The day was named after a Christian martyr named Saint Valentine, by Pope Gelasius I in 496 AD. It was deleted from the Roman calendar of saints in 1969 by Pope Paul VI.
It is traditionally a day on which lovers express their feelings for each other by giving flowers, chocolates, and sending greeting cards (known as "valentines").
The day first became associated with romantic love in the times of Geoffrey Chaucer in the High Middle Ages, when the tradition of courtly love flourished. Modern Valentine's Day symbols include the heart-shaped outline, doves, and the figure of the winged Cupid. Since the 19th century, handwritten valentines have given way to mass-produced greeting cards.
