Dedicated to My Funny Valentines, You!
Where did Valentine's Day Come from?
Interestingly enough, Valentine's Day has been around for so long, nobody really knows it's exact origin. There are more tales, stories, legends, myths, you name it, that dispel why there is a Saint Valentine, and why Valentine's day falls on February 14th,than you could imagine, but strangely enough, they all really aren't that different.
I did a little digging, and here are the number one stories about Valentine's Day, and where it all began. As with all legends, there is always some truth to it, or it wouldn't exist. For Valentine's Day to be an international holiday, then it's safe to say, Saint Valentine has been recognized, and remembered. And as with all legends, gossip and stories, usually the common denominator throughout every story, usually turns out to be the closest you will ever come to the facts.
Now, according to legend, Saint Valentine was actually a Bishop, who was a Priest, a kind and humane Roman Priest, who held the celebration of sacred love at high esteme, and he also enjoyed uniting young couples in Wedded Matrimony, and was executed due to that fact.
Now, this act, performing wedding ceremonies, was frowned upon by the Roman Emperor Claudius II. You see, Claudius was a bit of a schmuck, as he was a warlord, and they even nicknamed ‘Claudius the Cruel', and when the big Roman war began, Claudius put out a decree for all available men to attend their stations, prepare for battle. Only not soo many Romans showed up. Infact, every year that the great battle was being fought, the number of soldiers signing up for Claudius' army was declining.
Emperor Claudius was furious, when he discovered that his Roman's didn't want to go to war, because of love. Women. Children. Marriage. The Roman men didn't want to go to war, because they were either married, married with children, or engaged to be married. They didn't want to leave the loves of their lives, their sweethearts. And this was unacceptable to the Emperor Claudius II.
The Christian faith was banned, marriages were banned, all engagements were illegal and ordered to be dissolved, and anyone daring to convert their faith to Christianity would be considered an enemy to the Empire and would be executed.
So, Roman Priest Valentine continued on in his work, teaching of his God, and performing marriage ceremonies in the eyes of God, all in secret. And the Priest, Valentine was caught, and imprisoned, after refusing to denounce his Christian faith.
Everyone loved the Roman Priest Valentine, it is said they each had slipped him pieces of paper, rolled up, with a ribbon tied around it, through the prison wall, in continuing to ask the Priest for blessings, and also offering him words of comfort. The young, the old, the wealthy, the poor, scholars, and the ignorant. His popularity was unchallenged, the people had faith in Valentine, the people always knelt to Valentine, and asked for his blessings, before the fire was set to the alter for his preaching. He was kind-hearted, soft spoken, and the people were in melancholy due to the fact that their Priest was sentenced to death due to his refusal to renounce his God. The Priest, while in prison, developed a cherished friendship with the jailer's daughter, and it is said, that she was loyal to Valentine. Valentine, also, converted most of the prisoners while he was in jail, when Emperor Claudius was unable to break the spirit of the Priest, and the priest's love of his God, he ordered the execution by beheading..
The Roman Priest Valentine's execution caused great mourning throughout the Roman Empire. The lovers loved, and the poets dreamed, and the jailer's daughter received a letter. It was written by Valentine, to his sweetheart, in a goodbye note, that was signed, Your Valentine. It is said, Valentine gave the first love letter, or poem if you will, to a sweetheart, and the tradition of expressing your love and devotion through words was born, and signing it, your Valentine, was as well. Some legends say, that the jailers daughter was blind, and the Priest was able to heal her, and she could see, the evening before his death. Other legends say, that one of the men who died with Jesus, was named Valentine, and he took on the Christian faith the evening before he died, and Christ healed the sight of his friend, the jailer's daughter, who inspired him to love and honour Christ.
The Roman Bishop Valentine was executed on February 14, AD 269 he was burried on the Via Flaminia, where his moment exists today. Relics of Saint Valentine reside in Baltan and Malta.
The Bishop as by called by some, Priest by others, was due to the fact that there are two Valentine Saints in the Church, both reportedly were executed on February 14th, for their refusal to renounce Christianity and switch to the Pagan Religion. The reason the two are not talked about separately in this rendition, is due to the fact that more of my research points to one thing, it has been repeatedly concluded that they are the same person. There are also other reports that the church has recorded up to 11 Valentine Priests who have died, or were murdered in the name of love, on Feb 14th.
Valentine was celebrated in the church, as the great man who died for the love of his Christian God, and was chosen as the Patron Saint for Lovers. As a commemorative of the day Valentine died, February 14th, every year, the people whose heart's, lives, and marriages that Saint Valentine touched, remembered him, and the legend was passed down through history, to what we know today as Valentines Day.
Where did the cherubs come from on Valentines Day?
