A Valentine's Legend

Love this celebration, or love it not, it is an excuse to remember romance, buy flowers, champagne and a big box of chocolates! Valentine's Day was not created by florists or card companies as some people may believe. The card thing began, originally, when lovers exchanged handmade love notes called ‘Valentines' with their sweethearts. There are many legends associated with the day, but the popularity of it stems from the desire to glorify the unparalleled, universal feeling of love.

Valentine’s Day is a celebration of love! And the following day, February 15 was the Roman festival of Lupercalia – the coming of spring. This celebration honored Juno, the Goddess of women and marriage. It ensured the fertility of livestock, fields, and people. Legend has it that available young women would put their names in a bowl and young men would draw the name of the woman who would be their partner until the next drawing.

This Roman celebration was carried out for hundreds of years, until Christians decided to replace it with their own celebration. Pope Gelasuis, in AD496, found the namesake from Valentine, a third century priest.

Valentine had defied Claudius II by secretly marrying couples. The Romans were at war and had outlawed marriage in hopes that young men who didn’t have families would make better soldiers. Valentine’s actions were discovered and he was sentenced to death.

Valentine was a Bishop who was rumored to be able to perform spiritual healing. Before his death, Valentine wrote a note to the woman whom he loved and signed it ‘from your Valentine’. His death sentence was carried out on Feb. 14, AD270 and he is buried at the Church of Praxedes in Rome.

This love story was just what the Pope was looking for. Valentine was Christian, a romantic, performed miracles, and a love letter was his final act before death.

Valentine was named a Patron Saint, and the Romans celebrated by offering women hand written greetings expressing their affections. Valentine’s Day spread with Christianity, and is now a worldwide celebration of love.

The tradition of giving roses came from a Roman legend of a woman named Rodanthe. She was pursued by many men who finally became so desperate that they broke down her doors. The Goddess Diana became so enraged by their actions that she turned Rodanthe into a flower and each of the men into a thorn.

Dtwilight and I would like to wish you a very happy and romantic Valentine’ s Day!