The First Valentine's Card, Who Was St. Valentine

Saint Valentine was a Christian priest in the 3rd century who, according to tradition, defied Emperor Claudius II's decree prohibiting marriages among young people, and continued to perform them in secret. He was martyred and later canonized as a saint. The celebration of Valentine's Day is associated with love and friendship, becoming a special occasion to express affection and fondness for loved ones.

Pope Gelasius I declared February 14th as Saint Valentine's Day in the year 498. It would be a day dedicated to love, just as Valentine perceived in the young people he secretly married, which ultimately led to his execution.

It turns out that the first record we have of celebrating love takes us back to the 14th century. Let me tell you, the English poet Geoffrey Chaucer mentioned Saint Valentine's Day in his work "Parliament of Foules." Apparently, he linked it to a wedding anniversary gift that King Richard II gave to Anne of Bohemia. Kind of a romantic gesture of the time!

In the 15th century, the Duke Charles of Orléans wrote a poem to his wife in a letter, making history as the first Valentine's Day letter.

The 'trend' of sending letters on Valentine's Day spread throughout Europe, becoming particularly popular in England. In the 19th century, this country began to commercialize cards with decorations and pre-written phrases dedicated to this day.