Instruction

In Western Europe, Valentine's Day has been widely celebrated since the 13th century. This tradition migrated to North America in 1777. On this day, it is customary to give flowers and gifts to your loved ones. Jewelry, sweets, perfumes or just a romantic evening for two are traditionally chosen as gifts. In the West, many men choose this particular day in order to propose marriage to their girlfriends.

In Russia, this holiday appeared only at the end of the 20th century after the collapse of the USSR. Now it is celebrated on a no lesser scale than in Europe and America. Even 14 schools set up special mailboxes where anyone can drop their valentine with a declaration of love, sometimes even anonymous. Many couples in Russia choose Valentine's Day to register their marriage. It is believed that the marriage concluded on this day will be long and happy. The excitement that can be observed in stores on the eve of this holiday can only be compared with the New Year and the 8th of March.

Where and how did Valentine's Day come about? Being the most beloved holiday of young people, it has a centuries-old tradition and interesting story. However, lovers are usually not even interested in where and when the tradition associated with valentines originated.

Valentine's Day, whose history and traditions go back to ancient times, 18 centuries ago, dates back to Rome, more precisely, to the Lupercalia holiday. On this day, everyone left their affairs aside and indulged in fun and love. But not entirely erotic, but simply people tried to find a life partner or soul mate, which often succeeded. Usually, after this festival of eroticism, a huge number of new families appeared in Rome.

Which originates from ancient Rome, is associated with many legends and traditions. It was during the celebration in Rome that the arrival of spring came, which marked the arrival. In addition, the holiday was associated with fortune-telling, and mystical predictions were believed not only by young people and girls, but also by serious politicians and business people. The range of divination was quite wide - from trade to amorous affairs. And it is noteworthy that until today is considered the very day of St. Valentine. The story also tells that around the same period of time in Greece, neighboring Rome, Panurgy was celebrated, that is, celebrations in honor of the forests and fields of Pan, who was always in love with some kind of nymph. Just before the arrival of spring, the Roman venerable matrons made many sacrifices to the goddess of motherhood and marriage, Juno, who, by the way, in legends and myths was often associated with the Faun, the Roman prototype of Pan. And where is St. Valentine, the history of the holiday? It's just that all the ancient holidays had some roots associated with paganism. And now let's move on to Christian legends about the origin of Valentine's Day.

So, around the 3rd century, St. Valentine lived in the city of Ternia, located in the Roman state. The history associated with his personality is covered, in general, with darkness, but some points leave no doubt. So, his profession was one of the most noble, Valentine was a Christian priest. Endowed with all the qualities of virtue, the hero of Valentine's Day was reputed to be kind and honest man. The time in which Valentine lived is connected with the reign of Claudius II, who persecuted Christians and honored only his legionnaires, soldiers. According to his decree, none of them had the right to start a family and marry, so as not to stop thinking about military glory and valor, as well as the good of the Roman Empire. And a young Christian good priest, whose name was Valentine, secretly married the soldiers from everyone, not paying attention to the decree of the emperor. And yet, according to legend, a noble young man reconciled quarreling lovers, helped win the hearts of girls and wrote letters for those who did not know the letter. However, this could not continue for a long time, and soon Valentine was arrested and executed.

Valentine's Day, the history of the holiday does not end there. According to other legends, the priest fell in love with the blind daughter of his jailer and managed to heal his beloved thanks to his knowledge of medicine. According to another version, the girl herself fell in love with Valentine, but the one who gave her failed to reciprocate, and only on the night or morning before the execution did our hero write her the first and last love letter. The touching story of the poor heroic priest was not forgotten, and soon he was named saints and dedicated a feast to him.

And what about valentines? Despite the fact that they are probably so called after a letter from Valentine, written to his beloved. Initially, valentines were written secretly, with the left hand, so that the recipient would not guess who they were from. And always in the shape of a heart, a symbol of love. So Valentine's Day has sad story. However, thanks to the Roman priest, all lovers in the world have a day of love and happiness.

The tradition of celebrating Valentine's Day came to the post-Soviet countries in the early 90s of the twentieth century. At that time, the day when Valentine's Day and Love Day are celebrated - February 14 - was an ordinary day in our calendar. The fall of the "Iron Curtain" allowed former Soviet citizens to join the world's festive culture, and since then we have a holiday of Love - St. Valentine's Day.

To answer the question: "Whose holiday and where did Valentine's Day come from?" - you need to look into the past. If you understand, then the traditions and history of the holiday for lovers originated in the era of Ancient Rome. The festival of Lupercalia, dedicated to the day of honoring the goddess of motherhood and marriage, Juno, was celebrated on February 14th. He enjoyed great popularity at that time.

Besides, pagan traditions random creation of married couples were characteristic of many pagan cults. Married couples were created by lot from unmarried girls and boys. The formation of such pairs took place on this day.

And yet, according to legend, the real Valentine lived in the III century AD. during the reign of Emperor Claudius II of Gotha. He was a priest and a doctor who helped warriors in love - he secretly married them. For this he was arrested and sent to prison. There Valentine fell in love with the blind daughter of his overseer. Or maybe she fell in love with him ... 🙂 Unfortunately, this is not known for sure. But it is believed that Valentine's love healed the girl - her sight returned. But Valentine himself died, leaving before the execution, which took place exactly on February 14, a farewell message. In it, he wrote to the girl about his love and signed: "Your Valentine." This is where the so-called valentines came from.

