Valentine's Day, which is celebrated annually on February 14, has long been shrouded in various secrets and legends of its origin. Some supporters of the feast of lovers attach romantic significance to this day, while others regard it only for commercial reasons. However, it is still worth knowing where we can take the origins and history of a known date from.

Valentine's Day Story

Valentine's Day or Valentine's Day is not only a celebration of romance, love and tenderness. According to various sources, the holiday is shrouded in many legends, and no one knows for sure whether St. Valentine existed and whether he really first gave a lover a romantic Valentine.

Priest Valentine

According to one legend in 269 A.D. the Roman emperor Claudius II sought to conquer the whole world, however, in order to carry out expansion, he had to assemble a strong army. Since the family institution kept men from military service, the emperor issued a decree prohibiting marriage during military service.

However, the young priest Valentine, who was still engaged in natural sciences and medicine, did not listen to the orders of Claudius II and secretly married all the lovers. When the emperor found out about this, he sentenced Valentine to death. But while waiting for the execution of the death sentence, Valentine in prison fell in love with the blind daughter of the jailer Julia and healed her.

Before the execution, he left her a farewell message and signed it “Your Valentine”. It is with this incredible moment and manifestation of love that both the appearance of Valentine's Day and the custom of giving valentines are associated. The priest was cut off his head, and later Valentine was canonized by the Catholic Church. In 496, Pope Gelasius I declared February 14 as Valentine's Day.

Christian mastermind Valentine

According to another legend, Valentine's Day arose as a memory of Christian Valentine, who was a real inspiration to others. During the secret wedding of the Roman patricians (representatives of the indigenous Roman people), they were all detained.

As a representative of the upper class, Valentine could have avoided execution, but his servants did not have such a privilege. However, they continued to admire him and conduct secret marriage ceremonies under his cover.

Three martyrs Valentine

According to other legends and stories, there may have been at least three other men named Valentin who died a martyrdom for the Christian faith.

In the earliest Roman chronograph of 354, nothing is said about them, but according to ancient legends, they all died no later than the 270th year.

One of the Valentines was a priest and a doctor in Rome and died in 269 (the time of Emperor Claudius II). The second Valentine was a bishop in Terni (Italy) and died in 197. Two Valentines, who died a martyrdom for the Christian faith, were buried in the same cemetery (near the modern gate of Porta del Popolo in Rome, which is now often called the "gate of St. Valentine").

St. Valentine's Gate in Rome

Subsequently, the remains of the first Valentine were stored in one of the churches of Rome, and in 1836 Pope Gregory XVI transferred the remains of the church in Dublin, where they are still stored. The remains of the second Valentine today are in the Basilica of St. Valentine in Terni - in the city of his pastorship.

The third Valentine lived in Egypt in about 100-153. He was a valuable candidate for the post of Roman bishop (i.e., the Pope) and in his sermons extolled the values \u200b\u200bof marriage as the embodiment of Christian love. Almost nothing is known about the circumstances of his death and the place of burial.

Pagan roots

Also, some sources note that Valentine's Day in Christian times replaced the pagan festival of Lupercalia (in honor of the god Faunus, and according to another version - in honor of the goddess of marriage, the Juno family), which was also once celebrated annually on February 14. This replacement occurred in 496 by order of the same Pope Gelasius I.

Valentine's Day: the story of the holiday on February 14

But in this practice, there is nothing surprising, since the dates of the celebration of the Nativity of Christ and the Nativity of John Kupala, attributable to pagan festivals in honor of the winter and summer solstices (around December 25 and July 7, respectively), were chosen on this principle.

Patron of the Mentally Ill

In the Roman Catholic Church, St. Valentine is officially considered not the patron saint of lovers, but the patron saint of people suffering from nervous diseases. That is why the icons often depict Valentine in the clothes of a priest or bishop, who heals the young man from epilepsy or mental disorders. Then such people were called mentally ill.

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  St. Valentine was the patron saint of the mentally ill

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  St. Valentine was the patron saint of the mentally ill

According to church tradition, on the grave of St. Valentine, a young man who suffered from epilepsy, prayed for a long time and recovered.

