A History Lesson on Valentine’s Day

Celebrating Valentine’s Day in mid-February goes back to a Roman fertility festival called Lupercalia. Lupercalia was observed February 13 – 15 to avert evil spirits and purify the city, releasing health and fertility. The Christian church later made it a holiday named after the martyred saint, Saint Valentine. Which Saint Valentine is not clear, as there were several – however, there is one that stands out more than the rest.

This Saint Valentine was martyred for performing marriage ceremonies. Sounds odd, right? But way, way back in the day when the Roman Emperor Claudius II was around, he believed young single men made better soldiers than husbands so he banned marriage to all the young men of the empire. The ban didn’t work, but it gave us a martyr for love, and the rest, as they say, is history.

February 14 was selected as a date to celebrate the day in the 3rd century and by the 15^th century love notes and cards made their first appearance, and has been growing ever since!

No matter its history, Valentine’s Day has become a day to let our romantic side show. So whether you are celebrating the occasion with your significant other, or you have some quiet time to yourself, we in the Massage Department at Clary Sage College hope you do something special on Valentine’s Day! Perhaps a suggestion? How about a gift certificate for a couples massage for you and your special someone or, quite simply, a massage for yourself? We’ll turn the lights down and the soft music up while we massage away the stresses of your day.

Happy Valentine’s Day from us to you!

By: Laura Gordon