Happy Valentines Day

Expressions of love such as Valentine Day greeting cards, boxes of chocolates, Flowers, presents or special events mark the occasion.

There are different stories as to where or how the celebration of Valentine's Day began. The Roman's celebrated a festival called Lupercalia on February 15. This festival was held to ward off the danger of wolves to their flocks and honored their God Lupercalia. This is one story.

The Christian Church had two Saints named Valentine and two other ideas center around them. The Roman Emperor, Claudius the II forbade young men to marry in 200 A.D. He believed single men made better soldiers, free of family concerns. A priest named Valentine disobeyed the Emperor and married couples in secret.

The next, Saint Valentine loved children but, was imprisoned when he would not honor other gods. The children missed him and wrote messages of affection to him. They threw their notes through the bars of his cell. This may have been the beginning of exchanging messages. He was executed on February 14, 269 A.D. Pope Gelasius in 496 A.D. named February 14th, Valentine's Day, after him.



The fourth story concerning the celebration of Valentine's Day is based on the belief that birds or fowl pick their mates on February 14th. It was believed love birds in particular, chose this day to begin mating. A Frenchman, Charles, Duke of Orleans is credited with writing the first Valentine. He was captured by the English during the battle of Agincourt in 1415. On Valentine's Day he sent his wife a rhyming love letter from the tower of London, where he was imprisoned.

The modern day celebration of Valentine's Day seems to have begun in France and England. On Valentines Eve young people would gather and pick names becoming a valentine to whose ever name they chose. Cupid, Doves, Love Birds, Roses, Hearts and Arrows are all symbols of the Valentine's Day Holiday. Cupid was the symbol for the Roman God of Love.

Bepenfriends Wishes a Happy Valentines Day for all who are in love