February 14 is when we celebrate Valentine’s Day. Although some enjoy it as the celebration of love, others reject it as a materialistic commercialized holiday.

Valentine’s Day started with a connection to Christianity but there is a lot of information to wade through to find the truth. The details within the stories connecting it to Christianity are difficult to prove.

Nevertheless, Valentine’s Day is connected to Christianity, but not solely.

Christian Connections

Valentine’s Day began as Saint Valentine’s Day or the Feast of Saint Valentine. The feast was first established by Pope Gelasius I to honor one or two saints named Valentinus for being martyred on February 14.

Those familiar with this connection believe there to be a single man, but there were actually three saints bearing the name Valentine or Valentinus. Two were from Italy and one was from Africa. Two were clearly beheaded, while the third one’s martyrdom is only “supposed” by some.

One Valentine’s story is that he was a temple priest who was imprisoned for ministering to Christians when they were being persecuted by the Roman empire.

While in prison, he fell in love with a young woman (possibly the jailer’s daughter) and sent her a farewell note (from “Your Valentine”) before his execution. One version of the story states that the young woman was blind, and Valentine healed her, while other stories leave that part out.

Another Valentine’s story says that he was beheaded for performing secret weddings when Emperor Claudius had outlawed them for young soldiers.

And yet another story: Valentine was a priest who was arrested, but instead of being put in jail, he was put into the custody of an aristocrat named Asterius.

After hearing Valentine speak, he challenged him about the validity of Christ. He bargained with him to heal his for Asterius to believe. Valentine healed her and they all got baptized. After Emperor Claudius II found out, he had Valentine killed.

With the difficulty of determining which details are true, it’s no wonder they can be found all mixed together, giving us the idea of a single person.

Pagan Connections

While it is clear that the origin of Valentine’s Day is connected to Christianity, there are those who claim paganism is the root. Those telling this story say Christianity took the Roman festival called Lupercalia and “Christianized” it.

Lupercalia was a fertility festival that honored the Roman gods on February 15. Some stories say Juno and Pan, while others say Faunus, Romulus, and Remus.

The details of the festival have differences depending on which story you read, but they’re all quite gory.

Nevertheless, Paganism may or may not have had anything to do with Valentine’s Day.

Love Birds

How Valentine’s Day became connected with romantic love is said to be due to a poem by Geoffrey Chaucer. In 1375, he wrote “Parliament of Foules” connecting romantic love to the beginning of mating season for birds (mid-February). He wrote, “For this was sent on Seynt Valentyne’s day/Whan every foul cometh ther to choose his mate.”

During that time in history, courtly love flourished, and couples took the occasion to express their love in the form of flowers, candies, and cards (valentines).

Perhaps this is where we get the term love birds from?

What Does This Mean?

Whatever Valentine’s Day is to you, it is for you to decide. Personally, I think it’s a great opportunity to celebrate love, whether it be for family, friends, lovers, or neighbors because Jesus said that people would know us by our love.

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another (John 13:34-35).

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).

And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony (Colossians 3:14).

I found the one my heart loves (Song of Solomon 3:4).

Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm, for love is strong as death, jealousy is fierce as the grave. Its flashes are flashes of fire, the very flame of the LORD. Many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it. If a man offered for love all the wealth of his house, he would be utterly despised (Song of Solomon 8:6-7).

If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing (1 Corinthians 13:1-3).

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails (1 Corinthians 13:4-8).

Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law (Romans 13:10).

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love (1 Corinthians 13:13).

Valentine’s Day Fun Facts

Passing out Valentine’s is a 600-year-old tradition. Esther Howland is the first manufacturer of Valentine’s. Today, millions of greeting cards are purchased every year. People consider pink and red the colors of love. Candy hearts were originally medical lozenges.

Wearing your heart on your sleeve is more than just a phrase. The candies got their iconic shape much later. The heart shape wasn’t always a romantic symbol. Cupid’s bow and arrow aren’t just for show. Roses are the flowers of love. Men and women prefer the same of candy. The chocolate box has been around for more than 140 years.

Should Christians celebrate Valentine’s Day?

Julia Qates wrote that Christians can celebrate Valentine’s Day if they want to. There is nothing wrong with sending a friend or your significant other a card and a box of candy on February 14th.

One of the only reasons some Christians don’t celebrate it is because of the pagan festival of Lupercalia. Some people believe Valentine’s Day was placed around the time of Lupercalia to “Christianize” the time around the festival, but, there is little evidence to support that claim.