Valentine's day

As you know, Roman Catholics have 16 Saint Valentines and two Saint Valentines. In 1969, the patron saint of lovers was removed from the calendar of saints due to dubious historical justification. Now on February 14, Roman Catholics celebrate St. Cyril and Methodius Day, which Pope John II declared the patron saints of Europe.

Today the UGCC celebrates February 14 as the eulogy of the Meeting and honoring the memory of the martyr Tryphon. The UOC also honors the memory of the martyr Tryphon, Perpetua, Satire, Satornila and others. It is believed that in Western Europe Valentine's Day has been widely celebrated since the 13th century, in the United States since 1777.

Valentine's Day: the story of the holiday on February 14

According to the latest information, the relics of the patron saint of St. Valentine's lovers have been preserved for three centuries in a row in the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Sambir (Lviv region). The authenticity of the relic allegedly confirms the document of the Pope of 1759. As Fr. notes Bogdan Dobriansky from the parish in Sambir, St. Valentine was the patron saint of the Przemysl-Sambir diocese.

Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Sambir (Lviv region)

The relics of St. Valentine in the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Sambir (Lviv region)

Valentine story

According to legend, the ancient custom of sending beloved cards on Valentine's Day also arose in the Middle Ages. The very first Valentine in the world is considered a note sent by the Duke Karl of Orleans in 1415.

Almost everyone will celebrate Valentine's Day. After all, this is a celebration of love, which the whole world knows about. Although perhaps in some countries the traditions of Valentine's Day are different, its meaning and main purpose are always unchanged. At first glance, it might seem that this Valentine's Day story is completely uninteresting and reading this article is pointless. But this is not at all true, because the number of legends of the celebration and everything that is connected with them is quite surprising.

By the way, we already wrote about how to make a gift with your own hands is not Valentine's Day.

As Valentine's Day appeared, read on in our material.

If you do not dig too much, then you can find literally 2-3 legends about the origin of Valentine's Day. Despite the fact that they are the most common, not everyone has even heard of their existence. Read more about this later.

Valentine's Day: Holiday Story

According to one of the ancient legends, by the way, biblical, Valentine's Day appeared around the 5th century AD. But the events that served the institutions of Valentine's Day happened even earlier.

In the 3rd century Rome was ruled by Emperor Claudius, who, like his predecessors, sought to take over the whole world. Of course, he did not have enough army for this, so he issued an order that now seems too cruel.

Claudius forbade all priests to marry young couples, and people under 20 years old to have children. At that time, this was often done even earlier. Despite all these prohibitions and the fear of execution, a young priest named Valentine, secretly at night, nevertheless married young people. Of course, all the secret once becomes apparent, and this case was no exception.

Valentine was caught and sentenced to death. He spent some time in prison, awaiting the execution of the sentence. And during this time he managed to meet the young daughter of the prison guard, whose name was Julia. The girl was blind, so she could not contemplate her lover. Before the execution, the young priest left the girl a note on which was written "Your Valentine" and it was thanks to this that the girl was healed and began to see again.

They decided to canonize Valentine only after two hundred years. in 496, Pope Gelasius I declared February 14 (the birthday of the priest) as Valentine's Day.

According to another legend, Valentine's Day arose as a memory of the Roman patrician Valentine. Despite his high position, he was a secret Christian and converted all his servants to the new faith and sometimes held weddings.

Once he was caught, right during the process. Of course, due to his status, Valentine could have avoided execution, but the other two did not. Valentine tried to somehow reduce their suffering and began to send them hearts that symbolized Christian love. A blind girl should have passed them.

On the eve of the execution, Valentine managed to persuade the guards to take his life in return for those who were supposed to be executed. The last thing he managed to do was to pass on to the blind girl a letter that was sanctified. And thanks to him, the girl received sight.

Watch how Valentine's Day came about

These are the two legends of the emergence of Valentine's Day 2018. They, of course, are very similar and do not look like the truth. But many people believe that.

How Valentine's Day is celebrated in the world

If the date and history of the holiday is already known to us, then let's look a little at the traditions of the holiday, because in different countries they are slightly different.

Read what you can cook on Valentine's Day.

I must say right away that in Ukraine Valentine's Day appeared relatively recently, although it almost instantly became incredibly popular.

