Date Published 14 February 2025
Fun Facts about where and why Valentines Day was originated:
The origins of Valentine's Day are unclear, but it's believed to have become an official holiday in the fifth century when Pope Gelasius banned the celebration of Lupercalia. It wasn't until much later that the day became linked with love and romance.
During the Middle Ages, people thought that February 14 marked the beginning of the birds' mating season. In his 1375 poem "Parliament of Foules," Chaucer solidified the connection between Valentine's Day, birds, and love, writing, 'For this was on Saint Valentines Day, When every foul cometh there to chase his make.' And the rest, as they say, is history!
Be careful around Valentine's Day, or you might find yourself hit by Cupid's arrow. According to Time, the familiar cherub can be traced back to 700 B.C. In Ancient Greece, Eros, the god of love, was portrayed as a handsome young man with the ability to make people fall deeply in love.
Eventually, the Romans adopted him, renaming him Cupid, and his image transformed into that of a small child holding a bow and arrow. Thanks to his association with love, Cupid became tied to Valentine's Day by the 19th century.
