Many believe that Valentine's Day was invented by sellers of postcards and stuffed toys in order for lovers to buy goods from them. Not at all! This holiday has its own history and traditions. Now we will tell you everything.
history of the holiday
History was born in ancient Rome. Emperor Claudius II forbade the young men of his state to marry so that women would not interfere with taking them into the army. The sovereign believed that it was the ladies who did not let their spouses go to war. And supposedly they deliberately prevent the stronger sex from defending their homeland.
But love, as we know, cannot be defeated. And people got married in secret. And the local doctor and preacher of Christianity, Saint Valentine, helped them in this matter. But the happiness of the young did not last long. Unfortunately, rumors of secret weddings reached the emperors, and the violator of the law, Valentine, was thrown into prison. The preacher was told that he would be executed the very next day. Without wasting a minute, he wrote a love letter to his beloved girlfriend and asked to convey. Which was the last wish of the martyr.
Two hundred years later, the Catholic Church of Valentine canonized. And in 496, Pope Gelasius declared February 14 Valentine's Day.
Holiday traditions in different countries of the world
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Actively celebrating Valentine's Day in different countries of the world began only in the 19th century. And to this day every year, on February 14, lovers give each other heart-shaped cards, arrange romantic dates, make proposals, get married.
In Japan, for example, girls are given chocolate. The fact is that men of the land of the rising sun, as a rule, do not like sweets. And this delicacy is considered a purely female addiction.
In England it is customary to guess. Unmarried girls go out on the morning of February 14 and look out for birds. If they meet a robin on the way, this means that the future husband will be a sailor. The sparrow symbolizes the poor man, and the goldfinch, on the contrary, portends the spouse of the rich man.
In the United States of America, lovers are given marzipans, as well as red and white candies. In the States, they are sure that flowers and sweets are symbols of love and purity.
French men are not original. On every Valentine's Day, they present their loved ones with jewelry. It is not customary for them to make other gifts.
In Denmark, dried white flowers are sent to each other.
And in Spain, with a carrier pigeon, they send love messages to each other.
In Iceland, on February 14, bonfires are made in the name of the son of the god Odin. In this country, the flame symbolizes passion.
But there is a tradition that is revered at once in all countries: if you propose on February 14 or play a wedding on this day, the marriage will be happy and strong.
ANASTASIA NOVIKOVA