But in the rest of Europe, Valentine's Day has been celebrated since the 18th century.

Let's remember how Valentine's Day is celebrated in our country. Of course, a huge number of couples in love who can be found in any restaurant, almost all stores have huge promotions, because you need to buy gifts for the holiday. Almost every child who is in elementary school carries a valentine prepared in advance. And some even have holiday concerts.

But in other countries, everything is a little different than in conditional Kiev, Lviv and Odessa. And let's find out why.

In England, for example, valentines are sent not only to loved ones, but also to all relatives, friends, acquaintances, and even pets. By the way, there is also a rather interesting tradition for unmarried girls. It is believed that they should get up with the dawn of the sun and look out the window. The first man they see will be their narrowed.

And of course, here you can not say about Valentine's Day in Germany. Indeed, many probably heard that there February 14 is not celebrating Valentine's Day, but Day of the Mentally Ill. And it is true. That's just what opponents of St. Valentine think so, and they are several times less than couples in love.

In France, on Valentine's Day you need to give only jewelry.

But in Denmark, people send each other dried white flowers.

But Saudi Arabia, as always, excelled. There, Valentine's Day is completely prohibited, and if you celebrate it, you can get a rather big fine.

But the traditions of the holiday in Italy are quite different from other countries. There, Valentine's Day is called the day of sweets, well, you yourself understand how it is celebrated.

Discover how Valentine's Day is celebrated in the world

As you can see, there are a lot of interesting things and Valentine's Day is really celebrated almost all over the world. And let's look at the history of occurrence and find out how and when Valentine's Day actually appeared.

When Valentine's Day appeared

If we already spoke about the legends of the holiday, because it is difficult to name the biblical stories in another way, now it is time to recall the real historical facts that could serve the establishment of Valentine's Day.

Very often, the origin of Valentine's Day is associated with the ancient Roman holiday of Lupercalia. This celebration was celebrated in honor of the goddess of "febrile" love Juno Februata and the god Faun.

By the way, information about this holiday is rather contradictory. But historians insist that Lupercalia appeared due to the large mortality among children in ancient Rome. Then the city could simply die out. Then there were quite a few people who simply could not have children and they were considered damned.

But the place where, according to legend, the she-wolf nourished Romulus and Remus, was considered sacred. Therefore, once a year, most likely on February 14, grandiose celebrations were organized there, which were supposed to increase the birth rate in Rome. As a matter of fact, they succeeded. That is why when Christianity already appeared, this holiday could not be canceled for a long time.

It is rather difficult to say which date exactly Lupercalia noted. In 494, Pope Gelasius I tried to ban Lupercalia. But to do this was quite difficult. Some historians say that this is why Valentine's Day was established. But for sure one can only assert that Pope Gelasius only put an end to the celebration of Lupercalia in Rome.

Find out more in this video.

If now the history of the appearance and origin of the celebration and when it will be approximately clear to us, now we can talk a little about the symbols and legends of the holiday. After all, they are also quite interesting.

Valentine's Day: legends and symbols of the holiday

Well, if we sorted out the historical factors more or less, and we already roughly understand when and how this holiday appeared, not according to religious beliefs, but according to historical facts, now you can find out a little about the legends of Valentine's Day.

Here, in fact, there are only two legends that we have already told you about. The difference is only in the name and small nuances. They all appeared in the late Middle Ages in France and England.

Golden legendtells us the story of Valentine, who was a field doctor and a priest (at that time there were many such people). And the Emperor Claudius, already familiar to us, decided that men who are not burdened by marriage and children fight at times better. Well, that's why weddings were forbidden. But our hero, Valentin, being a very kind and believing man, secretly consecrated marriage at night. Well, then the story is already known, he was caught and killed. By the way, it was thanks to this legend that Pope Gelasius instituted Valentine's Day.

The second legend has no name, but the main character is also called Valentine. He lived in Rome during paganism, but secretly was faithful to Christianity. He was quite famous and he had many servants whom he also converted to the new faith. But once they noticed this and his servants were sentenced to death. And the high rank of Valentine allowed him to avoid execution. Legend has it that he began sending small cards in the shape of a heart to the prison to cheer on his servants. But in the end, he managed to agree that instead of servants he should be executed.

