Reasons for valentines day

JC cooper Dictionary of Christianity

J C Copper writes that saint valentine was a priest in Rome who was imprisoned for
succouring persecuted Christians, he became a convert and although he was supposed to
restore the sight of the blind gaolers daughter, he was clubbed to death, his day is 14
February, as is that of St Valentine, the bishop of Terni, who was martyred later, there were
several other saints in his name. The ancient custom of choosing valentines has only
accidental relation to either SAINT being essentially a relic of the old roman Luperciala or
with the association of mating season of birds, it is marked with the giving of presents and
exchanging cards on which cupids transfixed hearts etc are depicted.
Bedes Matyology
This was compiled in the 8th century, it states that Saint Valentine was persecuted as a
Christian and interrogated by then Roman emperor Claudious the second , Claudious was
fond of Valentine and attempted to convert Valentine to Roman Paganism in order to save his
life, but Valentine refuses and in return tries to convert Claudious to Christianity ,as was
subjected to execution , before his execution Valentine was thought to perform a miracle on
Julia ,the blind daughter of prison jailor Asterius, who along with his forty people house hold
will later be Baptized and convert into Christianity.
Green, William M. (January 1931). "The Lupercalia in the Fifth Century Lupercalia
Lupercalia argues that there is no evidence that links any relationship between St.Valentines
day and the ancient Roman festival, it did not have any romantic significance until Chaucers
poetry came into existence about Valentines Day on February 14th, popular sources claim the
festival had significance to increase fertility, but prior to Chaucers poetry it was related to

sacrifice and no mentioning of St.valentine at all. This ancient pagan festival was later
abolished by Galasious and replaced it with the celebration of purification of Mary on
February 14th.
Parlement of Foules (1382) by Geoffrey Chaucer.
For this was on seynt Volantynys day
Whan euery bryd comyth there to chese his make
This poem was written by Chauncer to honour the first anniversary of King Richard 2 and
Annie of Bohemia a treaty providing for marriage was signed on may 2 1381, readers mis
understood that chauncer was referring to February 14th ,how ever February was an odd time
for birds to mate in England, different writes brought many assumptions of what Chauncer
tried to signigy, yet February 14th is seen as valentines day in present day.