Why do we celebrate Valentine’s Day and what does the church have to do with it?

When it comes to Valentine’s Day, opinions vary: either you love it and celebrate it – or you complain every year that it’s just another day focused purely on consumption.

But where does Valentine’s Day actually come from? And what traditions are there on this day in other countries?

Here are the most important questions and answers about Valentine’s Day:

In ancient Rome, people would have commemorated the goddess Juno, the protector of marriage and the family, in mid-February, when the birds’ mating season begins. Even then, it was common for Roman men to symbolically give flowers to women for this festival.

It is impossible to say with absolute certainty who invented today’s Valentine’s Day. However, it is relatively clear where the name comes from: the Catholic Church dedicated the day to Saint Valentine.

Saint Valentine lived in Rome in the 3rd century and is said to have married lovers in the Christian manner, although this was prohibited under Emperor Claudius II. According to tradition, the marriages of these particular couples were happy.

Valentine was executed on February 14, 269 on the orders of Claudius II. Today the priest is revered as the patron saint of lovers.

Valentine’s Day was instituted by Pope Gelasius I in 469 for the entire Church to commemorate the martyrdom of Saint Valentine.

1,500 years later – in 1969 – the holiday was canceled again. The reason for this is that the existence of Valentine’s Day cannot be precisely proven historically. There is also talk of two different Valentines: Valentine of Terni and Valentine of Rome – it is unclear whether they are one and the same person.

However, there are still special services around February 14 in which married couples are blessed.

It is said that Saint Valentine not only had married couples but also gave them flowers from his garden. This is where the custom of giving each other flowers on Valentine’s Day comes from.

But flowers have been around humanity for a long time – in all kinds of cultures. Since ancient Greece, the rose has been called the “queen of flowers”. In almost all cultures, the rose is the flower of love and is therefore especially popular as a gift on Valentine’s Day. Red roses are the most popular on this day: the red color represents deep love and sexual passion.

By the way, you should be careful with yellow roses, because yellow represents infidelity and jealousy.

In Italy, love locks engraved with the date the lovers met and their initials are particularly popular on Valentine’s Day. Italians gather on this day to attach the lock to a bridge and throw the corresponding key into the water – love is now supposed to last forever.

In Finland, Valentine’s Day is celebrated as a day of friendship. You send anonymous cards to people you like – or you personally give them a small gift.

Many Christians make a pilgrimage to the Carmelite Church in Dublin on Valentine’s Day. There are relics of St. Valentine there. The pilgrims pray at the shrine and hope to find their true love.

In South Africa, people wear white and red clothes on Valentine’s Day as a symbol of purity and love.

In Japan, it is customary for girls to give homemade dark chocolate to the boy of their choice on February 14. Exactly one month later there is ‘White Day’: on this day the girls receive white chocolate from the boy in return.

In South Korea, in addition to Valentine’s Day, there is also “White Day” – and even “Black Day”: anyone who did not receive a gift on February 14 and March 14 mourns this on April 14 by ceremoniously eating black noodles.

The dish called “Jajangmyeon” is eaten together with other singles – in the hope of finding true love.