History Of Valentine's Day- Everything You Need To Know In 2023

Well… You can love it or hate it but you definitely can’t ignore Valentine's Day! While valentine’s day is now known for expressing your love, giving gifts and reserving classy restaurants for dates, the history of valentine’s day goes way back!

The history of valentine’s day is anything but romantic.Here, the Valentine's Day history that wouldn't make it into a rom-com, featuring a saint, a massacre, and even the sinful nuns of Valentine's Day.

When is Valentine’s Day?

Valentine's Dayalways falls on February 14. Valentine's Day 2023 is Monday, February 14. 

It was Pope Gelasius who at the end of the 5th century declared February 14th as St. Valentine’s day but the day was actually celebrated as a religious holiday.

What is The History of Valentine’s Day?

Valentine's Day is a fixed day on the calendar that got lumped with Lupercalia—which some historians believe is what led to Valentine's Day being all about love. 

Lupercalia was a holiday that celebrated fertility and included a ritual where men and women were paired off based on the names chosen from a jar. 

Why is Valentine's Day celebrated on February 14th?

In general, early Christians often opted to celebrate holidays on days that coincide with existing festivals and celebrations like Christmas and winter solstice, so they placed Valentine's Day on February 14th, while Lupercalia was celebrated on February 15th.

Who was Saint Valentine? (And what does he have to do with chocolate hearts?

Not much, it turns out. St. Valentine's Day was a feast day in the Catholic religion, added to the calendar around 500 AD. The day was commemorated for martyred saints named—you guessed it—Valentine..

But even though not much is known about the real history of the Saint Valentines on whom the holiday is based, the legend of Saint Valentine has several telling.

Why do we celebrate Valentine’s Day?

The middle ages or as we know the era of courtly love, where romantic statements of love included poems, paintings and songs celebrated the word “valentine” as a lover.

What is Galentine's Day, and how is it related to Valentine's Day?

Galentine's day is a rather modern and fun take on the traditional valentines day. It's a day to celebrate the friends that you love. Galentine's Day gifts have become a nice way to celebrate the people who mean so much to you.

So what is the history of valentine's day…

Over the centuries, Valentine's Day has been a religious celebration, an ancient ritual day, and a commercial holiday. All that change means the meaning of Valentine's Day is truly whatever you want it to be: 

You can skip the celebrations completely, buy yourself some chocolate or flowers, or express your love and appreciation for the people in your life, whether they're co-workers, romantic partners, friends, or family members.