Friday, February 13, 1998
2400 years of love
HISTORY: St. Valentine’s Day arose from pagan celebrations in
ancient Rome, but now festivities include flowers, cards and
candy
By Michelle Navarro
Daily Bruin Staff
Marilyn Manson walks up to the jar at the center of the crowd.
There is the hushed air of suspense and excitement. He reaches into
the jar and pulls out a piece of paper. It reads, "Martha Stewart."
According to tradition, these two must unite as partners in love
until the next annual festival of Lupercalia.
This could have happened, had it taken place in Rome during the
fourth century. Fortunately, today the ritual is not what it used
to be, but is actually one of the earliest connections to what is
celebrated now as Valentine’s Day.
Surprisingly enough, the holiday wasn’t always about
long-stemmed roses or heart-shaped boxes of chocolates,or a little,
chubby Cupid stabbing people with the arrow of love. No, it goes
way back.
Those additions were just a part of the evolution of the
celebration into a commercial holiday. In fact, what many do not
know, is that it is actually St. Valentine’s Day.
So what does a saint have to do with an ancient pagan festival?
There are several explanations, because, unfortunately, no one
knows the complete truth.
Several historical records, including Charles Panati’s "Panati’s
Extraordinary Origins of Everyday Things," claim it all began with
the Festival of Lupercalia, a yearly celebration that was dedicated
to Lupercus, the god of animals and crops. It is said this festival
arose in efforts to gain protection from the wolves, which prowled
the wilderness of fourth-century Rome.
After some time, this ceremony, which occurred on Feb. 15,
changed its patron god to Juno, the Roman queen of gods and
guardian of women and marriage. After this switch, the practice
emerged of men drawing the names of young women, who would then be
their partner for feasting, dancing and, some sources say, "sexual
game playing."
It was this last aspect of the festival that people say prompted
the Catholic Church (and more specifically Pope Gelasius) to outlaw
the pagan celebration some 800 years later.
"That would not have been an unusual practice," said Cindy
Yoshitomi, campus minister for the University Catholic Center
(UCC).
Apparently, the Pope kept the idea of the lottery, but altered
it so that the names being chosen were those of saints instead of
maidens. Each person was then expected to imitate that saint for
that year. A new patron, St. Valentine, replaced Juno and the new
festival was moved to the 14th.
The history of who this saint was is uncertain. There is a
debate as to whether there were two St. Valentines, or if the two
stories listed concern the same person.
According to an encyclopedia of saints, Roman Martyrology
remembers two separate martyrs in mid-February.
One was said to have been a Roman priest who conducted secret
marriages against the orders of Emperor Claudius II, who forbade
wedlock, in an attempt to increase the size of his army. To
Claudius, married men were less likely to leave their wives and
families to go fight in the war.
This saint and "friend of lovers" conducted the nuptial ceremony
anyway and was eventually executed circa 270 A.D. for his
conduct.
Yoshitomi said he was rumored to have "sent letters of love to
people who feared persecution." A possible origin of the practice
of sending valentines.
The second story involved Valentine, the bishop of Terni. It is
said that this Valentine was imprisoned for assisting Christian
martyrs and for being a prominent Christian leader.
"One was a bishop which Romans could easily distinguish from the
rest as a leader of the community," Yoshitomi said, "Often times
bishops would get killed for people, as a sacrifice out of
love."
As the legend goes, while awaiting execution in prison,
Valentine restored the eyesight of the jailer’s daughter. The two
fell in love, and before his death, he sent messages signed "From
your Valentine" to the young girl. This is yet another proposed
beginning of the cards given out today.
A stranger, more random connection to the romance of Valentine’s
Day is the mating season of those feathered friends, the birds.
"On Feb. 14, birds began choosing their mates," Yoshitomi
explained. "So springtime was a good time to choose one’s
mate."
Robert Gibson, associate professor of biology, said the date
seemed a little early for the Northern Hemisphere.
"I would say more in April," Gibson said, "but I’m not an expert
on the mating season of birds in Italy."
Although the holiday is named after a saint, it is not an
observed feast day in the Catholic Church.
"There are hundreds of thousands of saints and only 365 days in
the year," explained Father Ted of the UCC.
Yoshitomi also added that it was taken off the Catholic calendar
after Vatican II because the history was not clear.
As mentioned earlier, the ambiguity of origin is also present
with respect to valentines, those frilly, lace-ridden messages of
love.
The earliest preserved valentine was sent in 1415 by Charles,
the French duke of Orleans, to his wife. The duke was imprisoned in
the tower of London after being captured at the battle of
Agincourt. The valentines he sent are now kept in the British
Museum.
Fancy, more elaborate valentines weren’t mass produced until the
1870s, when American artist Esther Howland began the operation
after being inspired by one sent to her.
The other symbols of Valentine’s Day were probably added on with
the growing fame and commercialization of the romantic
celebration.
"People like this holiday," Yoshitomi said, "and they probably
layered onto it from their culture."
This could explain the association of the Greek god, Cupid, who
is not a part of Roman mythology or the Catholic faith.
Father Ted said the blame possibly belongs to the greeting card
industry.
"It’s certainly not the Church or the Pope who is pushing it,"
he said.
Whatever the truth is, it still doesn’t hinder the fact that
Valentine’s Day is a huge deal to the love-struck in the Western
world.
"It does remind us that God attracts people to one another,"
Yoshitomi said, "it’s important to contemplate and celebrate."
One student, however, thinks that people shouldn’t reserve such
focus on love for only one day out of the year.
"You’re supposed to love someone every day," said Laura Haught,
a fourth-year political science student, who was quick to add she
had a valentine and wasn’t saying this because she was
"bitter."
"It’s like Christmas," she said, "It should be every day, not
just once a year."
This once-a-year holiday dates so far back before formal
historical records were taken, so the facts will never be
known.
"Maybe it’s supposed to stay a mystery," Yoshitomi said, "just
like any other romance."