Birds & boxes - the St Valentine's story

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 9, Issue 422, 4 February 1992, Page 12

Birds & boxes - the St Valentine's story

Candle-lit dinners for two, gifts of chocolates and roses and flowery cards all come to the fore on 14 February - St Valentine's Day. But the story of what has become the year's most romantic day begins in a decidedly unromantic way. It dates back to the Christian martyrs of ancient times. Early histories indicate at least two saints named Valentine associated with 14 February. Both of these men suffered martyrdom in the second half of the third century. Little else is known of either of these most commonly mentioned Valentines. (Claims as to the number who existed run as high as seven or eight). The few known facts of their lives are so interwoven with undocumented traditions that it is now impossible to separate fact from legend.

The theories on how the name of Valentine came to be conhected with the day on which lovers send tokens of their affection to one another are also many and varied. One of the most popular legends is based on the belief throughout rural Europe during the Middle Ages that birds began to mate on 14 February. Those who do not think the old opinion about the mating birds on 14 February is sufficient to explain the connection between St Valentine and lovers, suggest the association may have grown out of the similarity between the Norman word galantin, meaning a lover of women, and the name of the saint. They think that Galantin's Day, with the initial "g" frequently pronounced as "v" may have led to the confusion.

Another theory is that the association with lovers is also a survival - in Christian form - of a pagan practice that occurred on 14 February, the day before the ancient Roman feast of the Lupercalia. At that time the names of young women were put in a box from which they were drawn by chance, an arrangement under which a young man became the gallant of a young woman for the next year, or at least became her partner for the festival. This drawing of the names of young women from a box on Valentine's Day continued for centuries. The young men and women who were paired by this method were once in the habit of giving presents to each other. Later only the man gave a gift. And from these ancient traditions have evolved many of the St Valen-

tine's customs of today. Around the world, saies of chocolates and roses soar, and cards - some of them anonymous, and all of them pledging love and admiration - arrive on thousands of doorsteps and desks. While its origins may not be the subject of completely documented fact, Valentines Day remains, as ever, a day to express love. Next week you'll have the chance to test your knowledge of romance and be in to win a special Valentine's Day , dinner for two, or one of 20 consolation prizes of Cadbury 250g Continental chocolates in our "Cadbury Continental Great Romances" Ruapehu Bulletin competit;on. Check next week's Bulletin so you don't miss out!