We know that 14 February is celebrated as a day of love, friendship and admiration, but why do we celebrate this day? This significant cultural, religious, and commercial celebration of romantic love has an ancient origin.

The Catholic Church recognizes two different saints named Saint Valentine, both martyred. A legend says that Valentine was a Catholic priest who lived in Rome at Emperor Claudius II’s time. Claudius was pagan and decided to ban marriage for young people and soldiers because he believed they should be completely devoted to Rome. St. Valentine continued secretly to celebrate weddings for young lovers. He was found out by Emperor Claudius and executed on February 14 in the year 270.According to   another legend, an imprisoned Valentine (as a Christian) had sent the first greeting of “Valentine’s Day” after falling in love with a girl. Before his death, he is said to have written her a letter signed “From   your Valentine”.

It wasn’t until more than 200 years later that 14 February was proclaimed St Valentine’s Day. By this   time Rome had become Christian but a pagan fertility ritual was still held in the middle of February each year (Lupercalia).

Pope Gelasius abolished this pagan ritual and proclaimed 14 February Saint Valentine’s Day, thus establishing this feast day on the Catholic Calendar of Saints.

The poet Geoffrey Chaucer in   the Middle Ages was the first to link St. Valentine with romantic love. This was the beginning of the tradition of courtly love, a ritual of expressing love and admiration, usually in secret. Historians believe that these meetings were in fact gatherings where people read love poetry and played games of flirtation. When we think of Valentine’s Day we also think of Shakespeare. He is the spokesman of our   culture   on   the   theme   of   romantic   love. Many   phrases on Valentine’s   Day   cards   are quotes from this author. The famous sonnets of the love theme are: Sonnet 116 “Let me not admit impediments to the marriage of true minds” and Sonnet 18 “Should I compare you to a summer day?”

In Britain, Valentine’s Day began to be popularly celebrated around the 17th century. It was typical for friends and lovers to exchange message of love and small handwritten cards. In 1900 beautiful printed cards and gifts of flowers were being exchanged. But still today all over the world many couples choose to celebrate their Valentine’s Day with exchanging romantic cards, gifts, flowers or having dinner, a picnic or special home-cooked meal.

If I am still on time, I suggest to take inspiration by Shakespeare’s romantic sonnets in case of you are running out of ideas. Your beloved will be amazed by your ability in expressing your deep love.

By the way!  Never forget that Cupid can be sometimes wrong!

Cupid is one of the most popular symbol of love often associated to St. Valentine day. He is considered a flying child with a bow and arrow, but his origins go back to Greek mythology. The god of love and desire was a hunter who pierced people with his love arrows to create unwanted and affections. Cupid, the playful god of desire and attraction in the classical world is now shooting his arrows in cards all over the world.

If you are still looking for Love or, your Love is hopeless, I suggest to go to a town named: San Valentino Torio in the province of Salerno in the Campania region of south-west Italy.

A statue of St.  Valentine in the Church of San Giacomo Maggiore is waiting for you to accept and to fulfil your desires but, don’t be too fussy and have a careful look around, your Valentine may be just round the corner.