Valentines are the main symbols of the holiday. There are two legends about their origin. We already told the first one: it was precisely those cards that Valentine sent to his servants that were the first.

Read the best Valentine's Day greetings.

And the second legend says that the first symbols of the holiday appeared even when Lupercalia was celebrated in ancient Rome. The girls then made small notes and threw them into a special urn, from where the men got them and fled to look for the girl later. Now St. Valentine's Day, of course, is celebrated not so, but the similarity can be noticed with the naked eye.

Very soon, we will have to celebrate another joyful event - Valentine's Day. He came to us relatively recently, but confidently conquered our space and defended his right to exist. He is eagerly awaited by both high school students, young people and even older lovers - all on the eve are busy finding a sweet one for their soul mates, which Horoscope Guru will help choose.

Valentine's Day - the origin of the holiday

The emergence of this holiday goes into the distant, distant past. Two legends have survived to this day that explain its origin.

First legend

As the first legend says, back in 269, the Roman emperor Claudius II forbade his soldiers to marry while serving, as he thought that love would interfere with the conquest of new lands. But thanks to the young priest, whose name was Valentine, secretly from the emperor wedding ceremonies were held for young soldiers with their beloved. Of course, Claudius II became aware of this, and by his sentence the priest was expected to die.

Waiting for his terrible fate, the young priest fell in love with Julia, who was the daughter of a jailer. The girl was unusually beautiful, but, unfortunately, completely blind. Priest Valentine managed to heal his beloved, and on the eve of execution sent her a farewell letter, which he signed - “Your Valentine”. This was the first "Valentine".

Only after 200 years, by decision of the Pope, February 14 becomes Valentine's Day. From that time to the present day, young people send love letters to their beloved, which they called “Valentines”.

Second legend

According to another legend, in Rome lived a patrician Valentine, who professed Christianity. He secretly converted converts into his religion, and even married two. The guard detained them, and all three were executed. Patrician Valentine suffered for love, although he himself, as a person from high society, could have avoided execution.

Since then, these legends have been living among the people and through the centuries have passed from generation to generation, inspiring people to fight for their love.

"Valentine" as a manifestation of sincerity of feelings

On Valentine's Day, all loving people can give a note of love confession or show their location in some other way: usually they give Valentine cards, cupids, doves, sweets, roses, various sweets and other cute gifts.

This holiday is a great occasion to renew and refresh relations in the family, to admit through an "Valentine" in our feelings an impregnable girl or a guy who has long attracted attention. Valentine's Day is a holiday of first love, eternal love and high relations between people.

We don’t like when in our own country certain uniform norms of behavior, words and expressions, such holidays and everything else are imposed ... We are extremely negative about the so-called democratization, globalization, mixing styles, cultures and races, etc. The Russian people , which means Russia from year to year is losing its unique face. Do you want to be an obedient cog in the world of globalization, general chaos and confusion? Or do you want to remain a Man true to your original tradition and culture?

Before we had time to sort out our old “holidays” that had become traditional after 1917, new misfortunes poured onto our land. Imposed by the media, "Valentine's Day" burst into our lives.

Someone liked it. There was an extra reason to drag out. To the question of what this has to do with Russia, the same murderous argument is put forward: “Well, are we worse than others?” No, no worse, it just has absolutely nothing to do with us. And not only to us, but to common sense too.

The introduction of new “holidays” into our lives is very beneficial for those who introduce such innovations. It brings a very decent profit from the sale of all kinds of souvenirs, postcards, trinkets and, of course, alcohol.

Valentine's Day has significantly increased sales of goods that can be used as a gift for a loved one. This is especially noticeable for those sellers who were not too lazy to slightly change the design and text of their trays accordingly. Since the beginning of February, shops, kiosks and markets are filled with a wide variety of hearts. St. The vicious journalists call Valentine's Day “St. Holmark's Day”, in honor of the founder of the holiday and part-time founder of the Hallmark postcard corporation, which makes half of the annual profit on the sale of paper hearts. Restaurants and hotels lure a couple of "erotic menus" and romantic evenings by candlelight. Travel agencies announce special offers - romantic travels. Not for nothing that some sellers call this holiday a "great commercial day."

