Ever wonder the reasons why people celebrate Valentine’s Day?
During the Middle Ages, Valentine was a priest during the reign of Emperor Claudius II. The emperor realized that single men fought better than married men with wives and children and subsequently outlawed marriage for younger men. However, as a temporary allowance, there would be a festival once a year allowing men to pull out names from a bowl to see who their lady friend would be and wear it on their sleeves. Valentine saw the injustice behind the decree and performed marriage rituals in secret for young couples. When his actions were discovered he was put to death.
Today, the phrase to wear your heart on your sleeve means to openly display your emotions. Recently I’ve been to this seminar about relationships and the main discussion topic was “What is love?” Love has many different meanings. To love can mean to admire someone. To love can mean to respect someone. To love can mean the way a mother would care for her child. To love can mean to look at someone full of affection and crave for it to be everlasting. To love someone with your heart, body and soul is to love the way Saint Valentine did.
According to another legend, Valentine may have been killed for helping others escape from the horrible beatings and torture in prison. He fell in love with a young girl that would visit him and he would send her letters signed “From your Valentine,” still used till this day, symbolizing him to be a heroic and romantic figure.
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