EveryFebruary,acrossthecountry,candy,flowers,andgiftsareexchangedbetweenlovedones,allinthenameofSt.Valentine.Butwhoisthismysterioussaintandwhydowecelebratethisholiday?ThehistoryofValentine'sDay--anditspatronsaint--isshroudedinmystery.

　　ButwedoknowthatFebruaryhaslongbeenamonthofromance.St.Valentine'sDay,asweknowittoday,containsvestigesofbothChristianandancientRomantradition.So,whowasSaintValentineandhowdidhebecomeassociatedwiththisancientrite?Today,theCatholicChurchrecognizesatleastthreedifferentsaintsnamedValentineorValentinus,allofwhomweremartyred.February14isValentine'sDay.Itiscelebratedasalovers'holidaytoday,withthegivingofcandy,flowers,orothergiftsbetweencouplesinlove.Valentine'sDayhasrootsinseveraldifferentlegendsthathavefoundtheirwaytousthroughtheages.InRomeit'ssaidthatitoriginatedin5thCenturyasatributetoSt.Valentine,aCatholicbishop.

　　ForeighthundredyearspriortotheestablishmentofValentine'sDay,theRomanshadpracticedapagancelebrationinmid-Februarycommemoratingyoungmen'sriteofpassagetothegodLupercus.Thecelebrationfeaturedalotteryinwhichyoungmenwoulddrawthenamesofteenagegirlsfromabox.Thegirlassignedtoeachyoungmaninthatmannerwouldbehisfemalecompanionduringtheremainingyear.Inanefforttodoawaywiththepaganfestival,PopeGelasiusorderedaslightchangeinthelottery.Insteadofthenamesofyoungwomen,theboxwouldcontainthenamesofsaints.Bothmenandwomenwereallowedtodrawfromthebox,andthegamewastoemulatethewaysofthesainttheydrewduringtherestoftheyear.Needlesstosay,manyoftheyoungRomanmenwerenottoopleasedwiththeruleChanges.

　　InsteadofthepagangodLupercus,theChurchlookedforasuitablepatronsaintoflovetotakehisplace.TheyfoundanappropriatechoiceinValentine,who,inAD270hadbeenbeheaded3byEmperorClaudius.Claudiushaddeterminedthatmarriedmenmadepoorsoldiers.Sohebannedmarriagefromhisempire.ButValentinewouldsecretlymarryyoungmenthatcametohim.WhenClaudiusfoundoutaboutValentine,hefirsttriedtoconverthimtopaganism.ButValentinereversedthestrategy,tryinginsteadtoconvertClaudius.Whenhefailed,hewasstonedandbeheaded.

　　DuringthedaysthatValentinewasimprisoned,hefellinlovewiththeblinddaughterofhisjailer.Hisloveforher,andhisgreatfaith,managedtomiraculouslyhealherfromherblindnessbeforehisdeath.Beforehewastakentohisdeath,hesignedafarewellmessagetoher,"FromyourValentine."Thephrasehasbeenusedonhisdayeversince.Althoughthelotteryforwomenhadbeenbannedbythechurch,themid-FebruaryholidayincommemorationofSt.ValentinewasstilledusedbyRomanmentoseektheaffectionofwomen.Itbecameatraditionforthementogivetheonestheyadmiredhandwrittenmessagesofaffection,containingValentine'sname.AnotherValentinewasanItalianbishopwholivedataboutthesametime,AD200.Hewasimprisonedbecausehesecretlymarriedcouples,contrarytothelawsoftheRomanemperor.Somelegendssayhewasburnedatthestake.February14wasalsoaRomanholiday,heldinhonorofagoddess.Youngmenandomlychosethenameofayounggirltoescorttothefestivities.ThecustomofchoosingasweetheartonthisdatespreadthroughEuropeintheMiddleAges,andthentotheearlyAmericancolonies.Throughouttheages,peoplealsobelievedthatbirdspickedtheirmatesonFebruary14!

　　InAD496SaintPopeGelasiusInamedFebruary14as"Valentine'sDay".Althoughit'snotanofficialholiday,mostAmericansobservethisday.ThefirstValentinecardgrewoutofthispractice.ThefirsttrueValentinecardwassentin1415byCharles,dukeofOrleans,tohiswife.HewasimprisonedintheTowerofLondonatthetime.Cupid,anothersymboloftheholiday,becameassociatedwithitbecausehewasthesonofVenus,theRomangodofloveandbeauty.Heisrepresentedbytheimageofayoungboywithbowandarrow.CupidoftenappearsonValentinecards.

　　Whatevertheoddmixtureoforigins,St.Valentine'sDayisnowadayforsweethearts.Itisthedaythatyoushowyourfriendorlovedonethatyoucare.Youcansendcandytosomeoneyouthinkisspecial.Oryoucansendroses,thefloweroflove.

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