However, the matter is even more serious. Instead of our Russian holidays, we are slipped a western surrogate in order to bring our consciousness to the Western cattle consciousness. It’s easier to deal with us. It remains only to lament that some of our compatriots are ready to accept any, even the most crazy idea, imposed from the outside. It is useless to talk about Russian traditions here. Holiday! Wow! 1

This holiday is still young, it began to be celebrated in Russia relatively recently. It is unofficial, but very popular, especially among young people. He was promoted by all the media. Songs were composed on the themes of the holiday, and "funny" films were shot. Such a massive information attack on the minds had an effect, and people, supposedly themselves, voluntarily, voluntarily decided to celebrate such a "fun" holiday.

The answer is given by studying the history of the birth of the feast of St. Valentine, who by now has overgrown with numerous legends. However, it is reliably known that this holiday dates back to the Roman holiday Lupercalia. In ancient Rome, the festival of Lupercalia was considered a festival of purification and fertility. It was celebrated on the night of February 14-15 in honor of the god Faunus (from the Latin fatuor - to be obsessed) - the ancient Italian god of fertility. The hallmarks of the Faun were voluptuousness and sexual licentiousness.

The festival began in Lupercale - the sanctuary of Faun Luperque (from the Latin lupus - the wolf). At first, the Luperki (priests of the god Faunus) sacrificed a dog and a goat. After the sacrifice, naked lupers, with the skin of goats on their hips slaughtered on the altar, circled around the Palatine Hill in Rome. Along the way, they quilted belts of oncoming women carved from the skin of a sacrificial goat. A blow with a sacrificial belt was considered a good sign that a woman will conceive a child this year. A sacrificial belt made of goat skin is called scrotum, which in translation has two more meanings: 1 - a leather goat bag and 2 - a scrotum.

Lupercalia coincided in time with the ancient Roman New Year - according to the Roman calendar, the new year began in mid-February. February to 450 BC was the last month of the year. Februa, the annual festival of cult cleansing, fell in mid-February. It was celebrated in honor of the goddess of "feverish" love Juno Februata - Juno Feverish (Unrestrained). During this holiday, everyone left their business, and the "fun" began - a massive sexual orgy.

As a result of promiscuous sexual intercourse, inferior offspring is born, but it is precisely promiscuous sexual relations that cultivates the feast of St. Valentine's Day. Valentine In any case, this follows not only from the essence of the holidays, the predecessors of St. Valentine, but from texts of modern songs and films, for example, A. Eyramjan’s film “Valentine’s Day”, modestly called “lyrical comedy” and shown on television every year on the same day.

The symbol of St. Valentine is Valentine. Her pierced by an arrow, kiss and called the "heart". I must note, as a doctor, that such a heart does not exist in nature.

But, remembering the Russian proverb "There is no thing without an image," look carefully around you and you will easily find this thing. Women do it easier, enough at home, with their backs to the mirror, bend down and look at themselves. After these lines, many will accuse the author of vulgarity, but in vain.

If we turn to the history of Ancient Greece, whose culture became the basis of the culture of Ancient Rome, we will see that it was this particular symbol pierced by an arrow that signified bodily love - eros (in Greece, love was denoted by three words for three states: Eros - bodily love; Philos - love to wisdom; Agape - divine love). In a society dominated by the cult of a beautiful body and bore the beautiful name gluetus - gluteus, and the arrow indicating the masculine origin was in place. In other words, this contour-symbol pierced by an arrow means the act of copulation of a man and a woman. The Catholic Church, having borrowed the ritual of the polytheists, called the symbol of this ritual a heart. Truly "if you read" buffalo "on an elephant’s cage, don’t believe your eyes" (K. Prutkov).

But that is not all. According to the "Christian" tradition, it is believed that "Valentine's Day" is celebrated in honor of the martyr for the faith. On the martyrdom of St. Valentine has many legends. One of them tells that the Roman emperor Claudius believed that the family prevents the soldiers wholeheartedly, without looking back, from fighting for the empire and issued a decree forbidding the military to marry. However, the Roman priest Valentine, despite the decree, continued to crown all comers indiscriminately. For this, February 14, 273, Valentine was executed.

