Todd-'o'-Vision
Super xVirgin Man
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The History of Valentine's
Roman History
The roots of Valentine's Day can be traced back to pagan festivals of third century Rome. February 14th was set aside as a day to honor the goddess Juno, who was the queen of the Roman gods and goddesses and was the goddess of women and marraige. This day was also the eve of the Feast of Lupercalia. This festival was in honor of the god Lubercus. At this time there were great packs of wolves that roamed outside the city where shephards kept their flocks. Lubercus was the god who protected the sheep from the wolves, and Festival of Lupercalia was to honor Lubercus and ensure safety of the flocks.
During the festival it was traditional to have boys and girls pick names from an urn and become partners to the festival, playing and dancing together. Sometimes the pairings lasted through the year, which begain in March, and some resulted in marriaige. This tradition was performed in anticipaion of the rites of spring and as a celebration of youthful love.
Christian History
During the reign of Claudius II, also known as Claudius the Cruel, Rome was involved in an expansive military operation. This called for many bloody and unpopular campaigns. Claudius was having much difficulty recruiting soldiers for his endeavors. He reasoned that the reason the men were reluctant to serve the empire was their attachment to home and family. Therefore, Claudius decreed that all engagements and marraiges in the empire were cancelled. There was a priest during the times whose name was Valentine. He was greatly loved and admired by people from all stations of life, young and old, rich and poor. He considered the Emperor's edict to be unfair. Therefore, he continued to marry couples in secret. There is also mention that the priest was also known for aiding imprisioned Christians doomed to become martyrs. There are many legends associated with Saint Valentine. In fact, there were 7 men named Valentine who were honored with feasts on February 14. But the priest Valentine is most often associated with the feast, though stories of all seven men have been rolled into the one legend.
Cladius was of course enraged by the defiance of the priest and had him imprisioned around 269AD. Legends say that while imprisoned Valentine fell in love with his jailer's blind daughter.
He wrote her messages of love in ink squeezed from violets
and signed them "From Your Valentine". Some say his words of love cured the woman of her blindness, which further enraged the Emperor and on February 14, 269 ordered his execution. His jailer, unimpressed with Valentine's love for his daughter, clubbed him to death and beheaded him. Friends of Valentine retrieved his body and buried him in a churchyard in Rome.
In 496AD, Pope Gelasius declared February 14 a day to honor
St. Valentine and it became a day for lovers to exchange messages and tokens. St. Valentine became the patron saint of lovers.
European Traditions
As time went on and Christianity gained popularity, the
priests attempted to do away with pagan traditions by substituting Christian holidays on the same day. The feast of Lupcalia was
adjusted to fit Christian beliefs. Instead of drawing the names of girls and boys, the names in the vase or box were those of saints. It was expected that those who drew the names would attempt to emulate the life of the chosen saint.
During the Middle Ages, tradition was for men and women to exchange hand made cards on St. Valentine's Day. These cards were elaborately decorated and contained love dedications and even proposals of marraige. There were never signed, as this was considered bad luck, and thus the tradition of the "secret admirer".
In the 14th Century the tradition reverted back to drawing girls names. The church made an attempt to reverse that trend in the
16th Century but to no avail and tradition continued in England and other European countries.
During the Victorian Period, love divination games were a very popular part of St. Valentine's day. In one game the names of favorite persons were written on a piece of paper which was then sealed in clay. The pieces of clay were then dropped into a bowl of water and the first to rise contained the name of your sweetheart or "Valentine". It was traditional to then send a gift to your Valentine.
Flowers for Valentine's Day are also a European tradition.
It was believed that the saffron colored crocus had the power to attract attention of a lover. The flowers were most effective in attracting your new partner when worn in a buttonhole. There was also a tradition that fresh bay leaves placed under your pillow on the eve of St. Valentine's Day would result in dreams of your future husband. There are traditions attached to all varieties of flowers each representing different types and aspects of relationships. Later in Europe, Valentine's Day was known as the Day the Birds Begin to Mate. A quote from Chaucer mentions this tradition;
"For this was Seynt Valentine's Day when every
foul cometh ther to choose his mate."
