Six little-known Valentine's Day facts that will surprise you

Valentine's Day 2023: While the world celebrates Valentine's Day with zeal, only some people are aware of its history, which can be considered a secular festival associated with love, which is universal in all religions. Here are some fun facts about Valentine's Day that will surprise you, 

Valentine's Day is around the corner, and lovers eagerly wait for the day to arrive to express their love for their partner. However, while the world celebrates Valentine's Day with zeal, only some people understand the history of this day. Here are some fascinating and little-known facts about Valentine's Day,

1) About St Valentine
Many are already aware that Valentine's Day was named after its patron saint, St Valentine, but there is some debate over this St Valentine the holiday technically honours. At least two men named Valentine are said to have inspired the holiday, including one Valentine, a priest in third-century Rome. Following the legend, this Valentine defied Emperor Claudius II's marriage ban (he believed it distracted young soldiers), illegally marrying couples in the spirit of love until he was caught and sentenced to death. Another legend holds that Valentine was assassinated for attempting to help Christians escape from Rome's prisons and that he sent the first 'valentine' message himself, writing a letter signed 'From your Valentine.'

2) For singles, there is an official Valentine's Day 
International Quirkalone Day is a holiday for single people on the same date. The holiday is not an anti-Day Valentine's event but a celebration of self-love and platonic relationships. Since 2003, the world has celebrated International Quirkyalone Day.

3) Valentine's Day derives from an ancient Pagan festival
Though some historians believe that Valentine's Day commemorates St Valentine's death on February 14, others believe that the holiday derives from a Pagan fertility festival known as 'Lupercalia,' which was celebrated on February 15 in ancient Rome. The day was dedicated to Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture, and the Roman founders Romulus and Remus, and was celebrated by sacrificing animals and smacking women with animal hides, which they believed increased fertility.

4) In the 1300s, Valentine's Day became a holiday 
February 14 was officially declared 'St Valentine's Day' by Roman Pope Gelasius at the end of the fifth century. However, it was in the Middle Ages that the holiday became associated with love and romance. This tradition began with the common belief in France and England that birds began their mating season on February 14.

5) In the 15th century, the first valentine was sent
The first recorded valentine was a poem written in 1415 by a medieval French duke named Charles to his wife. Charles wrote this sweet note to his lover while imprisoned in the Tower of London at the age of 21. One of the poem's lines is, 'I'm already sick of love, My very gentle Valentine.' Swoon!

6) Cupid has its origins in Greek mythology
Cupid is the charming cherub who appears on Valentine's Day cards and is often depicted with a bow and arrow. But how did Cupid become a popular Valentine's Day symbol? The figure can be traced back to 700 BC to the Greek god of love named Eros, a handsome, immortal man with the intimidating power to make people fall in love. But it wasn't until the 4th century BCE that the Romans reimagined Eros as a cute little boy with a bow and arrow and dubbed him 'Cupid.' Cupid's love-matching abilities had made him synonymous with Valentine's Day by the turn of the nineteenth century.