Thursday, Dec 20 2007

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By Meera Sashital (Source: Free Press Journal) Saint Valentine's Day, the 14th of February is name after a Christian martyr of the Roman period. As the story goes, there were two prominent martyrs whose feasts were celebrated on February 14th. One was a priest who died at Rome, and the other, the Christian Bishop, St. Valentine of Terni. They seem to have died on the same day and to have been buried at different places along the Flaminian Way. But Valentine's Day is associated with them, though more with St. Valentine. Valentine's Day has been dedicated to lovers, since the 14th century. This day was observed by young men and women, by sending messages and gifts to their lovers. People also commonly used the motif of a red heart. One tradition ascribes this custom of sending `valentines' or love-tokens to one's beloved to the old Roman February feast called Lupercalia, at which young men and maidens drew partners by casting lots for the coming February feast. It was only later that it was associated with the name of the Bishop, Saint Valentine. Another tradition attributes the observance of the day to the fact that it falls within the mating season for birds and is, therefore, an appropriate season for young people to choose their `valentines' or lovers. It owed its origin to the continental medieval belief held generally in England and France, that it was at the beginning of the second fortnight of February, that the birds began to mate. As Chaucer mentioned in the `Parlement of Foules', "for this was on Seynt Valentynes day when every fool cometh that to chuse his mate." Other allusions to the custom of the day, occur in the works of John Lydgate and John Gower, and in the `Patonletten'. In the past, Saint Valentine's Eve was celebrated akin to Roman, heathen times. According to the earlier custom, names of young women were out into a box or bowl and drawn out by men as chance directed. On the eve before Valentine's Day, maids and bachelors would throw billets with their names on into a receptacle and draw from it, the name of someone of the opposite sex. The person whose name was drawn would become for the year following the `valentine', the chosen one's companion or sweetheart. Gradually the custom became personalised and the actual declaration of love came into vogue. The custom of Valentine Day was eulogized by poets and eminent writers too. John Lydgate, in the 14th century, composedd a valentine rhyme in praise of Henry VIII's wife, Catherine. Again, Ophelia in Shakespeare's Hamlet, pours her heart out as a Valentine. Even Samuel Pepys in his diary, has mentioned about witnessing this event. In course of time, even before 1800, books containing romantic verses pertaining to Valentine's Day came to be published, including Young Man's Valentine Writer, The Beauties of Hymen and The Quiver of Love. A person incapable of versifying could just select the verses and send them to one's lover - the "Valentine" of his heart through cards, pieces of paper, silk or satin. The Beauties of Hymen also contained the answers, by which, a lady could accept or reject in a couplet, the valentine message received. As early as 1667 valentines used handmade boxes of lace and paper with coloured designs. They were adorned with frills and inscriptions of passionate words of love according to the sender's imagination and creative ability. The printed `Valentines' are the outgrowth of these earlier homemade creations. Prior to 1914, most valentines sent in America were imported from Europe. It was only during World War I, that American publishing companies came into existence. They imparted thoughts and sentiments more of friendliness and affections than only romance. Comic and crude types were discontinued and plain cards came into prominence. The present system of sending valentine messages or cards is thus, only the outgrowth of an ancient custom. At present times, the custom of sending valentines has extended beyond lovers, and valentines are exchanged between parents and children, husbands and wives, and between friends expressing their everlasting bond of love.