Valentine’s Day is celebrated worldwide on 14 February. According to history, St Valentine was a priest from Rome during the…
Representational image (Photo: Getty Images)
Valentine’s Day is celebrated worldwide on 14 February. According to history, St Valentine was a priest from Rome during the third century AD. Emperor Claudius II had banned marriages because according to him, married men made bad soldiers. Later, it was known that St Valentine secretly married of men and as a result of which, he was arrested and finally executed.
It’s said that during the tenure of his stay in the jail, he fell in love with the jailor’s daughter and when the day of his execution finally arrived, he wrote a letter to his lady love signing off with “Your Valentine”. This was the beginning of the soon-to-be-famous-day. In the Latin American countries Valentine’s Day is celebrated with grandeur.
In countries like Colombia, Costa Rica, Puerto Rico- the day is known as Lover’s Day or Day of love and Friendship. In Mexico, 14 February is a day of national mourning whereas in Finland this day is considered as Ystavanpaiva, meaning Friends’ Day.
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In parts of Europe like Spain, Poland, Portugal and Germany lovers give each other St Valentine’s key, as a gesture of invitation to unlock the heart of the giver.
Japanese Valentine’s day, however, is quite different and is mainly a day worth remembering for the men. The Japanese women give chocolates to their counterparts and expect favour to be returned to them later that year.
Almost a 100 million of printed cards for the occasion is exchanged in the USA as well. Though for the intelligent lovers Valentine’s Day doesn’t hold much value. This occasion can’t be framed to be celebrated in a day, instead, it’s an emotion which when true, sustains lifelong and does not need the permission or verification of a particular day to celebrate it. For the true lovers, Valentine’s Day is the same as any other ordinary day in the year and requires no special status.
Coordinator, Class X, Gokhale Memorial Girls’ School
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