Saint Valentine's Day: History - AmO: Life beauty without limits...

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"If you're respectful by habit, constantly honoring the worthy, four things increase: long life, beauty, happiness, strength."

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Saint Valentine's Day: History

Saturday, 07 February 2009

I really love winter time! Snowballs, skiing are great, but there are some other reasons – winter holidays! Christmas, New Year and, of course, St. Valentine’s Day! That's one of my favorite holidays cause despite the winter cold weather you feel such warmth in your heart when this day comes. What comes to your mind when you think about St. Valentine’s Day? Red roses, sweets, candles, hearts, lots of hearts:), kisses and a lot of other lovely things …

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But what is the history of this great holiday? I decided to recover that. And I've found a lot of different opinions and ideas, but I like this one the best of all. So, here it is:

The story began in Rome, when the Emperor, Claudius II, was involved in many bloody and unpopular campaigns. Claudius the Cruel was having a difficult time getting soldiers to join his military leagues. Emperor Claudius believed that marriage was the culprit. He thought that the reason was of men weakness was that did not want to leave their loves or families. So, he found the easiest way to solve this problem – and cancelled all marriages and engagements in Rome!

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But the love is much stronger than emperor's edicts, so it always finds its way. And St. Valentine was that secret way. He was a priest and he secretly continued to perform the marriages for lovers.

As you can guess, Valentine's actions were discovered. Emperor still tried to convert him to paganism at first. But Valentine reversed the strategy, trying instead to convert Claudius. But he failed, and Claudius sentenced him to have his head cut off.

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But that is not the end. While being in prison Valentine fell in love with a young girl. She was a jailor's daughter and she visited him everyday during his confinement. This girl was blind, but Valentine's love for her and his great faith miraculously healed her from her blindness before his death.

Before he was taken to his death, he wrote a farewell letter to her and signed it: "From your Valentine." This phrase has been used on his day ever since…