The legend of Valentine’s day

In ancient Rome, during the reign of Emperor Claudius the Second, the armies lacked the sufficient number of soldiers it needed. Claudius could not figure out why more young men didn’t want to go to battle. Finally, he determined that the young men didn’t want to leave their wives, families and girlfriends. In order to remedy this, the Emperor instituted a new law and canceled all of the marriages and engagements in Rome.

In the mean time, there lived a priest in Rome by the name of Valentine. He did not believe in the Emperor’s new law, and he refused to abide by it. He continued to perform wedding ceremonies in secret and lived in constant fear that he would be caught by Emperor Claudius’ soldiers, but he persisted in doing what he knew was right. Finally, the day did come when Bishop Valentine was caught uniting a man and a woman in the bonds of holy matrimony. The Emperor condemned the Bishop to be put to death for his violation of the law.

While the priest was imprisoned, waiting for his execution, many young couples threw notes of thanks along with flowers and other gifts into the window of his cell. Among these young people who admired the priest for doing the right thing was the prison guard’s daughter. She would visit Bishop Valentine in his cell often. On fourteenth of February in the year of 270 AD the Bishop was to be put to death. Bishop Valentine composed a note to the girl telling her that he loved her. He signed it simply, “From Your Valentine.”

In the year 496 AD, Pope Gelasius chose Bishop Valentine as the patron saint of lovers, who would be honored at the new festival on the fourteenth of every February.

Over the years, Valentine’s Day has evolved into a holiday when gifts, cards, flowers and candy are given to the ones we love or would like to start a relationship with. And it is all because of a brave, righteous man named Valentine.

New Year across Cultures

• Australia celebrates New year with a grand fire work display over the Sydney Harbor

• In Belgium New Year is called “Sint   Sylvester vooranvond” . They kiss their loved ones with the onset of the new year and the farmers wish each and every one of their animals.

• In Brazil people party on the Copacabana beach and light millions of candles to wash out to sea

• In UK people welcome the new Year with a lot of drinking, gifts and resolutions

• In Japan New year is “Oshogastu”.   People eat rice cakes and stew. People gift money to children.

• In Korea, they welcome the new year with rice cakes. All Koreans turn a year older on Jan 1st. A Korean has two birthdays.

• In US, people celebrate New years with fire work and the famous Crystal ball drop in Times square New York. In the southern part though, people eat black eyed peas (365 of them) signifying green ($$$) in the new year.