He said "I personally know Christians who celebrate Valentine’s Day and others who don’t celebrate it because of how commercialized the holiday has become. I began to research Valentine’s Day to see if Christians should celebrate it or not. To start, let’s look at the origins of Valentine’s Day".

Origins of Valentine’s Day

There are many mysteries surrounding the origins of Valentine’s Day. People debate when exactly it started and who it began with. The most common origin story is the legend of St. Valentine.

Saint Valentine

St. Valentine is believed to have been a priest during the third century in Rome. After Emperor Claudius II declared single men made better soldiers, he outlawed marriage for young men. Valentine went behind Emperor Claudius’ law and performed marriages in secret. When this was discovered, Claudius had him put to death.

Other stories suggested that Valentine helped Christians to escape Roman prisons. In this story, Valentine was imprisoned when he sent the very first valentine’s letter to a young lady. It is believed he sent it to his jailor’s daughter. Before his death, it is believed he wrote her another letter and signed it, “From your Valentine.”

By the time the middle ages came around, St. Valentine had become a popular saint. Although we do not know if these stories are true, St. Valentine is still viewed as a romantic saint who helped to start Valentine’s Day.

Valentine’s Day: Through the Decades

In the 19th century, Valentine’s cards became popular. It started off with handwritten cards and then mass-produced cards became popular. They began making the cards in factories due to the high demand. The cards were made with lace and ribbon.

The first box of chocolates was made in 1868 by a company called Cadbury. The boxes were called “Fancy Boxes.” Halfway through the 20th century, exchanging cards along with gifts, like chocolate, became normal.

Poems have also been apart of Valentine’s Day since the beginning. People used to submit poems they wrote for their significant other to the local newspaper in hopes it would be published.

Newspapers would have whole sections dedicated to poems and short love notes for significant others for Valentine’s Day. People would search through Valentine’s Day cards to find one with the right poem inside of it. Here is one Valentine’s Day poem that was included in the Springfield Republican by Elizabeth Barrett:

"How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. I love thee to the depth and breadth and hight my sould can reach, when deeling out of sight for the ends of Being and ideal Grace. I love thee to the level of every day’s most quiet need by sum and candlelight. I love thee freely, as men strive for Right; I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.

I love thee with thepassion put to use in my old griefs, with my childhood’s faith. I love thee with a love I seemes to lose with my lost saints – I love thee with the breath, smiles, tears, of all my life! – and, if God choose, I shall but love thee better after Death. Mrs. Browining" - Elizabeth Barrett, 16 July 1874, page 3 Springfield Republican.

Valentine’s Day: Today

Today, Valentine’s Day is on February 14th. It’s a celebration of love which stemmed from St. Valentine. People express their love to their significant other, friends, and family by purchasing candy, stuffed animals, or chocolate-covered strawberries with Valentine’s Day card attached to it.

Why Some Christians Do Celebrate It

As Christians, we are called to love another. Romans 12:10 says, “Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.” Christians can use Valentine’s Day to show their love for one another.

"I have a family member who has a card making party before Valentine’s Day every year. She encourages us to think of people who wouldn’t normally receive Valentine’s and make them a homemade card. She sends Valentine’s cards to people who have recently had a loss in their family or people who don’t have anyone to celebrate with. She uses Valentine’s Day to remind people in her life that they are loved.

Christians are free to celebrate Valentine’s Day if they choose to. There is nothing wrong with sending someone a card and giving them flowers or chocolate to show your love and appreciation for them!" John Qates.

Why Some Christians Don’t Celebrate It

There are two main reasons people don’t celebrate Valentine’s Day: because it’s too commercialized and others say it has pagan roots.

First, Valentine’s Day has become a commercialized holiday. It was estimated people in America spent $20.7 billion on Valentine’s Day in 2019. The truth is, most holidays in America have become commercialized. Take for example Christmas.

For many people, Christmas is a time to give gifts and watch movies about Santa. Many people don’t focus on Jesus and His birth at all during Christmas. Does this mean Christians shouldn’t give Christmas gifts? Giving gifts is not bad. The problem occurs when people focus more on gifts than Jesus’ birth. Christians can give gifts at Christmas time so long as Jesus remains the center of the day.

"I use the example of Christmas to show that just because a holiday has become commercialized does not mean people should stop celebrating that holiday. This is not to say Christians have to celebrate Valentine’s Day. Although it has become a commercialized holiday, that does not mean it is wrong to celebrate it as a Christian".

Next, some people believe Valentine’s Day has pagan roots. While the exact origin of Valentine’s Day remains unclear, some people believe it began with Saint Valentine whereas others believe it started because of the ancient pagan celebration of Lupercalia.

Src: christianity.com & justdisciple.com