The holiday is named after a christian martyr named Valentine and was established by Pope Gelasius I in AD 496. Numerous early Christian martyrs were named Valentine. The Catholic Encyclopedia also speaks of a third saint named Valentine who was mentioned in early martyrologies under date of February 14. He was martyred in Africa with a number of companions, but nothing more is known about him.The holiday became associated with love in the circle of Geoffrey Chaucer in the High Middle Ages, when the tradition of courtly love flourished.The sending of Valentines was a fashion in nineteenth-century Great Britain, and, in 1847, Esther Howland developed a successful business in her Worcester, Massachusetts home with hand-made Valentine cards based on British models. The popularity of Valentine cards in 19th century America, where many Valentine cards are now general greeting cards rather than declarations of love, was a harbinger of the future commercialization of holidays in the United States. It's considered one of the Hallmark holidays.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Posts
