Why 14 February is celebrated as Valentine's Day and why St Valentine is the saint

Valentine's Day, also known as Lover's Day, is celebrated every 14th of February in most parts of the world. This date is associated with love and romance and is a day when many couples exchange gifts, cards or romantic messages to show their love for each other. But why is Valentine's Day celebrated on 14 February and who is this mysterious saint?

The history of Valentine's Day dates back to Roman times, when the festival of the god Valentinus was celebrated on 15 February. This festival was associated with fertility and love and it is believed that participants were entered into a lottery to find a partner during the festival. Over time, this tradition evolved and became associated with Christianity, especially with the figure of St. Valentinus, a Christian saint who lived in the 3rd century.

Saint Valentinus was a priest who lived in the Roman Empire during the reign of Emperor Claudius II. Although various stories and legends are attributed to him, the best known is that St. Valentinus helped Christians escape from Roman prisons and flee persecution. St. Valentinus is also said to have healed the sick and preached love and forgiveness.

In the 5th century, Pope Gelasius I declared 14 February as St. Valentine's Day and began to commemorate this saint as the saint of lovers. From then on, Valentine's Day became a date when couples exchanged messages of love and gifts to show their affection.

Chocolates are a classic gift for Valentine's Day

Over time, Valentine's Day spread around the world and became an important date for many people. In some countries, Valentine's Day is celebrated in a similar way to St. John's Day in the UK, with fireworks and outdoor celebrations. In other countries, such as the United States, Valentine's Day is celebrated with the exchange of cards, gifts, flowers and chocolates.

There are a multitude of gift ideas for Valentine's Day, but one option that is gaining in popularity year after year is personalised gifts. Because, unlike a generic gift, such as a box of chocolates or a bouquet of flowers, a personalised gift is printed, or engraved, with the name of the two people in love. Or their anniversary date. It can even have a photo of the two of you together, whether you are engaged or husband and wife. Some of the most popular personalised Valentine's Day gifts are those in the shape of a heart: cushions, keyrings, or even mugs with a heart-shaped handle. Apart from this, any gift can be romantic if it includes a photograph of the loving couple: bottles, blankets, diaries, doormats... there are hundreds of options.