Valentine’s Day Trivia

How did Valentine’s Day originate?
The holiday has evolved from Roman mythology to a religious holiday to a day of celebrating love. Romans had the feast of Lupercalia, named after Lupercus, the god of fertility. It happened every year in February and had many parts. There was a sacrificial slaughtering of goats and young dogs, both known for their strong sexual instincts. The sacrifice was to please Lupercus. If the god was happy, he would spare their sheep from his wolves. Another piece of the celebration was the tradition of matching young couples. Each teen boy would choose a girl’s name from a lottery. The two would be paired up for the festivities and remain sexual partners for the following year. This too was done trusting that it was the will of the gods. Also during that era, February 14th was a celebration of Juno, queen of the Roman gods and goddesses, and had nothing in common with Valentine’s Day other than sharing the date.

Much later, in the early days of Christianity, some bishops took the name of Valentine. One of them, who we now call St. Valentine, was arrested at the order of Emperor Claudius II. The Emperor had forbidden his soldiers to marry because he believed their emotional ties to women and children would weaken their ability to fight. Valentine ignored his ruling and was sent to jail for presiding over a marriage involving a soldier. The Emperor was impressed with Valentine’s conviction, and was unable to sway his Christian beliefs, and therefore Valentine was declared a martyr after his death. It is said that February 14th is the day of either Valentine’s death or his burial. During his imprisonment, rumor has it that the priest performed a miracle and healed the jailer’s blind daughter. Another rumor is that he fell in love with her and would send her love notes signed, “Your Valentine.” The stories of St. Valentine’s valiant defiance of the Emperor and of his jailhouse love captivated all who heard it.

Some time later, the Pope declared February 14th as St. Valentine’s Day to commemorate the life of St. Valentine. The pope’s purpose was to rid society of the pagan holiday and to cleanse it from sexual immorality while honoring the saints. While practical, the religious aspects of the holiday did not take on like he’d planned.

Many versions of Lupercalia gained popularity over the years in small social groups, but faded out just as quickly. However, the elements of the much evolved holiday are attributed to the sensual history of February 14th as well as the romantic story of St. Valentine. Surely, the priest’s signature on his love note is the inspiration for the classic Valentine's Day question, “Will you be my Valentine?” Just as other myths throughout history, the stories have spread, melded, and developed into one of today’s most celebrated holidays.

Who is Cupid?
Cupid is associated with Valentine’s Day because he is a symbol of love. His parentage is unclear, but many believe the Greek and Roman god was son of Venus (or Aphrodite), goddess of love. The mischievous winged child was known to shoot people through the heart with his magic arrow, causing them to fall deeply in love. In one story, Cupid himself fell in love with a mortal named Psyche, who eventually became a goddess because of his love and devotion. The fantasy that Cupid’s arrow could shoot through your heart at any moment is alluring for singles everywhere, making it a perfect match for Valentine’s Day!

Why is the heart a symbol of love?
It is true that the physical side-effect of heartache feels like actual pain in your chest, but it is not because your heart is “feeling” the pain. It is in fact the brain that processes emotions and “feels” love. It sends signals to every part of the body in reaction to stress and emotion, causing physical reactions. So, why does the heart get all the credit? The Bible says to “love with all your heart.” In medieval times, people believed that a person’s soul lived in their heart. It has had a spiritual and emotional connotation since the beginning of time, and that's not likely to change.

The heart’s shape has a unique history. There are two possible theories. The first is simply that scientists came up with the shape in attempt to draw something they had never seen. The smooth edged, symmetrical shape is much more aesthetically pleasing than the actual shape, so it would make sense that the image would be accepted even after science revealed the heart's true shape.

A much more romantic theory is that the shape originates from silphium, very popular in ancient Egypt. Silphium is an extinct and very large relative of fennel. Its seeds are heart shaped, and were widely used as contraceptive. It was so popular that the Egyptian even put the heart shape was on their coins! Greek mythology also referred to silphium in sensual ways. One story tells of a girl who was seduced. When her parents looked for her, they found a pile of silphium on a table, the girl and her girlish belongings were nowhere to be found.

Why are doves a part of Valentine’s Day?
Doves are one of the few animals on earth that mate for life, making them a romantic symbol. They even care for their children together. Doves are released at weddings for the same reason. Lovebirds are also associated with love because they mate for life. They get their name because Lovebirds sit very close together, suggesting that they have much affection for each other. Some say that when a male lovebird begins to sing, the female will join in and they will sway together to the rhythm of the song.

Why does XO mean hugs and kisses?
The X was once a symbol of honesty and the Christian cross. It was used in pre-modern era to sign documents because the majority of people were illiterate. Along with the X, one would kiss the page to show their sincerity, therefore the connection between an X and a kiss.

The O is much less interesting. It was coupled with the X many years later by Americans to signify hugs. It is unclear who first added the O, but it is generally accepted that it signifies one’s arms reaching around another, making their arms into the shape of an O.