The History of Ordinary Things Fun Facts on Valentines

“Valentine” was a common, gender-neutral name during the third to sixth centuries. It is of Latin origin and means “strong and healthy.”

“Valentine” was the name of a third-century Christian martyr and saint whose feast falls on Feb. 14, the traditional date celebrating spring. He is the patron saint of lovers, epileptics, and beekeepers. Pope Gelasius I declared Valentine’s Day in 496 AD, when he proclaimed the day the Feast of St. Valentine.

While St. Valentine suggests God’s unconditional love, it was only much later that Valentine’s Day became associated with love at all. In fact, Valentine’s Day as a lovers’ festival dates from the 14th century.

Where does Cupid fit into this story? Greek mythology (around 700 BC) had the legend of Eros, god of desire.

Eros was the son of Aphrodite, the goddess of love, and was considered both handsome and threatening. He would cause mayhem with the hearts of men, using his power to make people fall into ruinous love. Circa 440 BC, Eros’ power is described as sinister.

When the Roman era began (around 31 BC), the ruling class adopted Greek mythology. This included the image of a cherub, whom they named Cupid and who served as Eros’ counterpart. Centuries later, Renaissance painters depicted the Cupid figure as a young, nude boy with wings and a bow. They attributed Cupid with a