People worldwide celebrate Happy Valentine’s Day in February, 14th. This is when they try to congratulate the beloved ones and show their affection to them in various ways. Traditionally people give small presents to each other on St. Valentine’s Day – flowers, chocolate sweets, plush toys and valentines, of course – special cards, usually heart-shaped, with tender words of love expressed in verse sometimes. Some romantic couples, who love this holiday passionately, celebrate by declaration of love and engagement. They believe it can bring them happiness.
But few know about the origin of the St. Valentine’s Day. Its history began many centuries ago. There’s a beautiful legend about that. It was born in England and France of the late Middle Ages. According to this legend, in the old days gone with the darkness of centuries, cruel emperor Claudius II ruling Ancient Rome forbade his subjects to marry. He believed that unmarried legionaries, not burdened with families and children, fight better on a battlefield. But those who felt love did not want to accept this. And Valentine, a Christian priest, who used to live in those dark days, secretly joined couples in marriage. Once he was captured for that, imprisoned and sentenced to death. The poor priest was visited in prison by Julia, a young daughter of the prison guard, and Valentine fell in love with her. On the day of the execution – 14th of February 269, right before his death, he wrote a valentine card with a declaration of love to the girl. This legend, where truth beautifully intertwines with fiction, became something the history of Valentine’s Daystarted from.