Valentine's Day

is believed that Valentine's Day has been around for more than 16 centuries, but the festival of love known to still earlier times - from the time of ancient pagan cultures. For example, in mid-February the Romans celebrated the festival of eroticism, called Lupercalia, in honor of the goddess of love Juno Februata. Valentine's Day - a holiday of lovers - is celebrated on February 14 in Europe since the XIII century, in the United States - since 1777, in Russia - since the early 1990s. But why all the same it is a holiday enamored? On this account many beautiful legends. In the holiday Valentine's Day has a specific "culprit" - Christian priest Valentine. This story dates back to around 269 a year, while the rules of the Roman Empire Emperor Claudius II. Belligerent Roman army experienced an acute shortage of soldiers for military campaigns and military commander was convinced that the main enemy of his "Napoleonic" plans - marriage, for married legionnaire of the glory of the empire thinks much less than that, as a family to feed. And, in order to save his soldiers fighting spirit, the emperor issued a decree banning the legionaries zhenitsya.

But fall in love with some of the soldiers do not become less. And their happiness was a man who, not fearing the wrath of the emperor, began to secretly marry foreign players with their loved ones. Them was a priest named Valentine of Terni Roman city (Valentine of Terni). Apparently, he was a true romantic, as his favorite entertainment was to reconcile quarreling, helping to write love letters and give the request of Legionnaires color of an object of their passion. Clearly, as soon as the emperor learned of this, he decided to "criminal activity" to stop. Valentine was sentenced to death. The tragedy of the situation was still in the fact that he and Valentine was in love with the jailer's daughter, which miraculously healed of blindness. The day before his execution, the priest wrote a farewell letter to the girl, where he spoke about his love and signed it "Your Valentine." Read it was already after he was executed. Date of execution coincided with the Roman celebrations in honor of Juno, the goddess of love. Since then, people every year on February 14 and remembered Valentine Valentine's feast. Subsequently, as a Christian martyr who suffered for their faith, Valentine was canonized by the Catholic Church. But in 496 the Pope Gelasius (Pope Gelasius I) announced on 14 February as a day of St. Valentina.

Since 1969, the reform of worship Saint Valentine was removed from the liturgical calendar of the Catholic Church (along with other Roman saints, details of life which are contradictory and unreliable). However, until 1969, and the church does not endorse or support the tradition of celebrating this day. So whether it was anyway, but, apparently, it was the custom to write out on Valentine's Day love notes - "Valentine". And in this festival like to arrange a wedding and get married. It is believed that this will be the key to eternal love.

Source: avarmediaclub.kiev.ua/2011/01/den-svyatogo-valentina-istoriya-prazd/