The Origin Of Valentines Day

Author: Morgan Hamilton

Source: articledashboard.com



People across the world send greetings of love and friendship to their love ones on the 14th day of February. Candy and flowers are popular gifts when it comes to expressing the love and esteem of the recipients on Valentines Day. Even schoolchildren take part in this yearly exchange of cards with heart and cupid motifs. This day is known as the romantic holiday of the year. Let me tell you about the story behind the tradition. Are you familiar with this elusive figure known as St. Valentine?

This historic figure was a Catholic priest who lived in Rome during the 3rd century. During that time in history, Claudius II was the reigning Emperor of Rome. He was having trouble with recruiting men into the Roman legion at that time. This is because Roman legionnaires were often dispatched to far off lands and so they are separated from their wives and families. Understandably, men were reluctant and unwilling to endure this separation from their loved ones.

Emperor Claudius concluded that unmarried men would have nothing to lose and so they are more willing recruits. He decreed that marriage for young men is to be outlawed as a solution to his recruiting problems. This obviously did not sit well with the young men. Those in love found the humble priest Valentine more than willing to perform the marriage sacraments for the ardent lovers in secret. Unfortunately, Valentine was found out and arrested by Claudius. He was then thrown into prison and sentenced to death.

Before his execution, a sympathetic prison guard allowed his young daughter to visit the unfortunate Valentine. They say that they became fast friends. Legend holds that Valentine presented her with a letter, signed "from your Valentine" just before his death sentence was carried out. That simple greeting was the forerunner of today's Valentines Day.

Eventually, the Vatican declared Valentine a saint in 496 A.D. Pope Gelasius I declared the date of his death in 270 A.D., February 14th, as St. Valentines Day. It became a day to express sentiments of love and romance, as well as celebrating the power of the spirit over the material world.

St. Valentines Day became one of the most popular European celebrations of the year by the Middle Ages. In fact, Charles, the Duke of Orleans, sent his wife a card on St. Valentines Day while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London in 1415. This practice continues to this day.

Enthusiastic lovers all over the European continent devised various gifts and practices to express their devotion to their lovers on Valentines Day. For instance, lovers in Wales carved wooden spoons with hearts and keys to show how the recipient could unlock their heart. Men all over Europe draw names from bowls, and then pinned them to their sleeves to declare their love to their chosen Valentine. They would then offer gifts of clothing to their loved ones. They were then betrothed when the women accepted.

This unofficial holiday is still one of the favorite holidays of the year, although most of the old customs did not survive. We now send cards and present candy and flowers to our loved ones on Valentines days. Lovers all over the planet, now enjoy Romantic candlelight dinners. We all have to thank the good St. Valentine for this lovely celebration.