February 14 is the day when the hearts of lovers fight faster, the streets are filled with romance, and the shops are decorated with red hearts. Valentine's Day is celebrated all over the world, and its popularity is not inferior to St. Nicholas Day. But where does this holiday come from, and what are interesting traditions in different countries?
Holiday history
The premant history of this holiday is still unknown, but in most legends and legends, his "culprit" is called the early Christian martyr Valentin - a bishop from the Italian city of Terni (the city is located near Rome - Ed.), Who lived in the III century.
According to this version, the celebration of Valentine's Day began in the Roman Empire in 270 BC, during the reign of Claudia II (268-270). During the war, Claudius did not want the soldiers to marry, because he believed that marriage was making them weak and burdening their family life.
However, the clergyman, named Valentin, secretly crowned lovers. When the ruler learned about it, the bishop was seized, tortured and subsequently beheaded for "anti -state" activities. On the night before the execution, which took place on February 14 between 269, he wrote to the girl, probably the daughter of a prison supervisor, with whom he made friends in prison, a love letter in a poetic form and signed him: "Your Valentine." Subsequently, such letters were called "Valentine".
In 496, Pope Gelasi I founded the Valentine's memory Day, which was honored on February 14. It is believed that he did this to displace the pagan feast of the Roman "Luperkalii", which was celebrated annually on February 15. Instead, Valentine's image had to emphasize the spiritual dimension of love between a man and a woman.
In the fourteenth century, the priest Valentine was canonized for good acts. Since then, Valentine's Day has been widely celebrated in the Holy World, including Ukraine. However, the Orthodox Church of Ukraine stated that Valentine's Day "does not meet the facts of the real life of Valentine" and does not belong to the Orthodox tradition.
"According to one of the most popular legends, Saint Valentine" crowned the couples despite the ban of the cruel Emperor Claudius II "... However, this legend contains a significant mistake in the chronology of events, because during the life of Valentine in the III century, there was no special rite in the III century.
They recalled that the Orthodox Church honors several saints, named Valentin. The saint, who is associated with lovers, is known in the church calendar as St. Valentin Interrami (Italian) from the city of thorns. However, in the Orthodox tradition it is mentioned quite another day - August 12. And on February 14, the holiday is noted in the PCU related to the pagan celebration of Roman times, which was accompanied by a sacrifice in honor of fertility and motherhood.
"Therefore, mass culture, in fact, combined the memory of the Christian saint with the pagan motives, which were widespread earlier, and later turned it into commerce, encouraging to buy gifts," the statement said.
The PCU also calls for love daily, not to give symbolic material gifts once a year.
Ancient traditions of celebration
The prototype of Valentine's Day is the pagan holiday of Luperkalia (from Latin. Lupus - "Wolf"). It is an ancient Roman fertility feast, named after the goddess of "crazy" love and marriage of Juno and God Fauna (Luperk is one of his nicknames), patron saint of herds, fields of fields and fertility.
During the Lupercarals, they sacrificed tsaps and goats. From the skins of the scored animals made whips, with whom naked men went to the city and beat them all the counter, including women. Married women readily allowed themselves to beat themselves, believing that it treats them from infertility and guarantees light birth.
The girls wrote letters of love and threw them into a huge urn. The boys had to pull one letter and start to care for the girl whose letter got them.
And in ancient Greece, the feast of lovers was called Panurga. On this day, they arranged ritual games in honor of the deity of the master (in the Roman tradition - the god Fauna - ed.), Which was considered the patron saint of herds, fields and fertility. God was depicted in the form of a little fun playing on a nozzle and pursuing beautiful nymphs with his love. Men and women wrote notes with the name of a loved one and carried it in the sleeve during the week.
Valentine's Day in Europe began to be widely celebrated since the XIII century, and this holiday came to Ukraine only since the mid-90s.
As celebrated in different countries
Although the feast of lovers is pronounced romantic in nature, gifts and traditions of its celebration in different countries differ. For example, in France, jewelry and jewelry are considered the best gift on this day, and in Denmark - dried white flowers. In Italy, the holiday is called a sweet day, so the Italians give each other sweets and cakes decorated with pigeons and hearts.
In Finland, February 14 celebrates a friend's day, so on this day residents of the country congratulate not only their loved ones but also best friends. The Finns also celebrate this women's day, like the holiday on March 8.
But, for example, in Korea, they are unmarried, who did not receive a gift for Valentine's Day, go to a restaurant for lonely and eat black noodles there to celebrate their loneliness.
In Holland on this day, a woman can make an offer to a man she liked. If a man refuses, he should give her a silk dress. And in Canada, a man may threaten a fine or lattice for refusing.
At Jamaica, lovers are the day of fighting shame and timidity. There is a tradition in the country that holds "bare weddings" when only wedding rings remain from the bride and groom. In England, gifts and love messages are given not only to loved ones, but also for pets - dogs, cats and even horses.
However, there are countries where the feast of lovers is still forbidden. It is about Iran and Saudi Arabia. The authorities of these countries believe that this holiday promotes sexual corruption. Therefore, those who do not listen to official recommendations are punished by considerable fines.
Top 5 interesting facts
- February 14 coincides with a number of other holidays and significant dates. So, on this day, the International Day of Gift of Books and a Computer Day (on this day in 1946 was demonstrated the first ENIAC I), as well as the day of the founding of YouTube (the service was founded on February 14, 2005 by three employees of the American company PayPal: Chad Gerley, Stephen Chen. And in Germany, February 14, they celebrate the Day of Health.
- In the US state, Nebraska has the city of Valentin. Many believe that the city was named on the occasion of the first train, which came here on February 14. In fact, the city is called Edward Kimble Valentayna, a policy-republican of Nebraska (June 1, 1843-April 11, 1916).
- The symbol of the Valentine's Day is red roses. According to legend, the goddess of love Aphrodite, hurrying to her lover, stood on the bush of white roses, wounded her leg and her divine blood painted them in red. Since then, red roses have been a symbol of love and passion. It is estimated that approximately 50 million roses are sold every year on the eve of the holiday and February 14th.
- On Valentine's Day, in 2009, a record for the number of couples was kissing at the Mexico Capital. Almost 40,000 lovers took part in the event.
