Valentine’s Day

Congratulations and Celebrations
When I tell everyone that you’re in love with me
Congratulations and Jubilations
I want the world to know I’m happy as can be….

This popular love song is written by Bill Martin and Phil Coulter and sung by Sir Cliff Richard and is very apt for Valentine’s day as this is the day when people celebrate their love by gifting their loved ones flowers, cards or gifts and are generally very happy.  Valentine’s day is celebrated all over the world on 14th February every year.  The Catholic Church recognizes at least three different saints named Valentine or Valentinus, all of whom are martyred.  In 498 A.D pope Gelasius declared this day as Saint Valentine’s Day.  The celebrations are traditionally Christian and Roman.  Flowers and gifts are in Red, which represents the depth of love.

There are many stories behind the celebrations and one story narrates that when Claudius II was the Emperor in the third century in Rome, Valentine was serving as a priest.  The Emperor wanted many men to join the army and was bitter that those men who were married with children did not want to join the army.  He made a law that young men could not marry, so that these unmarried men would be ready to join the army.   Valentine was against this law and continued to marry off young lovers secretly.  The Emperor came to know about this and ordered Valentine to be put to death.

On the day of his death in February 14, 269 A.D, Valentine sent the first Valentine farewell card to the jailer’s daughter who had become his friend in jail.  It was signed as “From your Valentine”, and till date this phrase is still in use.

Great Britain, Canada, Mexico, United Kingdom, France, Australia and USA celebrate Valentine’s Day.  Lately the whole world seems to have joined in Valentine’s Day celebration.  A poem written by Charles, Duke of Orleans to his wife when in prison in 1415 is the oldest Valentine gift in existence.

On this day lovers turn into poets overnight, shops sell gifts, flowers and cards, restaurants have special menu for candlelight dinners, dance floors are packed with cupid struck couples and wine flows as unlimited as the love in the air.

Happy Valentine’s Day!!!

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