Saint Valentine, an ancient legend
For a holiday that's supposed to celebrate love, V-Day has some pretty gory beginnings. While versions differ, they all take us back to ancient Rome and, in general, they end the same way: a priest refused to stop officiating marriages, directly disobeying the orders of Emperor Claude II, a.k.a "Cruel Claude."
The Roman Empire had been at war for years, and Claude believed that married life made men weak and less warlike. In order to keep the campaigns going, the emperor decided to forbid marriages. Little did he know, however, that Valentine, a priest, loved love more than anything and continued to officiate marriages in secret. After being arrested and thrown in prison, Valentine meets Julia, the daughter of his prison guard, who smuggles him food every day. Blind since birth, she asks the priest to describe the world to her; before long, her sight is miraculously restored. But the Roman Empire was decidedly more Game of Thrones than Disneyland, and there was to be no "and they lived happily every after" here. Indeed, legend tells us that upon finding out about Valentine's exploits in prison, the emperor had him executed on February 14th — in the middle of Lupercalia, a ceremony honoring fertility. Before his death, the priest still found the time to write one last letter to his beloved, signed « From your Valentine ». If we're no longer in the realm of fairy tales with this story, humans have long been optimists who know how to make lemonade from the bitterest of fruit: from this tragic event was born one of the most romantic days on our calendar.
A heartwarming enterprise
Originally only for the initiated, this lover's day took a more commercial turn at the dawn of the 20th century with a rise in sweet letters and gifts. If the story of the holiday itself may be rather bleak, all that changed when America's Hallmark company came onto the scene in 1913, with the mass production of customized cards beginning in 1916. According to Hallmark, today no fewer than 145 million Valentines (not counting homemade creations) are exchanged each year around the world.
Loving ourselves to better love others
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, this year's Valentine's festivities may seem lackluster compared to years past. Nevertheless, it also gives us an opportunity to celebrate love, and especially self-love. During this difficult time, it's essential that we don't forget about the person with whom we spend our lives: ourselves. So why not use February 14th as a perfect excuse to indulge in some self-care? Whether it's with a good book, a massage, your favorite meal, a good series, a new handbag or just a day of relaxation; whether you're single or in a relationship of any kind, feeling at ease with ourselves is, more than ever, the key to treating others with kindness and speaking from the heart. By showing special attention to someone we care about — a cute text to your best friend or lending a helping hand to someone in need of one, there's plenty of ways to guarantee that Valentine's Day 2021 is a sincere dedication to love.