An historical perspective: From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
St. Valentine's Day began as a liturgical
celebration of one or more early Christian saints named Valentinus. Several martyrdom stories were invented for the
various Valentines that belonged to February 14, and added to later martyrologies.[2] A popular hagiographical
account of Saint Valentine of Rome states that he was imprisoned for performing weddings for soldiers who were
forbidden to marry and for ministering to Christians, who were persecuted under
the Roman Empire. According to legend,
during his imprisonment, he healed the daughter of his jailer, Asterius. An
embellishment to this story states that before his execution he wrote her a
letter signed "Your Valentine" as a farewell.[3] Today, Saint Valentine's
Day is an official feast day in the Anglican Communion,[4] as well as in the Lutheran Church.[5] The Eastern Orthodox Church also celebrates Saint
Valentine's Day, albeit onJuly 6 and July 30,
the former date in honor of the Roman presbyter Saint Valentine, and the
latter date in honor of Hieromartyr Valentine, the Bishop of Interamna (modern Terni).
In Brazil, the Dia de São Valentim is recognized on June 12.
The day was first associated with romantic love in the circle of Geoffrey Chaucer in the High Middle Ages, when the tradition of courtly love flourished. In 18th-century
England, it evolved into an occasion in which lovers expressed their love for
each other by presenting flowers, offering confectionery, and sending greeting cards (known as "valentines").
Valentine's Day symbols that are used today include the heart-shaped outline, doves, and the
figure of the winged Cupid. Since the 19th century, handwritten
valentines have given way to mass-produced greeting cards.[6]
I admit, I did have to look up one word:
hagiographical
Web definitions
- (hagiography) a biography that idealizes or idolizes the person (especially a person who is a saint)
As a Baha'i:
And for those not overly fond of this day:
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