Spring Break
A sweet holiday has Roman roots
Holly Geosits
Issue date: 2/15/05 Section: News
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Like many popular holidays, Valentine's Day has its origins in religion. This one dates to 270 A.D., when St. Valentine was a bishop in Rome.
During Valentine's time of service, Roman Emperor Claudius II issued a decree outlawing marriage. The empire was in a state of chaos and disruption, and the emperor believed that single men made better soldiers, because they had no emotional attachment to families or spouses.
Seeing the injustice of this edict, Valentine secretly married young people. When Claudius discovered what was occurring, Valentine was arrested and put to death.
As Valentine awaited execution, he met his jailer. The jailer had a blind daughter and asked that Valentine heal her. Through his faith, Valentine was able to restore her vision.
Before his execution, Valentine wrote her a farewell letter, signing it "From Your Valentine." The phrase stuck.
Valentine became the patron saint of an annual Roman festival in which young men presented "greetings of affection" to women whom they admired. On Feb. 14, cards and letters containing St. Valentine's name were exchanged.
Today, Valentine's Day is celebrated as a day of love although the true meaning of the day can be obscured amid the rush of a money-thirsty society.
Is Valentine's Day still about the love, or has it evolved into just another opportunity for merchants to make a buck?
Seventy Northampton Community College students ages 18-50 were polled to find out.
Twenty percent believe Valentine's Day continue to represent the true meaning of love.
"Valentine's is great if you're with someone you really care about," said freshman Criminal Justice major Elizabeth Edinger. Her boyfriend and she celebrate "how long we've been together and how much we care about each other."
More than 57 percent of the surveyed students say that the holiday has evolved into a "Hallmark Holiday" or lost its significance.
"You shouldn't just show you care about someone on that particular day," said Kristin Krasznavolgyi, a freshman Journalism major. "Love is constant, not just on designated days."The remaining students say that Valentine's Day is both about the love and giving a financial boost to card and flower shops.
Despite the conflicting viewpoints, nearly every respondent who is in a relationship said that they planned to give their partner a gift to celebrate the day.
Nearly 60 percent of the women said they would still give their partner the
traditional flowers and chocolates, along with a personalized or meaningful token.
Ninety-two percent of the women said they'd like to receive them.
A majority of the men said the holiday is "all about the ladies." About 82 percent said they would give a partner or friend traditional flowers and/or chocolates.
St. Valentine's act of defiance cost him his life, but his name is associated with perhaps the sweetest of holidays.