire roman culture as a whole went through a drastic change, not just the holidays. Church leaders sought to align roman traditions with christianity and holidays were no exception. In 494 CE, Pope Gelasius I banned the festival as the festival was rooted in polytheism, contrary to Christian root of monotheism. However, the festival was not completely destroyed, went through a christian appropriation, and, in 496 CE, Pope Gelasius I officially declared February 14 as St. Valentine’s Day.
Despite the official recognition by the Pope, the history and meaning behind the name Saint Valentine remained uncertain and as a result, several legends developed that linked Valentine with love. One of the most well known stories says Saint Valentine was a Roman priest during the reign of Emperor Claudius II. According to the story, Claudius had banned marriages for young men. Valentine, according to the story, defied this order and performed marriages for couples in love. He was later discovered, imprisoned, and executed. Although this story is not fully historical, it helped associate the holiday to love.
Then during the middle ages, Valentine’s Day got its romantic significance. During this time, it was believed that February 14th marked the start of birds’ mating season, reinforcing the romantic significance. This belief gained popularity and was even more reinforced through literary works like that one poem “Parliament of Fowls” by Geoffrey Chaucer. The poem connected Valentine’s day with love and its spread established Valentine’s Day as a celebration of love.
In the following centuries, Valentine’s Day continued to evolve. By the 18th and 19th centuries, exchanging handwritten notes between couples became part of the tradition. In modern times, valentine’s day evolved into a global celebration and exchange of handwritten notes expanded into objects such as flowers, chocolates, and gifts. Red roses, for instance, have become associated with romance, and chocolates with affection.
Valentine’s Day is a culmination of centuries of cultural transformation and intermixing. What began as an Ancient Roman festival on fertility gradually changed through Christian, medieval, and modern culture and became a global celebration of love. Today, whether it is through gifts, cards, chocolates, or simple gestures, the holiday serves as a reminder to express appreciation for those closest to us.
By. Daniel Song
Works Cited
Chaucer, Geoffrey. “Chaucer, Geoffrey (C.1343–1400) – the Parliament of Fowls: A Modernisation of Chaucer’s Poem.” Poetryintranslation.com, 2019, www.poetryintranslation.com/PITBR/English/Fowls.php.
Smith, Jordan. “What Is the Origin of Valentine’s Day?” HISTORY, 3 Feb. 2026, www.history.com/articles/valentines-day-origin?utm_source=chatgpt.com. Accessed 6 Feb. 2026.
“The History of Valentine’s Day.” English Heritage, 2025, www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/inspire-me/the-history-of-valentines-day/.“Why the History of Valentine’s Day Is so Complicated.” Encyclopedia Britannica, 2026, www.britannica.com/video/history-of-Valentines-Day/-275449?utm_source=chatgpt.com. Accessed 6 Feb. 2026.