Saint Valentine´s Day

Valentine's Day is celebrated annually on February 14th in several countries around the world, such as Argentina, Spain, Portugal, France, etc.

Also known as Valentine's Day, this is a special date celebrated by couples from various parts of the planet, where love and the union of people who love each other is celebrated.

History of Saint Valentine

History tells that there are two martyrs with the name of Valentine. One of them, was born in 175, near Rome, where he was consecrated bishop. At that time, Valentine fought against the orders of Emperor Claudius II, who had forbidden marriage during wars because he believed that unmarried men were better fighters.

Valentine continued to celebrate marriages even with the prohibitions. Later, he was discovered, arrested and sentenced to death, but while in prison, many young people offered him flowers and notes saying that they still believed in love.

While waiting in prison for his sentence to be carried out, he fell in love with the blind daughter of a jailer and miraculously restored her sight.

Origin of Valentine's Day

The Catholic Church decreed Valentine's Day as Valentine's Day during the 5th century, in order to encourage couples who wanted to pursue marriage as a "legitimate" way of raising a family.

The Church's intention was to replace the traditional Roman festival Lupercalia - which consisted in the veneration of the goddess of fertility, and marked the beginning of spring - by Saint Valentine's Day. So, little by little, the peoples of Europe began to replace the profane celebration by the Saint's Day.

However, at the end of the 18th century the Catholic Church removed Valentine's Day from the religious calendar, as there was no concrete historical proof of the saint's existence. Despite this, the date remained a popular celebration.

Currently, the mortal remains of Saint Valentine rest in the church of Saint Anthony in Madrid.