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What does the tradition say about Valentine or Valentine?
Although this day initially commemorated the martyrdom of the Christian saint named Valentine, over the years, the religious significance has been lost.
The origin of this festival of love is not well known today, points out Agerpres. There are legends that ensure that on this day in ancient Rome Juno, the goddess of all gods, protector of women and marriages, was celebrated. Then the next day was Lupercalia, a pagan festival centered on Faun, the god of agriculture and fertility.
What does the legend say about Valentine’s Day or Valentine’s Day?
Among the many events during the festival, an interesting custom drew attention that, according to the same legends, brought together the boys and girls, who until then were separated. The night before the holidays, the girls’ names were written on sheets of paper and placed in a container. The young people took out the tickets and thus formed pairs that sometimes lasted a year. Very often, the two fell in love and got married.
The tradition of Valentine or Valentine
Other legends have Valentin at their center. One of them says that in the II-III centuries he was a priest in Rome and during the reign of Emperor Claudius II (268-270 AD) he would have helped young people, Christians or pagans, to marry. On the other hand, the Roman emperor was convinced that men would be much better soldiers if they did not have fiancées or wives, so he prohibited marriages. The young priest, for his part, argued that marriage was part of God’s plan and one of the purposes of life. Thus, he continued to marry young men in secret, in the name of love.
When the emperor found out about his secret, Valentine was imprisoned and sentenced to death, which happened on February 14, 269. The same legend says that Valentine, while in prison, fell in love with the guard’s daughter. Before he died, Valentine allegedly sent him a letter, which he signed “From your Valentine.” Hence the custom of sending love messages on this day.
The feast dedicated to the martyr
It was not until the end of the 5th century, in AD 496, that Pope Gelasius I decided that on February 14, when Valentine was executed, he should bear his name and dedicate himself to his martyrdom, thus ending the feast of Lupercalia. Saint Valentine, officially known as Saint Valentine of Rome, existed as a person, being commemorated on February 14, in the Roman Catholic calendar. The martyr was buried in a cemetery on Via Flaminia, in the northern part of Rome, and at that time a church was erected.
Valentine, the most popular saint in the Anglo-Saxon area
In the Middle Ages, Valentine became one of the most popular saints in the Anglo-Saxon area. It was also believed that February 14 was the day a new season made its presence felt. Nature comes back to life, starting the season when birds were looking for their mate. This faith overlapped with Valentine’s Day, which became “the patron saint of lovers.”
The celebrations of this holiday were not recorded anywhere, only the medieval poet Geoffrey Chaucer wrote, around 1375, in the “Parliament of Foules” about this day as the day when “any bird chooses its mate”.
Very popular in the Middle Ages were the orally transmitted wishes of lovers, handwritten “valentines” that appeared after 1400. The oldest such letter, still in existence today, is a poem written in 1415, to his wife , by Charles, Duke of Orleans. He was imprisoned in the Tower of London, captured after the Battle of Agincourt.
Valentine’s Day is a modern tradition. Appeared in the United States
There are no known data on the evolution of this habit over time. It seems that the modern tradition of celebrating Valentine’s Day appeared in the United States in the early 18th century, when Americans began to send out handwritten “Valentine’s”.
On the other side of the ocean, the British Esther A. Howland began, in 1840, the commercialization of the first massive greeting cards. One of them is on display in the British Museum. The cards created were small works of art. These are made from real lace, ribbons, and colorful images.
Millions of messages on February 14
On February 14, lovers in love around the world send millions of handwritten greetings, which remain the most appreciated way of saying “I love you” or “I think of you.”
The romantic message will always be accompanied by a bouquet of flowers or a single red rose. Gifts with flowers, champagne and chocolate are also very popular.
In other countries, Valentine’s Day is considered the day when family members show their love for each other, but also for friends. Some traditions include gifts for children and other tokens of appreciation between friends.
Romanians celebrate Dragobetele on February 24
After 1990, we also borrowed this Valentine’s Day. On this occasion, numerous events are organized. Exhibitions, music and poetry recitals, concerts, professional dance demonstrations, various competitions, civil weddings, etc.
On February 24, Romanians celebrate Dragobetele. It maintains some attributions of the god of love in Roman mythology, Cupid, being the patron of love and good humor.