Leonardo De Vinci depicted the Cherubs during his era, and that is the closest rendition, even today, of what our version of angels and saints resemble. They say the Cherub (The God Cupid, with the bow and arrow, who flew around spreading love to humans, and was son to Venus) is marked on Valentines Day, because the Roman people know, that Valentine shines down on them, on the anniversary of his death, as a Saint at God's side, and for dying for what he believed in, everlasting love.
The Feast of Lupercalia
Now this Legend of Valentines Day, is more of Roman God Legend, and goes something like this.
On February 15th, in ancient Roman times, the Feast of Lupercalia was celebrated to honour the Goddess of Fertility, Venus. Juno februa, the name of the ritual, which also said to be where the word February comes from, is a pagan tradition for evoking fatality to the village. Now this annual tradition dinner, marked an important date every year, the 14th of February, which is what comes into play for the design of Valentines Day. On the eve of the Lupercal Feast, a gathering happens, and there was a ritual which took place, the ritual of ‘name drawing'. According to legend, boys were to draw names, and all of the names were single girls in the village. The two were to remain sweethearts for an entire year. They say, this day of February 14th, has been considered the day of Cupid, the playful impish son of Venus, the Roman Goddess of Love.
In history, there are countless recorded men, with the surname of Valentine, who died or were executed on February 14th. There is no tangible proof which Valentine actually is the one true Valentine, or any reasoning as to why each of them come from a different country. Each country, Rome, Italy, England, Africa, Sweden, Finland, Slovenia, Turkey, Israel, and so many more, have a Saint Valentin, Valentin, or Valentino, Sweethearts day. Most of these occasions fall in February. What is the most interesting part, is the common name of Valentine, in different dialects, and the 14th of February seems to be common in most of those. Being spread out over a wide range of countries, is also of interest to Valentine's Day Theorists. In conclusion, maybe someone is trying to tell us something?
Now, according to stories past.
Valentines Day, had always existed. It existed beyond what was written. It was BC, (not Before Computers, Before Christ) it is said to be the day Adam and Eve were exiled from the Garden of Eden, over that apple incident. (Which we all know, Eve had apples all right, but they didn't come from any tree.-- There was no apple tree honey, it was conception.) Anyway, people say, that lovers have loved, love has ruled, pushed, inspired, and gave humans the ambition and support and courage to evolve, and survivor in this world. That Valentine's Day has only been given it's name, at a much later date, to the one who sacrificed his own life, in the name of love for humanity, and for his Christian God. Saint Valentine.
Valentines Day, is all about the birds and the bees.
They say that birds, traditionally pick their mate once a year, and it always falls on February 14th. Most species of birds, when chosen a mate, will have only that one mate all the days of their lives. Humans, celebrate the birds and the bees, with their own choosing or renewing of their love, on the day the true love birds choose February 14th, on Valentines Day.
Paris, the City of Love, started Valentine Day Traditions
The Mardi Gras, (translation fat Tuesday, because of Pagan tradition of walking a fat ox through town.). The annual tradition in Paris (France) began before or during the second century when Rome began to invade other countries taking their traditions with them. The Mardi Gras takes place around Mid February, eve being the 14th. Depending on the equinox, the Mardi Gras can also be on January 06th. (It's involved, but that's the bottom line.)
Paris (France) was inspired. The Mardi Gras, as legend will tell, was a part of the Lupercalia, which was a circus themed festival, which the people gave themselves up to Venus, in seeking fertility. In Paris free love, where all aspects of pleasure, along with conducting love was acceptable during these celebration festivities. The Mardi Gras of modern day times, is pretty much the same as it was back in the middle ages. Lovers all the day through would declare the name of their true love, in the hopes that their true love would return the sentiment. As the church bells rang, and the lovers loved.. and the magical and mystical celebrations ran on all night. I believe it was from the tradition of the Mardi Gras, that Paris grew into what is known of even today, as the City of Love.
As with all legends, stories, myths, and even gossip, there is always an underlining truth to it somewhere. The story originated somewhere. Perhaps some of the legends listed in this article are correct, perhaps they inspired and helped the day of Valentines blossom, or maybe they are all incorrect. Nobody really knows, but what we all do know as a fact.
Valentines Day, is a celebration for a Roman Bishop named Valentine, who's death is commemorated on the 14th Day of February. Not in a day of mourning but a celebration of love. Not just lovers, but a day for the love of humanity, and humanities ability to love. So on this Valentines Day, sweetheart or no sweetheart, tell someone that you love, how you care. Your son, daughter, mother, sister, brother, best friend.. all of us in our lives, loves someone.
Send out e-cards, (check Hallmark.com first, they have the best free stuff online.), e-mail love poems, lover letters and funny, sweet quotes, text messages, msn chat, MSM, send flowers, hampers, mushy emails, go out to dinner, stay in with a chick flick.. just enjoy that you are loved, and that you love to.
And to all of you,
Happy Valentines Day
Written By: Sacreeta
