The day was first associated with romantic love in the circle of Geoffrey Chaucer in the High Middle Ages.During these times when the tradition of courtly love flourished in the 15th century, it had evolved into an occasion where lovers expressed their love for each other by presenting flowers, candy, and sending greeting cards, known then as valentines.
Valentine's Day symbols that are used today include the heart-shaped outline, doves, and the figure of the winged Cupid.
St. Valentine's Day began as a celebration of one or more early Christian saints named Valentinus. The most popular story associated with Saint Valentine was that he was imprisoned for performing weddings for soldiers who were forbidden to marry and for ministering to Christians, who were persecuted under the Roman Empire; during his imprisonment, he is said to have healed the daughter of his jailer Asterius. The legend says that before his execution he wrote "from your Valentine" as a farewell to the jailers daughter.
As with most great traditions, handwritten valentines have given way to mass-produced greeting cards.
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