In other words, in ancient Rome, when manning the army, a law was in effect according to which one who wanted to serve in the Roman army for a very good monetary reward under a contract should refuse to create his own family. This was done not so much so that the army was mobile, but to ensure civil peace in the state. After all, it was a time of ongoing palace coups. The overthrow of the emperor was carried out by killing him and his loyal associates. The emperor’s strength on the throne was ensured by his loyal army. Withdrawal of the army from clan squabbles led to the heyday of the Roman Empire in the period from 284 to 476. If the soldiers started families, then they automatically became involved in protecting the interests of those clans to which their wives belonged. The army did not become a single, monolithic organism, but turned into a gathering of armed units warring among themselves. In other words, it is a civil war. And at that time, Christian priest Valentin worked actively to ensure that a civil war fire broke out in the country. Good humanity!

No one claims that the Roman Empire was fair. Not at all. Its existence was determined by the course of globalization. But civil wars always lead to the suffering of many people. Christian priest Valentin, crowning a soldier, committed a crime against people, preparing a civil war, while covering up his deeds with the hypocritical assertion that he acts for the good and in the interests of people.

In 496, after the dismemberment of the Roman Empire, Pope Gelasius declared February 14 "Valentine's Day." This day was declared a holiday for all lovers (a kind of PR campaign of the church). And now, for the last 15 years, the Orthodox of holy Russia have been celebrating St. February in February. Valentine is a ritual of the Catholic Church 2.

Sources:
1. Y. V. Ushakov "St. Valentine - the patron saint of the mentally ill"
  2. A.I. Beloglazov "The Russian Orthodox Church kisses Valentine's Day"

Beloslav "Boomerovod"
  Nearby imaginary future. Year 20xx ...

  - What does it mean "I will not celebrate?".
  The commissioner for educational and preventive work grunted and dropped his pen in surprise. While he picked it up, grunting and cursing, a young guy Denis, 23, dressed at home, in a T-shirt and sweatpants, stood in the opening of the gate and watched this picture.
- But I will not, and that's it! This is not our holiday! Alien! - the guy replied, having waited until the fat commissioner took upright position. “Interesting - where do they sew the form? Tea will be no less than 56 sizes,” he thought.
  “I will give you, alien!” Do you see the decree?
  He began to poke in the face with a photocopy of the stamp paper "On the celebration of Valentine's Day" and continued:
  - The government, you understand, takes care of it, they presented an extra holiday, but it is wandering! If it is said to celebrate, it means to celebrate!
  "Alien!" he mimicked the guy. And here enlightening enlightened his scanty thought:
  - Or maybe you are also a racist? Since the holiday is alien to you? No, definitely racist! Now you’ll quickly rattle me for the 282nd!
  - But in general, why did you suddenly decide that I was not celebrating? he interrupted the train of thought that had begun.
  - As with what you look, you see, everyone hung balls on houses, hearts and all that. All according to the decree. Since the government considers this holiday to be such a great one, it must be celebrated, so officially in St. Petersburg they made kisses day officially. There, for these purposes, especially pedagogues ... were invited as a sign of reconciliation and repentance for a totalitarian past.
  “And why is there no balls in front of that two-story mansion?” - asked the landlord
  - Wow!!! This is Tajik hardworking migrants! After all, a thousand-year-old culture and distinctive traditions cannot be imposed on them - the plenipotentiary poured stamps memorized at political classes - In short - if I buy these balls and hang, will it be all right? - Denis answered tiredly
  - To hell with you! Buy, hang, cross off the list! After all, buying these useful things you help our dear hard-working migrants! must understand the political situation! Green yet. In general, after an hour I’ll come and check - he threatened to squeeze into the official “six” ...

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  By the way, St. Valentine can also be blamed for undermining the military power of the state, with all the ensuing consequences for those who celebrate this day. Because, according to legend, in those days when St. Valentine preached the Christian faith, which was outlawed, the Roman Empire waged a heavy war with the Goths. And so that the legionnaires did not become attached to families and better fight, the Roman emperor Claudius II forbade men to marry, and women and girls - to marry.

