![]() ![]() This was the beginning of the tradition of courtly love, a ritual of expressing love and admiration, usually in secret. The poet Chaucer in the Middle Ages was the first to link St Valentine with romantic love. A pagan fertility ritual was held in February each year and the Pope abolished this festival and proclaimed 14 February Saint Valentine's Day, thus establishing this feast day on the Catholic Calendar of Saints. By this time Rome had become Christian and the Catholic Church was determined to stamp out any remaining paganism. It wasn't until more than 200 years later that 14 February was proclaimed St Valentine's Day. Valentine was executed on 14 February in the year 270. ![]() Legend has it that Valentine cured the girl's blindness and that his final act before being executed was to write her a love message signed ‘from your Valentine'. While imprisoned, Valentine cared for his fellow prisoners and also his jailor's blind daughter. St Valentine began to marry these soldiers in secret Christian ceremonies and this was the beginning of his reputation for believing in the importance of love.Įventually, Valentine was found out and jailed for his crimes against Claudius. Claudius believed that Roman soldiers should be completely devoted to Rome and therefore passed a law preventing them from marrying. There are many stories about St Valentine and over time these stories grew into the legend we know today.Īt the time of Valentine's life, many Romans were converting to Christianity, but the Emperor Claudius II was a pagan and created strict laws about what Christians were allowed to do. Valentine's Day is named after Saint Valentine, a Catholic priest who lived in Rome in the 3rd Century. Couples send Valentine's Day cards and flowers and spend special time together to honour their love for each other. Every year on 14 February people celebrate this day by sending messages of love and affection to partners, family and friends. What is Valentine's Day? St Valentine's Day is an annual festival to celebrate romantic love, friendship and admiration. ![]()
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