The Middle Ages picked up ancient Roman traditions, combining them with real story. February 14 was named after Saint Valentine by the decision of the Pope in 496. But, already today, in 1969, the name of Valentine as the protector of lovers was removed from the calendar of saints of the Roman Catholic Church, which casts doubt on the reality of the above events. Today, the name Valentine remains in the list of Christian saints, but he is not associated with the protector of lovers.

Having figured out how the Valentine's Day appeared, let's see what its essence is today, as well as who celebrates it and how.

And the essence of the holiday today is that on this day you can openly and without fear express your feelings through valentines and small nice gifts. It is celebrated in almost all countries of the world. However, some Muslim countries, notably Saudi Arabia, have imposed an official ban on it.

In America, a traditional gift for Valentine's Day is marzipan figurines, sweets and heart-shaped cookies or gingerbread beautifully decorated with colored icing. It should be noted that Americans give love messages and gifts not only to their loved ones, but to their loved ones and just lonely people as a token of wishes for happiness.

Valentine's Day in England is celebrated differently. The British give red roses to their loved ones on this day. The flowers are similar to those given to Marie Antoinette on February 14 by Louis XVI. There is a sign that English girls can see their betrothed through the window on this day. But the strangest thing, from our point of view, is the custom of giving messages and gifts to your pets. And another tradition, to give wooden “spoons of love” decorated with keys and hearts, also originated in England a very long time ago.

Refined French people present serenades, poetic messages and jewelry made in the shape of a heart to their loved ones.

In Japan, after Valentine's Day, during which it is girls who give gifts, White Day follows. It is celebrated on March 14th. This time it is the girls who receive return gifts from the guys. The main gift is white chocolate. Reciprocal gifting occurs on the principle of a threefold increase in the value of the gift.

Valentine's Day in post-Soviet countries is celebrated not so long ago. The attitude of the church to this holiday is not unambiguous. After all, even among Catholics, now, Valentine's Day has moved into the category folk holidays. And in Orthodox culture, Peter and Fevronia are officially considered the patrons of the family and marriage. However, this does not prevent all lovers, young and old, on February 14 from exchanging gifts or just valentines with confessions of sincere friendship and love.

For more on where the story of Valentine's Day, the patron saint of lovers, came from, see this short video.

You can congratulate your dear people on the day of Love using.

The history of the holiday ST. VALENTINE'S DAY for children

The history of the celebration of Valentine's Day dates back to the 14th century.

There are several versions of the origin of Valentine's Day.

Version one . There is a belief that on February 14, nature makes a sharp turn towards spring, and the birds begin mating games, fly in pairs in the sky and open the spring "season of love" with ringing bird voices.

Version two . The custom of celebrating the feast of lovers on February 14 came from pagan rites associated with the Roman feast of fertility, spring. It was held on February 15 in honor of the Faun - the god of fields, forests, pastures and animals - in a grotto on the slope of the Roman Palatine Hill. All rituals were performed by priests - luperki, who sacrificed an animal to the Faun. There was a kind of youth festival. The girls threw beautifully designed letters into the vessel, and the boys pulled them like lottery tickets and thus chose their girlfriend for the next year.

Version three associated with the name of a young Christian doctor Valentine, who was denounced to prison when spring raged in Rome and the birds opened the “season of love”. According to one legend, children - admirers of a young doctor-vatel - ran to the windows of the prison and threw notes to their older friend with declarations of love, greetings and wishes. The prison guard - a stern man who hated Christians - drove the children away. But when he read the naive notes of the children (the first "valentines"), he learned about the unusual healing abilities of the prisoner. The overseer's beloved daughter was blind from birth. She was not destined to find a loved one - who needs a blind bride? And then, breaking the law, the warden brought his daughter to the prisoner doctor, not expecting that one tragedy would be replaced by another. Valentin returned the sight to the girl, and she fell in love with him. But her love was short and unhappy: Valentine was soon executed.

Version four . It is believed that Saint Valentine is the Bishop of Ternii. As a priest, he married young couples, contrary to the orders of Claudius II, who saw only his soldier in every single unmarried man. For this, the bishop was burned at the stake according to one version on February 14, 270 in Rome, according to another - in 360 in Terni.

Valentine's Day- this is also the day of the angel of everyone who is called Valentine and Valentina.

Now many in Russia are in favor of the abolition of this holiday and giving the status holiday Memorial Day of Peter and Fevronia (July 8), patrons of the family and marriage. Since 2008, deputies of the State Duma proposed to celebrate this day as the All-Russian Day of Family, Love and Fidelity.

VALENTINE'S DAY TRADITIONS

On this day, it is customary to congratulate not only the object of your sympathy, but all the people you treat well.

In the Middle Ages the best way to assure the beloved of the sincerity of feelings was considered a serenade. It was performed by troubadours in the evening or at night under a window or balcony to the accompaniment of a stringed instrument, most often a guitar.

Back in the 15th century. the British began to consider this magical date as an excellent opportunity for a declaration of love in writing, and in 1820 the issue of holiday cards. Each postcard had an image of a heart, which became the emblem of this holiday for all time.

Signs February 14 - Valentine's Day

There is a list of things that, according to belief, cannot be given on this day.

A watch presented to a loved one will limit the time of dates and count the last minutes of love. Remember, lovers do not watch the clock!

Don't donate kitchen utensils. Pots, frying pans, various utensils - all these are the attributes of everyday life, which, as you know, kills romance.

Any black gifts are prohibited. It is the color of despondency, fate and death.

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