St. Valentine's Day. History of occurrence
The tradition to celebrate Valentine's Day, the sameValentine's Day, came to us from the West. On this day, lovers give each other gifts, admit to love and, of course, necessarily give each other special greeting cards - valentines. Interesting history of occurrence this holiday.
There is a beautiful legend The origin of the Day of all lovers. According to this legend, the Roman Emperor Claudius II, who lived in the third century AD, was an opponent of conjugal unions, as they prevented his legionaries from fighting well. Therefore, the emperor issued a decree forbidding marriage. Priest Valentine, in spite of the decree, continued to secretly marry the lovers, for which he was thrown into prison and sentenced to death. The daughter of the jailer, seeing Valentine and learning his story, fell in love with him. The priest answered her in return. Since they could not see each other, the lovers communicated by correspondence. On the day of execution, The 14th of February 270 (according to other sources 269), the priest sent his beloved the last note with the signature "From Valentine".
According to another version of the legend The origin of the holiday of all lovers,the head of the prison in which Valentin was imprisoned for his "criminal" deeds, learned about the healing abilities of the prisoner and brought his blind daughter Julia to him. On the day of the execution, Valentine wrote Julie's farewell love letter. Having received the note, the girl found a yellow saffron inside her and a miracle happened - she saw it.
Under the name Saint Valentine's several early Christian saints are knownmartyrs. One of them was Valentine, a Roman priest, who was executed around 269 AD. Another famous Saint Valentine is Bishop Interamna. This saint was known for his miraculous healings. He was executed for turning the son of the mayor into the Christian faith. Perhaps this legend is mentioned in the legend. The holiday on February 14 in memory of both saints was established in 496 by Pope Gelasius I.
Already in our time, in 1969 year, as a result of the reform of the holy serviceValentin was removed from the liturgical calendar of the Catholic Church (along with other Roman saints, information about the lives of which are contradictory and unreliable). Catholic Church February 14th honors memory the saints Cyril and Methodius. The Orthodox Church commemorates Valentine, the presbyter of Rome 6 (19) July.
According to one of the legends, the roots of the Day of all lovers go back to the times of paganism. It is believed that the "predecessors" of this holiday were the so-called Lupercalia - a holiday of abundance and eroticism. Lupercalia was organized in Ancient Rome in honor of the goddess of the "feverish" love of Juno Februaita and the patron god of the Faun family (Luperca) on February 15.
Young girls wrote love notes to men andthey put them in a special urn for a draw. A man who took out such a note had to take care of the one who wrote it. On this day, men lashed counter women with lashes made from the skin of a sacrificial goat. This was to contribute to the fertility of women, so they were happy to substitute themselves for strikes.
Pope Gelasius I in 494 AD. "Moved" the celebration of Lupercalia from the fifteenth to the fourteenth of February. Thus, Lupercalia coincided with the day of veneration of St. Valentine. Soon the celebration of Lupercalia came to naught.
Celebration of the Day of All Lovers in February is also associated with the beginning of the mating season in birds. It was believed that if at this time to conclude a marriage, he will be long and happy.
Traditionally it is believed that the holiday in honor of lovers came to the countries of the former CIS from the West. However, celebrations, in some measure similar to the Roman Lupercalia, have long been in Russia. So in ancient times, the day of Kupala was celebrated in Russia, falling on July 7, more precisely at night from 6 to 7July, according to the old style at night from 23 to 24 June. The holiday was dedicated to the summer solstice and the pagan Slavic sun god Kupala. On this day, the sun was honored, the maturity of summer and green mowing. Young people girded with bands of flowers, wreaths were worn on their heads, they chanted dances, sang songs. Later, in connection with the adoption of Christianity in Russia, this pagan holiday was replaced by veneration of the memory of John (Ivan) the Baptist, for the day of the Nativity of John the Baptist coincided with the pagan holiday of Kupala. During the holiday the name "Ivan Kupala" was fixed, under which we know it now.
July 8 (June 25, old style), the Orthodox Church honors the memory of Saints Peter and Fevronia of Murom, patrons of love and family happiness.
Mass on February 14 as Valentine's Day and as the Day of All Lovers in Europe is celebrated with XIII century, and in America - with 1777. This holiday is secular (not religious).
On how it is customary to celebrate Valentine's Day in different countries of the world and what the lovers give each other on this day, read in our next articles.
