The history of Valentine’s Day has quite a bit of ambiguity, as there are at least three saints of legend in the Christian canon all named Valentine or Valentinus. After Roman emperor Claudius II declared that single men were better suited as soldiers than those in marriages, one such Saint Valentine defied the emperor and continued to marry young men to their lovers furtively. When his secret marriages were discovered, he was unfortunately put to death.
While other legends tell different stories, all their titular saints share the same heroic and empathetic personalities. Above all, they are champions of romance—making their mythos one of the most widely known in history.
Because people around the world choose to celebrate this holiday in different ways, we took a look at how the Vanderbilt community has approached Valentine’s Day over the years. Entries from the Inside ‘Dores student blog going back as far as 2013 show that Vanderbilt has generally had a V-Day vandygram delivery that can be ordered for close friends or crushes.
In 2015, AEPi was reported selling chocolate and serenades at Commons Center to be delivered on Valentine’s Day—the proceeds from which went to Save a Child’s Heart foundation. Also, Commons dining had sponsored a white tablecloth dinner that day, according to student Claudia Willen’s blog post.
This year, Vanderbilt is offering a variety of fun events to celebrate the 14th, whether as a romantic occasion or a special way to commemorate friendship. Vandy Campus Dining offered students an array of sweet treats made to order in exchange for a meal swipe, and the Vanderbilt Museum sponsored a romantic dinner at the Vanderbilt mansion Feb. 10. Serenades for your sweetheart are available once again for purchase, as are roses through Alpha Chi Omega’s “rose for a rose” fundraiser in honor of Alison Rose. Additionally—though not directly related to Valentine’s Day—the Pub will be reopening for a series of pop-up events this week, which seems like a match made in heaven. Date night at the Pub, anyone? Just don’t forget to pick up a condomgram from Generation Action before you meet your Datamatch matches there.
For other students, Valentine’s Day marks the triumphant return of the baseball season, one of the most celebrated sports at Vanderbilt. The diamond on the baseball field can make Commodores a lot more proud than the one on a ring. The first baseball game of 2022 takes place Friday, Feb. 18, just days after Valentine’s Day.
Though the history of Valentine’s Day is unclear, one thing is for certain: Commodores across campus will celebrate together, igniting a common spark within us all. Let us raise a glass of bubbly apple cider to Saint Valentine, whoever he may have been.
