Resuming the “Odd History” series, we’d like to introduce to you the history behind the day we celebrate love: Valentine’s Day. Many people don’t realize, but this holiday is named after a Christian priest. Let’s dig to learn more!
So who exactly was Valentine? It seems that there are three different stories of who he was, and why he became famous. One story contends that he was a priest that served during the 3rd century in Rome. The emperor of the time decided bachelors made better soldiers than married men, and outlawed marriage for young men. Valentine saw the injustice in this, and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When he was discovered, he was put to death.
Another legend claims that Valentine was imprisoned. While in prison he fell in love with a young lady (possibly the jailer’s daughter), who visited him during his prison time. Before his death, he supposedly wrote her a letter, which he signed ‘From your Valentine,’ an expression that is still in use today.
Finally, it’s said that Valentine may have been killed for trying to help Christians escape brutal Roman prisons where they were beaten and tortured.
Some of the odd traditions of Valentine’s day include the mass Underwater Wedding Ceremony held in Trang province on Kradan Island of Thailand. Every year on February 14th couples come to Kradan Island for a mass underwater wedding ceremony. In Japan, it’s pretty much just the women giving men things like chocolate and flowers. No worries though, the men have to turn around and give gifts back to the women they got gifts from on “White Day” which is in March.
To be honest, in my research, this was about as odd as I could find. Across the world wherever Valentine’s day is celebrated, notes are exchanged, flowers given, and chocolate is given as well. It seems the language of love is pretty universal, and doesn’t get extremely…well….odd.
From all of us here at PrintMyThing and PrintMyRibbon…Happy Valentine’s Day!
