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History of Valentines Day! - Happy Valentines Day! |
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Ever Wonder Who St. Valentine Was? Or why so many people get all mushy
around the second week of February? Here's a brief synopsis:
St. Valentine was actually two people (that weren't romantically
involved) who were martyred on the same day (c. 270). Feasts
commemorating them were celebrated on February 14. One was a priest and
physician who died in Rome during the persecution of Christians by
Claudius II Grothicus. The other was the bishop at Terni, Italy who was
also martyred in Rome. Both have been buried at different places along
the Flaminian Way.
So why do people send "valentines" or "love-tokens" to one another on
that day? The origin of that tradition is not thought to have any
connection with the saint's day. Rather it comes from an early European
belief that the second week of February was when birds began to mate.
The idea suggests that lovers should probably exchange notes and gifts
on February 14 in conjunction with what nature practiced.
Nowadays, Valentine's Day is observed as a special day for love and
romance. This topic is one of the oldest, and probably most-discussed,
issues in history! As Christians, we know that love originates from God
and that God is love (1 John 4:16).
In 269 A.D., the Roman Empire honored Juno, the goddess of women and
marriage,on February 14th. The next day the festival of Lupercalia
began. At this festival all the girls' names would be written on paper
and placed into jars. Each guy would draw a girl's name. Then, they
would be a couple for the duration of the festival. Sometimes the pair
lasted an entire year, in which they were likely to fall in love and be
married.
During this time Claudius II was the emperor of Rome. He liked war, but
had a hard time building an army. Claudius thought it was because men
didn't want to leave their wives and families. So, he banned all
marriages. But Saint Valentine, a Roman Catholic priest, continued to
perform marriages in secret. His good deeds came to an end when he was
caught and sentenced to die. While in jail, he fell in love with the
jailer's daughter. And on February 14, 270 A.D., the day of his death,
he sent her a note signed, "From, your Valentine." (In 469 A.D.,
February 14th was set aside to honor St. Valentine.)
Valentine's Day isn't just about flowers, chocolates and sappy cards. It
isn't about red hearts and white teddy bears. And it's definitely not
about Cupid. Valentine's Day is about love. A love that cannot be
commercialized. That cannot be bought. A love that seems elusive, yet
most of us continue to search for it. We want to experience love because
it is a powerful, pure emotion. And we're told in the Bible that "Love
never fails" (1 Corinthians 13:8).
The cross of Calvary is proof that the love of God will never fail. The
splintered wood. The nails. The crown of thorns. The painful death of
Jesus. Evidence of the greatest sacrifice, so we would know the meaning
of love.
This Valentine's Day, show love. Give a card to your enemy. Be nice to
the guy who cuts in the lunch line. Smile at the girl who never smiles.
And most importantly, love the way Christ loves us. |
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History of Valentines day |
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Say I Love You in 100 Languages! |
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Quotations and Poems |
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Send Valentine/Love Cards |
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Zodiac
Sign Compability |
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Love SMS |
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