History Behind Valentines Day!Our desire for love and romance is the drive to learn about the history behind Valentines day. We celebrate with
romantic gifts
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Today, the Catholic church recognizes at least three different Saints named Valentine, and all were martyred. One legend contends that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those who had families, he outlawed marriage for young men. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When Valentine's actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death. Other stories suggest that Valentine may have been killed for attempting to help Christians escape harsh Roman prisons where they were often beaten and tortured. According to another legend, Valentine actually sent the first greeting himself while in prison. It is rumored that Valentine fell in love with the daughter of the jailor, who visited him during his confinement. Before his death, he wrote her a love letters with a signature that read "From your Valentine". Some believe that Valentine's Day is celebrated in the middle of February to commemorate the anniversary of Valentine's death, which probably occurred around 270 AD.
Probably the most popular and romantic figure associated with Valentine's Day is Cupid (Latin Cupido, "desire"). In Roman mythology Cupid is the son of Venus, goddess of love. His counterpart in Greek mythology is Eros, god of love. Cupid is often said to be a mischievous boy who goes around wounding humans with his arrows, causing them to fall in love. For more history on Valentines Day visit our
Valentine day facts!
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