The origins trace back to ancient Rome, where mid-February hosted Lupercalia, a wild fertility festival held around February 13–15. Dedicated to Faunus (the Roman god of agriculture) and honoring Romulus and Remus (Rome's legendary founders), it involved animal sacrifices (like goats and dogs), ritual whippings for purification and fertility, and a matchmaking lottery where young men drew women's names from a jar to pair them for the year—often leading to courtship or marriage. This celebration welcomed spring and emphasized renewal, fertility, and romance.
As Christianity spread, the Church sought to replace pagan customs. Around 496 A.D., Pope Gelasius I abolished Lupercalia and established February 14 as a feast day honoring Saint Valentine (or possibly multiple saints named Valentine). The most popular legend involves a 3rd-century Roman priest named Valentine who defied Emperor Claudius II Gothicus. The emperor had banned marriages for young men to boost army recruitment, but Valentine secretly wed couples. He was imprisoned and later executed around 270 A.D. One romantic tale claims he sent a farewell letter to his jailer's daughter (whom he may have healed or befriended), signing it "from your Valentine"—sparking the tradition of love notes.
Though details of the saint's life are murky (some historians suggest the stories blend two or more figures), the day shifted from fertility rites to commemorating Christian martyrdom while retaining February's romantic undertones.
The Romantic Turn: Middle Ages and Courtly Love
Valentine's Day didn't become a day of romance until the 14th century. English poet Geoffrey Chaucer helped popularize it in his 1382 poem The Parliament of Fowls, linking February 14 to birds choosing mates—symbolizing love and pairing. This tied into the emerging idea of courtly love, where knights expressed devotion to ladies through poetry and gestures.
By the 15th–17th centuries in Britain and Europe, people exchanged handmade "valentines" (poems or notes), and the holiday grew more affectionate.
Flowers and the Language of Love: Victorian Era Boom
The modern tradition of giving flowers—especially red roses—emerged prominently in the 18th–19th centuries. Ancient Greeks and Romans already linked roses to love: the rose was sacred to Aphrodite (Greek) or Venus (Roman), goddess of love. A myth tells how Aphrodite's tears mixed with Adonis's blood to create red roses, symbolizing passionate, enduring love.
The big surge came with floriography (the "language of flowers") in the Victorian era. Flowers conveyed secret messages when direct expression was taboo—red roses meant "I love you" or deep passion, pink for admiration, white for purity, and so on. King Charles XII of Sweden is credited with popularizing this after learning it in Persia, bringing it to Europe.
By the 19th century, Valentine's Day exploded commercially with mass-produced cards, chocolates, and flowers. Red roses became the iconic choice for their bold color and symbolism. Today, millions of roses (often over 250 million in the U.S. alone) are sold annually for the holiday, making it the peak season for florists.
Modern Valentine's Day
Now a global celebration of romance, Valentine's Day includes gifts, dinners, cards, and yes—flowers as a timeless, heartfelt gesture. From ancient fertility rites to saintly sacrifice to poetic romance, it's evolved into a day reminding us that love, in all its forms, deserves to be celebrated.
At your Irvine flower shop, we're proud to carry on that blooming tradition—whether it's classic red roses for passionate love or custom arrangements for something more personal.
