How the heart became a symbol of love and romance. History tells a tale of rituals, relics – and even dark magic, Michelle Spear writes. Friday 14 February 2025 14:20 GMT. Comments.

Either way, it's believed that the heart symbol as we know it today was used by Saint Valentine, a third century Roman saint who is remembered with a celebration on February 14th.

But the heart hasn’t always just been a symbol of romance. Across cultures and centuries, the heart has been revered as the seat of the soul, a source of supernatural power and a vessel of identity.