MUNI THE BOSS

14 February 2011 (India) The Valentine's day History is shrouded in mystery and there is lot of confusion regarding the Saint. But it is for sure that February is the month of romance. Three different saints named Valentine are recognized by the Catholic Church. All these saints are considered as martyred. One of the legends contend that Valentine was a priest. This priest served Rome during the third century. At this time, Emperor Claudius II decided that unmarried soldiers are better than the married ones. Thus he outlawed marriage for young soldiers. Valentine realized this injustice and performed marriages in secret for the young lovers. But as Claudius came to know this, Valentine was put to death. But here are also other suggestions. Some stories depict that the saint might have been killed for helping the Christians escape the tough Roman prisons. Valentine's Day is celebrated on 14th February. The lovers exchange candy, flowers and gifts. The entire Valentine's Day is celebrated in the name of St. Valentine. But the question arises as to who is this saint and what is history of Valentine's Day ? Valentine's Day is a holiday which is celebrated on 14th February by people across the world. This traditional day is celebrated with valentine cards. The day is related with Geoffrey Chaucer's circle of romantic love. The symbols of modern valentine include doves, cupid etc. Another legend suggests that the first 'valentine' greeting was send by Valentine. It is a common belief that when Valentine was in prison, he fell in love with a girl. This girl was the daughter of the jailor and visited Valentine during his days of confinement. He wrote a letter to her just before his death and signed as 'From your Valentine'. This expression is used in this era also. The real truth behind the legends of Valentine is still murky but the stories reflect his heroic, sympathetic and romantic personality and appeal. Valentine was one of the popular saints in France and England in the Middle Ages. Some opine that Valentine's Day is celebrated in mid February for commemorating Valentine's death anniversary which was around 270 A.D. Others believe that Valentine's feast was organized in mid February in order to 'Christianize' the pagan Lupercalia festival. Lupercalia dedicated to the Roman God of agriculture, Faunus, is a fertility festival. In this festival, the members of the Luperci would come together at the sacred cave where the infants Remus and Romulus were said to be cared by a lupa or a she-wolf. The gathered priests would sacrifice a dog for It was believed that the strips would make the women more fertile. Later, the women had to place their names in a huge urn. The bachelors of the city had to choose individual names of the women from the urn and then they were paired for at least one year. These pairs often resulted in marriages. Around 498 A.D, February 14th was declared as Saint Valentine's Day by Pope Gelasius. In France and England, it was a common belief that Valentine's Day is the mating season of the birds. The oldest valentine which exists today is a poem written by the Duke of Orleans to his wife while he was in prison of Tower of London. Valentine's Day was celebrated around the seventeenth century in Great Britain. Friends and lovers exchanged tokens of gifts and love. At present, Valentine's Day ranks second among the largest card-sending holidays. gently slapping on women and the crops. It was believed that the strips would make the women more fertile. Later, the women had to place their names in a huge urn. The bachelors of the city had to choose individual names of the women from the urn and then they were paired for at least one year. These pairs often resulted in marriages. Around 498 A.D, February 14th was declared as Saint Valentine's Day by Pope Gelasius. In France and England, it was a common belief that Valentine's Day is the mating season of the birds. The oldest valentine which exists today is a poem written by the Duke of Orleans to his wife while he was in prison of Tower of London.