And also by John Donne;
"Hail Bishop Valentine! whose day this is;
All the air is thy diocese,
And all the chirping choristers
And other birds are thy parishioners:
Thou marryest ever year
The lyric lark and the grave whispering dove;
The sparrow that neglects his life for love,
The household bird with the red stomarcher;
Celebrations
Thous mak'st the blackbird speed as soon,
As doth the goldfinch or the halcyon . . .
This day more cheerfully than ever shine,
This day which might inflame thyself, old Valentine!"
The tradition of drawing names continued in England, encouraged by the idea that this was the time birds choose their mates,
so boys and girls should do the same. The young men would draw a name of a young lady and would wear it on his sleeve. It was his duty to attend and protect her through the year and they would become "Valentines". Love tokens were exchanged during the year. Later only men would give gifts and they would not sign their names but simply write "With Love from your Valentine".
In France later, both sexes drew from the Valentine box and
participated in exchange of gifts. A quote from the book Travels in England written in 1698 describes this tradition:
"On St. Valentine's Eve and equal numberof maids
and bachelors get together, each writes their true, or
some feigned name on separate billets. which they roll
up and draw by way of lots, the maids taking the men's
billets, and the men the maids';so that each of the young
men lights upon a girl that he calls his Valentine, and
each of the girls upon a young man which she calls hers.
By this means, each has two Valentines--but the man
sticks faster to the Valentine that is fallen to him than
to the Valentine to whom he has fallen. Fortune having
thus divided the company into so many couples, the
valentines give balls and treats to their mistresses, wear
their billets several days on their bosoms or sleeves, and
this little sport often ends in love. This ceremony is
practised differently in different countries and according to
the freedom or severity of Madame Valentine."
The tradition continues today, with exchange of tokens of love and cards with romantic messages. The power of love goes on and on! Help keep the tradition alive this February 14th!! Tell someone you love them!!
Roman History
The roots of Valentine's Day can be traced back to pagan festivals of third century Rome. February 14th was set aside as a day to honor the goddess Juno, who was the queen of the Roman gods and goddesses and was the goddess of women and marraige. This day was also the eve of the Feast of Lupercalia. This festival was in honor of the god Lubercus. At this time there were great packs of wolves that roamed outside the city where shephards kept their flocks. Lubercus was the god who protected the sheep from the wolves, and Festival of Lupercalia was to honor Lubercus and ensure safety of the flocks.
During the festival it was traditional to have boys and girls pick names from an urn and become partners to the festival, playing and dancing together. Sometimes the pairings lasted through the year, which begain in March, and some resulted in marriaige. This tradition was performed in anticipaion of the rites of spring and as a celebration of youthful love.
Christian History
During the reign of Claudius II, also known as Claudius the Cruel, Rome was involved in an expansive military operation. This called for many bloody and unpopular campaigns. Claudius was having much difficulty recruiting soldiers for his endeavors. He reasoned that the reason the men were reluctant to serve the empire was their attachment to home and family. Therefore, Claudius decreed that all engagements and marraiges in the empire were cancelled. There was a priest during the times whose name was Valentine. He was greatly loved and admired by people from all stations of life, young and old, rich and poor. He considered the Emperor's edict to be unfair. Therefore, he continued to marry couples in secret. There is also mention that the priest was also known for aiding imprisioned Christians doomed to become martyrs. There are many legends associated with Saint Valentine. In fact, there were 7 men named Valentine who were honored with feasts on February 14. But the priest Valentine is most often associated with the feast, though stories of all seven men have been rolled into the one legend.
Cladius was of course enraged by the defiance of the priest and had him imprisioned around 269AD. Legends say that while imprisoned Valentine fell in love with his jailer's blind daughter.
