By Gianna Porcek ’20, Staff Writer

Every February 14th since the year 496, Valentine’s Day has been celebrated across the world through the exchange of candy, flowers, and gifts between friends and loved ones. In elementary and middle schools across the United States, children enjoy decorating used shoe boxes or cereal boxes with wrapping paper, hearts, and drawings, looking to receive candy from their friends or classmates. Adults celebrate Valentine’s day even more so through nice dinners, small gifts, or spending time with significant others.

However in other countries, traditions vary greatly. In England, women used to place five bay leaves on their pillows – on the four corners and one in the center – in hopes of dreaming of their future husband that night. In Italy, the common belief was that the first man a woman saw on Valentine’s day would be her husband within a year or less, or at least someone who strongly resembled this man.  Although many people know why Valentine’s Day is celebrated – to show love and appreciation – many are unfamiliar with the story of the person the holiday is named after: Saint Valentine.

Saint Valentine was a kind-hearted Roman priest tied to several stories relating to risking imprisonment out of love and care for others. In one variation of the many stories, he helped to prevent young Christians from being imprisoned. During this mission, he himself was later captured, and while in custody, he converted 46 members of a guard’s family to Christianity. Once Claudius, the Roman emperor at the time, discovered this, Valentine was sentenced to death for refusing to renounce his faith to Christianity. Another story about Saint Valentine is that he secretly married couples so that the women’s husbands would not be drafted into the army. In yet another story, Saint Valentine was reported to refuse sacrifice to the pagan gods, leading to his imprisonment. While in prison, he restored a blind child’s vision, further showing his love for others. On the day of his execution, the girl whose vision he restored left him a note reading “Your valentine,” which is why we often close Valentine’s day cards by saying this statement today. Saint Valentine continually risked imprisonment for love several times throughout these stories, further proving the appropriateness of the name Valentine’s Day and its significance. Additionally, Valentine is considered to be the patron of love, young people, and happy marriages.  Although his life story is  controversial to some historians, he is still recognized as a saint. Therefore the holiday is celebrated on the day of February 14th in Roman Martyrology.

This year, February 14 is on a Tuesday; it will be a Day 6 at Newark Academy. Every year, the student council sells anonymous strawberries that you can send to your lover or your friends. Make sure to look out for that!

With all of the commotion caused by the recent election and continuous unfortunate events in society, Saint Valentine reminds us to approach our community with love and respect for one another, regardless of our differences. Instead, we must embrace our differences to create a more perfect harmony among the human race. Although this holiday is often spent receiving gifts and candy, the Newark Academy community must remember that there is a deeper level of significance to the holiday. Through Saint Valentines’ message and his sacrifices for love, we are able to truly understand the importance of treating one another with kindness.