But St. Valentine, who was an ordinary priest and sympathized with the unfortunate lover, dared to disobey the emperor and secretly from all under cover of night consecrated the marriage of loving men and women. The authorities soon became aware of this, and St. Valentine was imprisoned and sentenced to death.

In modern guise, there are more than 16 centuries. But the festival takes its origins much earlier - its prerequisites appeared several centuries BC.

Lupercalia is an ancient Roman triumph of fertility. They arose in honor of the love of the goddess of passion Juno Februata and the god Faunus (Luperka). From the nickname of God, subsequently, the name of the holiday arose, which was celebrated for a long time on February 15.

A few centuries BC, Ancient Rome was swept by a wave of miscarriages, stillborn children and infant mortality. The people were on the verge of extinction. Therefore, families without children or families with one or two children participated in various ceremonies to receive blessings from the gods for the birth of a child. So, every year on February 15 in the same place in Rome where, according to legend, a she-wolf (Lupa - from Latin) nourished the founders of the city (Rem and Romulus), the Lupercalia celebration was held. To the glory of the gods, animals were sacrificed, from whose skins pests were made. The men stripped naked and ran around the city with whips in their hands. Of all the ladies they met, they were scourges, and they, in turn, were happy to substitute. It was believed that such strokes increase the ability to bear children and provide easy delivery. At the end of the celebration, women were also completely exposed.

Participated in the festival of eroticism and famous people. For example, it is known for certain that Mark Anthony has been in the role of Luperk more than once.

Such celebrations were very popular with the Romans. Therefore, even with the advent of Christianity, it was Lupercalia who survived longer than all pagan customs.

In 494 AD, Pope Gelasius still abolished Lupercalia and, according to some sources, transformed the pagan holiday into Christian Valentine's Day, and Valentine ranked him among the saints. It is not known for certain whether Gelasius founded this holiday, but that the holiday was named after a real person with the name Valentine, who sacrificed his life in the name of love, is beyond doubt.

Legends of Valentine

In the fourteenth and sixteenth centuries, various versions of the life of Christian Valentine appeared in Europe. There are several versions of what he did to forever enter world history.

Golden Legend

During the reign of the cruel emperor Claudius II, the Romans were forbidden to marry. The emperor believed that family and children adversely affect men - they are distracted by feelings and show themselves worse on the battlefield. It is possible to forbid formalizing relations, but not a single emperor can put a ban on love. People continued to fall in love, and a simple doctor and priest Valentine helped to legitimize their relationship with God. He sympathized with loving couples, and at night married them.

Upon learning of Valentine's "forbidden activities", the emperor ordered him to be killed. In prison, the benefactor fell in love with the guard's daughter - Julia. He wrote her a love message (Valentine), signing - "your Valentine." Julia read it only after the death of her beloved. The saint was executed on February 14, 269.

“Salvation of the servants”

According to another version, Valentin belonged to a famous Italian family. He secretly converted to the Christian faith, and made Christians his servants. During the wedding of two lovers who served Valentine, all three were captured and imprisoned. Since the patricians (the representative of the ruling class) had immunity, nothing threatened Valentine. But the servants were sentenced to death. The Christian wrote a letter in the form of two red hearts - symbols of Christianity. A blind girl should have passed it, but Valentine himself appeared in prison. He persuaded the jailers to exchange two lovers for his life. Before his death, Valentine gave a blind girl a letter full of love and hope. Vision returned to her and she grew up a real beauty.

Celebration in Medieval Europe

The tradition of celebrating Valentine's Day was finally strengthened in the fourteenth – fifteenth centuries. This was especially promoted by English and French poets. In the poem “Bird's Parliament” by Jeffrey Chaucer and the ballads of J. Gower, the name of the holiday is mentioned more than once in our usual version. In the works of February 14, birds begin to search for their pairs.

The invariable attribute of Valentine's Day is Valentine. Postcards in the shape of red hearts were created by the Duke of Orleans in the early 15th century. While imprisoned in the Tower, he missed his wife and made love messages, thereby shortening his time. In the eighteenth century, valentines were ubiquitous.

As the holiday is celebrated

Valentine's Day does not go unnoticed by lovers in almost any country. But traditions of celebration everywhere have peculiarities.

