Why does February 14, Valentine's Day, correspond to lovers' day?
February 14 , which is Valentine's Day, represents in many countries the celebration of love and lovers, where couples exchange sweet words and gifts, as a sign of their love.
The color red as well as the traditional bouquet of red roses offered to your loved one is an essential symbolism during this celebration.
It originated in the time of ancient Rome in the 8th century BC within the Roman religion, during the annual Lupercal festivals celebrated by the Luperci from February 13 to 15 near the Lupercal cave at the foot of the Palatine Hill, where according to Legend has it that the she-wolf nursed Romulus and Remus after discovering them under a wild fig tree in front of her.
The Lupercalia festival from February 13 to 15 is a celebration of purification which corresponds to the end of the Roman year which begins on April 1.
The priests sacrificed a goat in front of the grotto of the lupercal and immaculately immaculately with their bloody knife the foreheads of two young men dressed only in goatskin loincloths, the spilled goat's blood was wiped away with a flake of wool dipped in milk.
It was then that the young men had to laugh out loud, and run throughout the city of Rome, armed with thongs cut from the skin of the killed goat and whip all the women they met with them, especially those who wanted to have a child. in the year, in order to make them fruitful.
It is also a festival of passage where the sacrifice of the goat in the cave corresponds to death, the loud laughter after purification symbolizes resurrection for Varro, and the goat is a symbol of fertility, associated with faunus it allows us to protect the Ovid's herds.
The day of February 14 corresponds to the day of the three martyrs named Valentine, including Valentine of Terni.
Valentine of Terni was a priest who later became a bishop and who lived in the 3rd century as a martyr under the authority of Emperor Claudius II the Gothic.
Indeed, at the beginning of Christianity, when all of Europe was not converted, Emperor Claudius II the Gothic did not like Christians and wanting to prohibit marriage to send as many men as possible to war, was informed that Valentin was marrying Christians and ordered his arrest.
Valentin, who refused to bend to the will of the emperor, was put in prison.
It was on this occasion that he met Julia, the jailer 's daughter, blind from birth. During his captivity, he had a romantic relationship with her, who asked him in relation to his blindness to describe the world to her.
Out of love for him, she will bring him food until the evening when, according to some, a miracle will occur. The witnesses saw a bright, strong light coming from the window of her cell, after which Julia regained her sight and declared "Now I see! I see the world as you described it to me!
The emperor learned of this event, which he did not appreciate, and ordered the immediate execution of Valentin.
He was beaten by Roman legionaries and then beheaded on the Flaminia road on February 14, 269.
After that, Julia's entire family will convert to Christianity.
She will plant an almond tree near Valentin's grave; the tree has been a symbol of love ever since.
In 494, Pope Gelasius I banned the pagan festival of Lupercalia and in compensation designated Saint Valentine as the patron saint of lovers.
Pope Julius 1st built a church in his honor on Via Flaminia where his relics were placed in the 7th century before being transferred to the Saint-Praxède church in the 8th century. Due to little data concerning him, other valentines will be associated with his feast on February 14.
Valentinus of Rhaetia, named Valentinus in Latin, was a Gyrovague monk and preacher, a legendary abbot who appeared as the patron of the Valentinian Christians, who went to meet the last pagan worshipers of the waters, woods and rocks to encourage them to convert. would have ended his life as itinerant bishop of the ancient province of Rhaetia.
He defended the pagans and became the bulwark against the destruction of their ancient sanctuaries, deemed heretical as soon as their complex practices and inscriptions were not understood.
He preached in the Alps, Switzerland and Austria in addition to Rhaetia. His body was buried at Mais near Merano in what is now Italian South Tyrol.
The first mention of Valentine's Day with a romantic connotation dates back to 14th century England, where it was believed that this date was the day when birds paired off. This belief is found in the writings of Geoffrey Chaucer in the 14th century. It was common that during this day lovers exchanged tickets and called each other their Valentine.
The custom of Valentine's Day which meant that in England during February 14, couples were formed at random, where a girl was associated with a young man during which they had obligations towards each other. The Valentine and his Valentine had to secretly give each other small gifts and be nice to each other. This custom, which comes from the high English aristocracy at the end of the Middle Ages, reached the Court of Savoy before spreading to other neighboring regions. Valentine's Day has been enriched by the sending of Valentine's Day poems.
The custom of Anglo-Saxon valentines and Valentines of sending Valentines to each other during valentining at the English Court in the 14th century later became the lovers' holiday. In Anglo-Saxon countries, during this holiday, friends also exchange words of friendship through Valentine's Day cards . The custom of sending Valentines to each other since the 18th century became widespread in Great Britain. , and then in North America where it will take the name of Valentine's day . The custom spread in Europe with the arrival of the GIs at the end of World War II.
Valentine's Day around the world
In France , florists make 80% of their turnover from rose sales during Valentine's Day, whereas they usually have this turnover in a week.
Valentine's Day has become popular as far as India and Pakistan , provoking hostility from certain groups opposed to this Western influence.
In China , there was a medieval festival dedicated to lovers, Qixi (Chinese Valentine's Day) on the seventh day of the seventh moon. Since the 1980s, Valentine's Day on February 14 has enjoyed great popularity, especially among young people, which generates various commercial activities.
In Japan , Valentine's Day was introduced by chocolate manufacturers in the late 1950s.
It is a commercial holiday during which women offer chocolates to men every February 14. They offer it to their loved one, we call it honmei choco, but they offer it as a courtesy to their bosses and work colleagues or their family, we talk about giri choco. The men who received honmei choco offer them in return to the women who first gave him white chocolates on White Day on March 14 if they are interested, as well as jewelry or white lingerie. The absence of a gift in return is considered a sign of one-sided love. This concept has spread from South Korea to Taiwan to Hong Kong.
In Algeria , Valentine's Day called Aid El Houd, celebrated on February 14, is very popular among young people. Couples give each other roses and chocolate on this day and more rarely other gifts. In schools, students offer roses to their teachers.
In Lebanon , on this day, lovers give each other chocolates, cakes, roses and other gifts symbolizing love. High schools and colleagues organize Red Day for Valentine's Day where students dress in red without wearing the school uniform, where there is a sale of cakes, chocolate and exchanges of hugs and gifts.
In Tunisia , Valentine's Day called Eid el Hob, the celebration of love, is very popular. Couples take advantage of this day to give each other gifts and organize romantic outings or meals alone.
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