A day with a lot of religious and cultural significance, Valentine’s Day was originally observed as an Catholic celebration to honor St. Valentine who was who was a Christian martyr. According to popular opinion the saint who was born around the time of the 3rd century CE was carrying out his normal religious duties at the period when the Emperor Claudius II was the ruler of Rome.
Claudius is believed to have noted that the lack of enlistment to the Roman army was because of men’s strong affection for their wives and their lovers. He proposed an easy solution: stop any marriages or engagements in the hope that more soldiers joined the Roman army.
Valentine recognized the inequity and inhumanity of such an order and continued to conduct marriage ceremonies in the privacy of his home. When the Emperor Claudius found out about the actions by the priests, they condemned the priest to death, and as if it wasn’t enough, he had his head removed. Valentine passed away on February 14 in the year in 270 CE.
The well-known poetry writer Geoffrey Chaucer in the Middle Ages is widely considered to have been the first person to connect St Valentine with romantic love. This was the start of the custom of courtly love, which is a way of expressing affection and love typically in private.
The practice spread throughout Europe and tales began to emerge about the High Court of Love where female judges would make rulings on love-related issues on the 14th of February every year. Many historians and researchers think that these events were actually gatherings at which people read love poems or played games with flirtation.
The present day, Valentine’s Day is one of the most cherished occasions around the globe. Valentine’s Day is celebrated in many countries and diverse cultures have their own customs for the celebration. Couples celebrate the day by spoiling one another to the max and showering one others with gifts and affection, Valentine’s Day is not restricted to those who are in relationships.
It also symbolizes affection for friends, family and, most important, the type of love we feel for ourselves. Valentine’s Day celebrates love of all kinds . It brings people close to and dear to us to acknowledge their presence as well as their love for one another.
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