He wrote her messages of love in ink squeezed from violets
and signed them "From Your Valentine". Some say his words of love cured the woman of her blindness, which further enraged the Emperor and on February 14, 269 ordered his execution. His jailer, unimpressed with Valentine's love for his daughter, clubbed him to death and beheaded him. Friends of Valentine retrieved his body and buried him in a churchyard in Rome.
In 496AD, Pope Gelasius declared February 14 a day to honor
St. Valentine and it became a day for lovers to exchange messages and tokens. St. Valentine became the patron saint of lovers.
European Traditions
As time went on and Christianity gained popularity, the
priests attempted to do away with pagan traditions by substituting Christian holidays on the same day. The feast of Lupcalia was
adjusted to fit Christian beliefs. Instead of drawing the names of girls and boys, the names in the vase or box were those of saints. It was expected that those who drew the names would attempt to emulate the life of the chosen saint.
During the Middle Ages, tradition was for men and women to exchange hand made cards on St. Valentine's Day. These cards were elaborately decorated and contained love dedications and even proposals of marraige. There were never signed, as this was considered bad luck, and thus the tradition of the "secret admirer".
In the 14th Century the tradition reverted back to drawing girls names. The church made an attempt to reverse that trend in the
16th Century but to no avail and tradition continued in England and other European countries.
During the Victorian Period, love divination games were a very popular part of St. Valentine's day. In one game the names of favorite persons were written on a piece of paper which was then sealed in clay. The pieces of clay were then dropped into a bowl of water and the first to rise contained the name of your sweetheart or "Valentine". It was traditional to then send a gift to your Valentine.
Flowers for Valentine's Day are also a European tradition.
It was believed that the saffron colored crocus had the power to attract attention of a lover. The flowers were most effective in attracting your new partner when worn in a buttonhole. There was also a tradition that fresh bay leaves placed under your pillow on the eve of St. Valentine's Day would result in dreams of your future husband. There are traditions attached to all varieties of flowers each representing different types and aspects of relationships. Later in Europe, Valentine's Day was known as the Day the Birds Begin to Mate. A quote from Chaucer mentions this tradition;
"For this was Seynt Valentine's Day when every
foul cometh ther to choose his mate."
And also by John Donne;
"Hail Bishop Valentine! whose day this is;
All the air is thy diocese,
And all the chirping choristers
And other birds are thy parishioners:
Thou marryest ever year
The lyric lark and the grave whispering dove;
The sparrow that neglects his life for love,
The household bird with the red stomarcher;
Celebrations
Thous mak'st the blackbird speed as soon,
As doth the goldfinch or the halcyon . . .
This day more cheerfully than ever shine,
This day which might inflame thyself, old Valentine!"
The tradition of drawing names continued in England, encouraged by the idea that this was the time birds choose their mates,
so boys and girls should do the same. The young men would draw a name of a young lady and would wear it on his sleeve. It was his duty to attend and protect her through the year and they would become "Valentines". Love tokens were exchanged during the year. Later only men would give gifts and they would not sign their names but simply write "With Love from your Valentine".
In France later, both sexes drew from the Valentine box and
participated in exchange of gifts. A quote from the book Travels in England written in 1698 describes this tradition:
"On St. Valentine's Eve and equal numberof maids
and bachelors get together, each writes their true, or
some feigned name on separate billets. which they roll
up and draw by way of lots, the maids taking the men's
billets, and the men the maids';so that each of the young
men lights upon a girl that he calls his Valentine, and
each of the girls upon a young man which she calls hers.
By this means, each has two Valentines--but the man
sticks faster to the Valentine that is fallen to him than
to the Valentine to whom he has fallen. Fortune having
thus divided the company into so many couples, the
valentines give balls and treats to their mistresses, wear
their billets several days on their bosoms or sleeves, and
this little sport often ends in love. This ceremony is
practised differently in different countries and according to
the freedom or severity of Madame Valentine."
The tradition continues today, with exchange of tokens of love and cards with romantic messages. The power of love goes on and on! Help keep the tradition alive this February 14th!! Tell someone you love them!!
It has the story of valetines day
