Why Is February 14 Called ‘Valentine’s Day?
Valentine’s Day gets its name from a man known as Saint Valentine. Although history mentions three different Saint Valentines associated with this day, historians generally agree that the most relevant figure was a priest who lived during the reign of Emperor Claudius II in ancient Rome.
Claudius II was obsessed with expanding his territory and repeatedly failed in his conquests. He attributed his lack of success to a shortage of soldiers in his army. Claudius believed his soldiers were unwilling to leave their families and loved ones behind, blaming their love and attachment for their reluctance to fight.
To strengthen his army, Claudius issued a decree forbidding soldiers from marrying. However, the priest Valentine believed that marriage was divinely ordained, sacred, and an inevitable part of life. He was convinced that no one should interfere with the bond of love between couples. Despite the emperor’s ban, Valentine secretly married couples defying the law.
When Claudius discovered Valentine’s actions, he had him imprisoned and sentenced to death. During his time in prison, Valentine is said to have fallen in love with the daughter of one of his jailers. Legend has it that before his execution, which was scheduled for February 14, Valentine handed the woman a letter signed with the phrase, “From your Valentine.”
The tradition of exchanging letters and cards on Valentine’s Day is believed to have originated from this story.
The name “Valentine” is entirely derived from Saint Valentine’s story. The Catholic Church recognized the priest as a symbol of love, devotion, and sacrifice and designated February 14 as a day to honor him. Over time, the name “Valentine” became synonymous with “lover” or “sweetheart,” leading to the modern celebration of Valentine’s Day as we know it today.
Historical Points Worth Mentioning:
The history of Valentine’s Day dates back to the early days of Ancient Rome. During this time, a pagan festival known as Lupercalia was celebrated from February 13 to February 15. This festival was dedicated to Faunus, the god of fertility. The rituals of Lupercalia focused on themes such as fertility, prosperity, and the protection of animals.
One notable aspect of this festival was the lottery system where young men and women were paired with each other. These couples often ended up forming romantic relationships or, in some cases, marriages. However, as Christianity began to spread, the Church banned such pagan festivals and replaced them with their sacred days. By coincidence, Saint Valentine’s death occurred on the second day of these Lupercalia celebrations.
Another reason why February 14 became associated with love and romance lies in the influence of the medieval writer Geoffrey Chaucer. In England and France, it was believed that February 14 marked the beginning of the mating season for birds. This belief was immortalized in the works of Chaucer, especially in his poem “The Parliament of Fowls.” In this poem, Chaucer emphasized February 14 as the day birds chose their mates, linking the date to themes of love and romance. This idea became particularly significant for the English and helped solidify the association of February 14 with romantic relationships.
Birds do it, bees do it
Even educated fleas do it
Let’s do it, let’s fall in love
-Geoffrey Chaucer
When We Think of Valentine’s Day
When we think of Valentine’s Day, naturally, love and the people we hold feelings for come to mind. Love. With its soft tone and the way it brings smiles, doesn’t it occupy such a significant place in how we express affection in our lives? A simple four- letter word that has claimed the throne of all emotions, standing strong as a universal expression for every kind of love.
We frequently use it to express our deepest affections, allowing it to flow naturally from our lips. Sometimes we say, “I love my cat,” and other times, as Elvis Presley famously sang, “I can’t help falling in love.” Among all the things we enjoy in life, it seems to be the truest form of expression. The way we emphasize it in our speech—stretching the word with a higher pitch—shows how deeply we value something.
But we use it so much that we risk diminishing its strength.
So, could there be other alternatives? When emotions become too heavy to confine within the word love, pressing on your heart with a weight that feels like it needs something bigger, something different—or when you crave something lighter, more specific—are we simply using love for loving something?
Adoration: When your admiration for someone makes your chest ache, when the love in your eyes overflows as tears, and when you feel so overwhelmed by the profound respect and love that you could fall to your knees—adoration is there. Historically, it has often been used in a religious context, as it derives from the Latin word ad?r?ti?, meaning "to give through worship, to humble oneself to the point of reverence, and to offer oneself." It is the tears of a mother gazing at the beauty of her baby, the complex feelings of awe and respect you feel for a beautifully painted landscape. It signifies loving devotion, whether to God, a person, a thing, a place, or someone’s work. Adoration is an intense love, passionate, even unrequited.
Amour: Borrowed from French, this word isn’t often used in daily life, but it lends a poetic tone to works of art. It is how one addresses a lover and directly represents a romantic relationship. It was chosen as the most romantic word in a survey of 320 linguists. In Middle English, it was used in the context of love affairs or forbidden romances, much like Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet.” In Turkish, we might call it “sevda.” Amour has found its place in art, reflecting the sweet and refined allure of the French language in paintings and songs, and offering an air of elegance.
Affection: Affection is often said to be stronger than love because romantic love can fade, but affection endures. It embodies tenderness, compassion, and protective feelings. Unlike the intensity of passion, affection manifests as a calm, caring attachment. In Ancient Egypt, it was symbolized by the goddess Isis nursing her child. Because feelings of warmth associated with affection are tied to memories, they are harder to forget and can persist even through pain and disappointment. The word derives from the Latin affectio (a tendency to love), stemming from afficere (to influence). It entered English through French in the 14th century, meaning “a loving closeness.” Its most common English usage is in the phrase "to win someone's affections," referring to the act of gaining someone’s tender feelings. Affection is longer-lasting and more profound than fleeting emotions. It may endure after the death of a loved one or even arise in the optimistic warmth felt toward someone after just a few conversations.
Yearning: Although it can mean wanting, hoping, or wishing, yearning specifically refers to a powerful love for something one cannot have. Often confused with longing, yearning is more about dreams and the abstract, while longing is tied to something tangible. As seen in the commonly cited phrase, "There was a deep yearning in his heart for a life he never knew," yearning carries a melancholic and poetic tone. It describes an inner, romantic, and enduring desire, highlighting the emotional void within one’s heart. The word originates from the Proto-Germanic german?n? (to desire strongly, to burn with longing) and the Old English ?iernan (to crave, to wish). Its Proto-Indo-European root g?er (to reach or grasp) reflects the sense of “stretching toward something unattainable.” In the arts, yearning has often depicted the tragic end of relationships.
Devotion: Devotion represents a deeper, more intense, selfless attachment than love. While love is an emotion, devotion is the concrete manifestation of that emotion in actions. Because it signifies unwavering loyalty, it has historically appeared in religious contexts, conveying the idea of “binding oneself to God.” The term stems from the Latin d?v?ti? (dedication, loyalty), derived from d?vov?re (to vow, to dedicate). Combining de- (completely) and vov?re (to vow), devotion means "to be wholly dedicated to someone or something." Romantic devotion can blind one to flaws and inspire a "no matter what" mindset. It often involves sacrifice. In the Middle Ages, devotion was symbolized by the shepherd and his sheep: the shepherd (the priest) devoted to God, and the sheep (his congregation) devoted to both the shepherd and God.
Filiz Nisa ÇETİN
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