These days, Valentine’s Day is widely known as the symbol of love. On every 14th February, people express their love by exchanging cards, flowers, and chocolates. The majority of people still don’t know about the exact history of Valentine’s Day.
The Origin of Valentine’s Day
To know the true truth about Valentine’s Day, we first need to know about the ancient Rome. A priest named Valentine lived in the third century. At that time, the Emperor banned the marriages of soldiers. He thought that, a single man could be a better soldier.
Valentine did not agree with this, so he began to arrange secret weddings for young couples. When the Emperor found out, he arrested Valentine. Later he was executed on 14 February. People honored him with a saint, and thus the tradition began.
The Role of the Church
Later, the Catholic Church announced February 14th as St. Valentine Feast Day. The church wanted to change a pagan festival known as Lupercalia. In ancient Rome, this festival was celebrated for purification, fertility, and health.
The name of the Lupercalia festival comes from the Latin word lupus, which means “wolf.” A group of priests, known as the Luperci, was responsible for leading the festival. The event took place at the Lupercal cave on Palatine Hill. This was a very old festival and may have its roots in the mythological character of the she-wolf who nursed Romulus and Remus.
The traditions of this festival were very wild and strange. Like, after the sacrifice of goats and dogs in the Lupercal cave, a feast was held, and priests whipped people with strips of animal hide to promote health and fertility. By the fifth century, Lupercalia had largely faded from practice, though some scholars believe that Valentine’s Day is its branch.
By the Middle Ages, Valentine’s Day has become recognized as a sign of love. Some famous poets also played a role in making this day popular, like Geoffrey Chaucer, who wrote about romance.
How Valentine’s Day Became Romantic
Valentine’s Day began to be celebrated on a large scale in Europe during the 17th century. In those days, people sent love letters and exchanged presents. Printed Valentine’s Day cards properly began in the 19th century.
These days, Valentine’s Day is celebrated worldwide. Millions of people express their love through the exchange of gifts, love cards, and sweets.
Valentine’s Day Celebration in Pakistan
For the past few years, the young generation has started celebrating Valentine’s Day in Pakistan. Like other parts of the world, Valentine’s Day is celebrated in Pakistan by sending gifts, flowers, chocolates and by sending messages. Restaurants, cafes, markets, and shopping malls also bring special offers on this occasion. Not only this, but romantic messages are also being circulated on social media platforms.
However, many people believe that celebrating this tradition is totally against our traditions and Islamic religion. Despite this, people in many urban areas have started celebrating this festival.
Conclusion
Valentine’s Day has taken centuries to develop from a historical event to an event celebrated all over the world. Although it began with sacrifice and raising a voice against oppression, nowadays it is considered a symbol of love. No matter which region of the world you live in, you should not violate your traditions or religious teachings while celebrating Valentine’s Day so that you don’t hurt anyone’s feelings knowingly or unknowingly while celebrating Valentine’s Day.