Historyof
/>
Valentine’sDay has always been the day dedicated to lovers. There are many stories as tohow Valentine’s day started. Here are a few of them.
Lupercalia
Valentine’sDay has its origins in the Roman festival of Lupercalia, observed on Feb. 15.Lupercalia celebrated the coming of Spring in the Roman calendar (February wasobserved later in the year than it is today). Lupercalia was associated withthe Roman gods Lupercus and Faunus. Lupercus watched over shepherds and theirflocks and the festival of Lupercalia became a celebration intended to ensurethe fertility of flocks, fields and people.
Thecelebration of Lupercalia transformed and spread as the Roman Empire grew. Whenthe Romans conquered France, it was then that the first Valentine-like cardsmay have been exchanged. Apparently, a container in which women had placedtheir names (possibly accompanied by love notes) was used in a lottery. Mendrawing a women’s name would either seek or were guaranteed that woman’sfavors.
SaintValentine’s Day
/>
The legendof St. Valentine stems from real-life martyrs from the Roman Empire known asValentines. It is unsure who was the St. Valentine, but there are two possiblecandidates. One of these Valentines is believed to have been a Roman priest andphysician. He was killed in the third century, during the persecutions of theEmperor Claudius II. After his death this Valentine was buried in the Romanroad Via Flaminia. Pope Julius I is said to have later built a basilica abovehis grave. A second Saint Valentine candidate, believed to be a bishop of Teni( a province in central Italy), was executed in Rome.
These men’sstatus comes from legends of harboring Christians from persecution, curing theblindness of a cell keeper’s daughter, and conducting marriages while they wereforbidden during times of war. It is this, along with the traditions ofLupercalia, that came together to honor St. Valentine as the patron saint oflovers.
Eros-Cupid-Amor
From itsassociation with Lupercalia, and that day’s connection to fertility, comes St.Valentine’s association with love and romance. This led Valentine’s enthusiaststo appoint the Roman god Cupid as a patron of Valentine’s day. Cupid is alsoknown as Amor or Eros in Greek mythology. Eros seems to have been responsiblefor impregnating a number of goddesses and mortals. The ancient Greeks believedEros was the force «love,» a force they believe was behind allcreation.
/>
Thereare several legends about St.Valentine’s Day. One of the legends says thatValentine was Christian priest who lived in the 3 century A.D. He was put intoprison by roman authorities for his teachings and was beheaded on February 14.According to the legend he performed a miracle-he cured his jailer’s daughterof her blindness. Before the execution he wrote her a letter signed “From YourValentine”. Another legend says that the same Valentine wrote to children andfriends who loved him from the jail.
According to another legend, Valentine was anItalian bishop who lived at about the same time. He was thrown into prisonbecause he secretly married couples, contrary to the laws of the Roman empire.The legend says that he was burnt at the stake.
/> />
February 14 was also a Roman holiday. On this dayyoung men randomly chose the name of the girl to escort to the festival. Thecustom of choosing a sweetheart on this day became very popular in the medievalEurope. Later this custom spread to American colonies.
Now, St.Valentine’s Day is the dayof sweethearts. On this day, people show their friends relatives and ones thatthey care. People send candy or flowers to those whom they love. Most peoplesend “valentines”, greeting cards named after St.Valentine’s letters writtenfrom jail. Valentines can be sentimental and romantic, or funny and friendly.Valentines can be anonymous. Valentines can be heart-shaped or can carry heartson them. People buy valentines or make them themselves.