Valentine’s Day is synonymous with romance and affection. Many Scots will be rushing to the supermarket to buy flowers or making reservations at their favourite restaurant.
Scotland’s least romantic city has been revealed, as has the place in the country that is best for singles. But people may wonder how this tradition began.
There are several theories about the origins of our modern-day marking of February 14. Interestingly, the holiday wasn’t always associated with chocolates and cosy moments with a loved one.
The Romans had a much darker celebration from February 13 to 15, known as the feast of Lupercalia. This involved sacrifices of goats and dogs, after which men would use the hides to whip women in a bid to increase their fertility, according to their beliefs.
A matchmaking system was also in place to pair men and women for procreation. The Catholic Church later established St. Valentine’s Day following the execution of two individuals named Valentine on February 14.
This was an attempt to eradicate pagan rituals deemed offensive by the Church. Pope Gelasius I replaced the original ritual, retaining only the themes of fertility and love, reports the Mirror US.
The violent aspects were discarded as a more contemporary interpretation of love began to emerge. Literary figures of the time, such as Chaucer and Shakespeare, reinvigorated the holiday.
However, it was when the holiday reached the United States that it took on its current commercialised form.
The Industrial Revolution transformed greeting cards into a factory-made phenomenon. Hallmark, albeit then a smaller company, produced valentines akin to the modern versions we exchange today, drawing inspiration from handcrafted notes that hark back to the Shakespearean era.
These early cards are believed to be influenced by what is considered the inaugural valentine from St. Valentine himself. According to the History Channel, St. Valentine signed a note “From your Valentine” while writing to a girl he tutored during his imprisonment for secretly marrying Roman soldiers.
In contemporary times, the dark origins of the holiday have faded into obscurity, with romantic couples now celebrating gentler expressions of love. The earlier religious connotations and fertility rituals no longer dominate the observance of Valentine’s Day.