Valentine’s Day,
February 14th, is sweetheart’s day – when people in love express their
affection for each other in merry ways. But in whatever form, the message is
the same: “Will you be my valentine?”
The custom of
celebrating St Valentine’s Day can be traced to those festivals called
Lupercalia. There were games and dancing and then each young man drew from an
urn the name of the young maiden who would be his sweetheart for the coming year.
February 14th, the Roman date of the festival, thus became a day for
young lovers. After the introduction of Christianity, pagan customs were suppressed
(or redefined), but the festival continued, and in the seventh century it began
to be called St Valentine’s Day.
The origin of the
name remains in doubt. Some historians link it to Valentine who became the patron
saint of lovers after he was imprisoned by the Emperor Claudius for secretly
marrying couples contrary to the Emperor’s orders. Others say the name is a
corruption of the French word “galantin” (a gallant or beau). And one further
theory is that February 14 was chosen because birds traditionally began to mate
on that very day.
Whatever the
origin, Valentine’s Day has had a long and romantic history. The Roman
conquerors carried the celebration to England, where pagan and Christian
customs combined to form some of the enduring traditions. One was that the
first person you saw on Valentine’s Day would be your valentine.
St Valentine’s Day with
all of its colorful lore was taken to the New World by the English settlers and
lost none of its romantic appeal through the journey.
As for myself,
instead of “butchering” an innocent daisy, I would always take my chances
with a valentine.
Nevertheless, I am keener
on the Romanian Love Celebration, coming right up on the 24th.
Abridged
Web: www.cursinengleza.ro I www.engleza-de-afaceri.ro
Tel: 0722.841.053
E-mail: contact@engleza-de-afaceri.ro.
Web: www.cursinengleza.ro I www.engleza-de-afaceri.ro
Tel: 0722.841.053
E-mail: contact@engleza-de-afaceri.ro.
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