Boba Rhett Posted February 14, 2002 Share Posted February 14, 2002 Happy Valentines Day everyone! Whether your alone or have already found that special someone. This being today and me being me, you know that I have to tell you the seedy origins of the holiday now. ____________________________________________ Valentine's Day February 14 is Valentine's Day. Although it is celebrated as a lovers' holiday today, with the giving of candy, flowers, or other gifts between couples in love, it originated in 5th Century Rome as a tribute to St. Valentine, a Catholic bishop. For eight hundred years prior to the establishment of Valentine's Day, the Romans had practiced a pagan celebration in mid-February commemorating young men's rite of passage to the god Lupercus. The celebration featured a lottery in which young men would draw the names of teenage girls from a box. The girl assigned to each young man in that manner would be his sexual companion during the remaining year. In an effort to do away with the pagan festival, Pope Gelasius ordered a slight change in the lottery. Instead of the names of young women, the box would contain the names of saints. Both men and women were allowed to draw from the box, and the game was to emulate the ways of the saint they drew during the rest of the year. Needless to say, many of the young Roman men were not too pleased with the rule changes. Instead of the pagan god Lupercus, the Church looked for a suitable patron saint of love to take his place. They found an appropriate choice in Valentine, who, in AD 270 had been beheaded by Emperor Claudius. Claudius had determined that married men made poor soldiers. So he banned marriage from his empire. But Valentine would secretly marry young men that came to him. When Claudius found out about Valentine, he first tried to convert him to paganism. But Valentine reversed the strategy, trying instead to convert Claudius. When he failed, he was stoned and beheaded. During the days that Valentine was imprisoned, he fell in love with the blind daughter of his jailer. His love for her, and his great faith, managed to miraculously heal her from her blindness before his death. Before he was taken to his death, he signed a farewell message to her, "From your Valentine." The phrase has been used on his day ever since. Although the lottery for women had been banned by the church, the mid-February holiday in commemoration of St. Valentine was stilled used by Roman men to seek the affection of women. It became a tradition for the men to give the ones they admired handwritten messages of affection, containing Valentine's name. The first Valentine card grew out of this practice. The first true Valentine card was sent in 1415 by Charles, duke of Orleans, to his wife. He was imprisoned in the Tower of London at the time. Cupid, another symbol of the holiday, became associated with it because he was the son of Venus, the Roman god of love and beauty. Cupid often appears on Valentine cards. _____________________________________________ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darth Kirby Posted February 14, 2002 Share Posted February 14, 2002 I've heard that Valentine was killed for not saying that the Emporer was Lord, and for saying Jesus is Lord. I don't know-- that's just what i've heard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rogue15 Posted February 14, 2002 Share Posted February 14, 2002 I guess we now know why u see alot of red during valentine's day. red=blooooooood. hehehehe btw, rhett, would u kindly tell us the story of why the HEART isn't shaped like an organ? I remember reading something about it, but i forgot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rogue Nine Posted February 14, 2002 Share Posted February 14, 2002 I went around school today wishing everyone a happy Lupercal. They all gave me funny looks. I don't particularly enjoy this holiday anymore for some reason. It's waaaaay too commercialized like most holidays are, but this one galls me especially so. It's meant for you to do something "special" for your significant other. I've always believed you need to make your beloved feel special everyday, not just on this day. Seems rather pointless to me, actually. And I'm spending it writing reading journals and studying for a French test and she's away at a CYO meeting and studying for a Physics test. Big deal. We still love each other just as much everyday. No need to give into commercialization and conformity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wraith 8 Posted February 14, 2002 Share Posted February 14, 2002 well i found loads of love smilies , so what other reason do i need to use them then: well because there are a lot of girls on the RS forums.. i wished them a happy valentines day too But i agree with you Rogue nine... the people are just trying to make money out of you with this holiday. anyways, to all girls on THIS forum: Happy Valentine's day! lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clefo Posted February 14, 2002 Share Posted February 14, 2002 I sent people anonomoys Valentines just to screw with their heads. Its also the State of Arizona's 90th birthday.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uutont Fær Uulion Posted February 14, 2002 Share Posted February 14, 2002 I guess I'll join the crowds. Happy Valentine's Day Everybody! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sherack Nhar Posted February 15, 2002 Share Posted February 15, 2002 I thought it was a very interesting story, Rhett, until I saw this: Originally posted by Boba Rhett During the days that Valentine was imprisoned, he fell in love with the blind daughter of his jailer. His love for her, and his great faith, managed to miraculously heal her from her blindness before his death. Before he was taken to his death, he signed a farewell message to her, "From your Valentine." The phrase has been used on his day ever since. That paragraph makes me doubt the historical validity of the whole thing. Where'd you get it? This Holiday always makes me depressed... It reminds me that I STILL have to find someone Happy Valentine's day anyway... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boba Rhett Posted February 15, 2002 Author Share Posted February 15, 2002 Hehehe. When it comes to historical validity and churches, you should take the stories with a grain of salt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.