In Russia

In Russia and in the entire post-Soviet space, February 14 is celebrated only from the beginning of the 20th century. The holiday is secular in nature. Representatives of the Catholic and Christian churches are ambivalent about the veneration of St. Valentine. Some note that the veneration of the martyr Valentine lasted a long time - until the reform of the 1960s. Others call the celebration of the saint "optional." But in any case, all the lovers do not forget to congratulate their "halves" by presenting them with valentines, teddy bears, flowers or sweets.

In Great Britain

Thanks to the “Bird's Parliament” by J. Chaucer, who said that birds form families on February 14th, in England not only people receive love messages, but also British pets (especially dogs and horses). Unmarried ladies guess this day: get up before dawn and stand at the window. The man who catches their eyes, and will be narrowed.

A compulsory attribute of the celebration in Wales is the wooden spoons made by hand and decorated with keys, locks and hearts. This tells the addressee that he has found a way to the heart of the giver.

In Italy

February 14 in this south-European country is called "sweet." This name was given to the holiday due to the fact that Italians on this day without fail give their lovers any sweet gifts. It is also customary to send incognito mail valentines in a pink envelope.

In Spain

Mailing Valentine's post in this hot country is accepted as standard. But the use of carrier pigeons is the top manifestation of passionate feelings for the addressee.

In Finland

February 14 in Suomi is considered the Day of Love. Finns give gifts in the form of hearts not only to their loved ones, but also to their mothers. Since there is no analogue on March 8th.

In Japan

Celebrated from the 30s of the 20th century. On this day, the Japanese organize a traditional contest for the loudest declaration of love. Those who want to take turns from the bridge admit their feelings to their halves. The winner is the one who makes it the loudest.

The main gift is chocolate. Moreover, a woman should do it to her lover and friends (polite chocolate). A gift from a husband or boyfriend on February 14 is regarded as a courageous act. A man should return a compliment a month later on a “white” day. A woman receives white chocolate from her betrothed.

In Denmark

In this country, Valentine's Day is celebrated cheerfully and noisily, having parties, concerts, and performances. Traditionally, they give dried or living white flowers, cards with love content. Congratulate everyone - loved ones, friends, colleagues.

In France

It was the French who introduced the tradition of composing quatrains for their loved ones in honor of the holiday. Of the gifts at the highest esteem - jewelry. The French also love to give: romantic trips, pink yogurts, lottery tickets, heart-shaped sausage, underwear, chocolate mousses, lottery tickets.

Also, the French love to arrange all kinds of romantic competitions, for example, for the longest serenade.

The tradition of giving red roses was introduced by Louis XVI. It was he who gave these flowers to Marie Antoinette. According to legend, Aphrodite stepped on white roses and stained them with her blood.

In Holland

On this day, ladies have every right to approach the man they like and say: "Be my husband!" And it will not look vulgar. If a man does not agree to start a family with a brave woman, he will be obliged to buy her a silk dress.

IN USA

Celebrating Valentine's Day in North America began in the late 18th century. Very quickly, the holiday was commercialized - now almost no one makes valentines with their own hands. But in the trading sector, everything is in order: valentines take the second place, after Christmas, in sales of greeting cards.

From the 19th century, a tradition appeared to give marzipans and figurines from them. In those days, these products were very expensive due to the inclusion of scarce sugar. On February 14, Americans congratulate not only the second half, but also parents, grandparents, and friends.

In Georgia

An alternative holiday to Valentine's Day is Love Day. It is celebrated on April 15. However, this does not prevent romantic Georgians from celebrating and confessing their loved ones tender feelings at least twice a year - the more often, the better!

In Germany

The Germans consider Valentine to be the patron saint of mentally ill people, not lovers. Therefore, on February 14th it is customary to decorate psychiatric clinics with red ribbons. The chapels hold a special service.

In Poland

The Poles are sure that the relics of St. Valentine are on the territory of modern Poland - in the Poznan Metropolitanate. Therefore, many lovers go there to bow to the miraculous icon. They are sure that this will help in love affairs.

In saudi arabia

Celebration is prohibited. Otherwise, serious fines are imposed on the violator.