
Every year on February 14th, Portugal fills with red roses, heart-wrapped chocolates, and fully booked restaurants. Minho’s Lovers’ Handkerchief In reality, the truth sits somewhere in between — and the history behind it is more intriguing than it appears.
The name and date are linked to Saint Valentine, a Christian martyr from the 3rd century. Little reliable information exists about his life, and much of what is known comes from legend. According to traditional stories, he defied orders from Claudius II, who had banned soldiers from marrying because he believed single men made better fighters.
Saint Valentine’s Secret Marriages and Legendary Final Letter
Valentine is said to have quietly continued performing secret marriages for young couples. When his actions were discovered, he was imprisoned and executed on February 14th. One legend claims that before his death, he wrote a letter to his jailer’s daughter, with whom he had grown close, signing it with the phrase still seen on countless cards today: “from your Valentine.”
In 496 AD, Pope Gelasius I officially declared February 14th as Saint Valentine’s Day. Even then, the date had little connection to romantic love as we understand it today — that association would only develop later, helped along by an English poet.
Valentine’s Day became linked to romantic love in the 14th century, thanks to Geoffrey Chaucer. In his poem The Parliament of Fowls (c. In 1380, he tied Valentine’s Day to birds’ mating season, spreading the idea as a symbol of love across medieval Europe.
From Medieval Tradition to Cultural Symbol of Love
From that point on, the occasion gained a strong cultural and poetic identity. Writers composed verses for their beloveds, nobles exchanged tokens of affection, and the tradition gradually took root across Europe. Valentine’s Day evolved from courtship traditions, devotion to Saint Valentine, and medieval romantic literature into a lasting symbol of love.
In Portugal, the celebration followed a longer cultural path. Before Christianity, Portugal absorbed Roman traditions, later shaped by medieval courtly love, influencing poetry, music, and cultural expressions still seen today.
Minho’s Unique Love Symbol: The Cantarinha dos Namorados
While much of Europe exchanged written cards, the Minho region developed its own symbolic language of love. The “Cantarinha dos Namorados” is a red clay Guimarães piece, with pitchers for abundance and challenges, topped by a bird.
Traditionally, a young man would present this pitcher to his partner before proposing marriage. If she accepted the gift, the engagement would be considered agreed upon. After receiving the families’ approval, the smaller jug would then hold the jewelry offered by the groom’s family.
The Guimarães Lovers’ Jug was recently added to the National Register of Traditional Handicrafts, with the Guimarães Arts and Crafts Workshop as its holder.
Minho’s Lovers’ Handkerchief: A Symbol of Love and Commitment
Minho also gave rise to the lovers’ handkerchief, embroidered with symbols of love, fidelity, and marriage.
Its origin is attributed to Minho, with the first known examples dating from the late 19th century. It was customary for girls to embroider handkerchiefs to give to their beloveds; if the boy wore the handkerchief in public, it was a sign that he accepted the feeling.
A notable feature of these handkerchiefs is the spelling errors, reflecting Minho pronunciation by partially literate embroiderers. Over time, these errors became part of the piece’s identity.
Though removed from the saints’ calendar in 1969, February 14th continued to be celebrated in Portugal, shaped by courtly love, jugs, and embroidered handkerchiefs.
One last interesting fact: in Brazil, Valentine’s Day is celebrated on June 12th, the eve of Saint Anthony’s Day. Two countries, the same language, love almost four months apart.
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