A day for love birds

Saturday will provide excitement for some, while for others it will just be another day. Valentine’s Day, celebrated each year on February 14, gives people the opportunity to shower affection on their loved one.

Valentine’s Day has a long history that blends Christian tradition with older pagan customs. The day is named after Saint Valentine, a figure (or possibly several figures) from early Christianity who were martyred in Rome during the third century.

One popular legend claims that Valentine was a priest who performed marriages in secret for young couples during the reign of Roman emperor Claudius II who banned marriage for soldiers. For defying the law, Valentine was jailed and executed, becoming a symbol of faithful love and sacrifice.

In the fifth century, Pope Gelasius I officially established the Feast of Saint Valentine, possibly as an alternative to Lupercalia, a Roman fertility festival held in mid-February. The religious observance over time became associated with romance and love, especially during the Middle Ages.

Writers such as Geoffrey Chaucer helped link Valentine’s Day with courtly romance, popularising the idea that birds paired off on this date.

By the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, exchanging handwritten notes and tokens of affection became common in Europe. With industrialisation, printed cards, chocolates, and flowers transformed Valentine’s Day into the commercial celebration of love recognised around the world today.

So, for those who love to partake in this long-held tradition, Happy St Valentine’s Day … and don’t overdo the chocolates!

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