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The Actual HISTORY behind Valentine's Day.
The History of Valentines ^ | FR Post 2-14-02 | Editorial Staff

Posted on 02/14/2002 8:09:26 AM PST by vannrox

As early as the fourth century B.C., the Romans engaged in an annual young man's rite to passage to the God Lupercus.


The names of the teenage women were placed in a box and drawn at random by adolescent men; thus, a man was assigned a woman companion for the duration of the year, after which another lottery was staged. After eight hundred years of this cruel practice, the early church fathers sought to end this practice... They found an answer in Valentine, a bishop who had been martyred some two hundred years earlier.


According to church tradition St. Valentine was a priest near Rome in about the year 270 A.D. At that time the Roman Emperor Claudius-II who had issued an edict forbidding marriage.


This was around when the heyday of Roman empire had almost come to an end. Lack of quality administrators led to frequent civil strife. Learning declined, taxation increased, and trade slumped to a low, precarious level. And the Gauls, Slavs, Huns, Turks and Mongolians from Northern Europe and Asian increased their pressure on the empire's boundaries. The empire was grown too large to be shielded from external aggression and internal chaos with existing forces.


Thus more of capable men were required to be recruited as soldiers and officers.


When Claudius became the emperor, he felt that married men were more emotionally attached to their families, and thus, will not make good soldiers. So to assure quality soldiers, he banned marriage.


Valentine, a bishop , seeing the trauma of young lovers, met them in a secret place, and joined them in the sacrament of matrimony.


Claudius learned of this "friend of lovers," and had him arrested. The emperor, impressed with the young priest's dignity and conviction, attempted to convert him to the roman gods, to save him from certain execution. Valentine refused to recognize Roman Gods and even attempted to convert the emperor, knowing the consequences fully.


On February 24, 270, Valentine was executed.


"From your Valentine"


While Valentine was in prison awaiting his fate, he came in contact with his jailor, Asterius. The jailor had a blind daughter. Asterius requested him to heal his daughter. Through his faith he miraculously restored the sight of Asterius' daughter. Just before his execution, he asked for a pen and paper from his jailor, and signed a farewell message to her "From Your Valentine," a phrase that lived ever after.


Valentine thus become a Patron Saint, and spiritual overseer of an annual festival. The festival involved young Romans offering women they admired, and wished to court, handwritten greetings of affection on February 14. The greeting cards acquired St.Valentine's name.


The Valentine's Day card spread with Christianity, and is now celebrated all over the world. One of the earliest card was sent in 1415 by Charles, duke of Orleans, to his wife while he was a prisoner in the Tower of London. The card is now preserved in the British Museum.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; Front Page News
KEYWORDS:
A very good story. Contrary to common belief, this holiday was not created by the Card Industry.
1 posted on 02/14/2002 8:09:26 AM PST by vannrox (MyEMail)
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To: vannrox
Very good. Thank you.
2 posted on 02/14/2002 8:16:59 AM PST by LisaFab
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To: vannrox
Today is a wonderful day - I get to spend half of it in a meeting with reps from a Cardiology PACS Broker manufacturer... Weird... :0)
3 posted on 02/14/2002 8:21:11 AM PST by Chad Fairbanks
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To: vannrox
"When Claudius became the emperor, he felt that married men were more emotionally attached to their families, and thus, will not make good soldiers. So to assure quality soldiers, he banned marriage."

Claudius II might be history's first democrat-- certainly thinks like one.

4 posted on 02/14/2002 8:28:59 AM PST by tsomer
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To: vannrox
On February 24, 270, Valentine was executed.

So why do we celebrate on the 14th?

5 posted on 02/14/2002 8:39:11 AM PST by kennyo
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To: vannrox
Thanks for the interesting post.
6 posted on 02/14/2002 8:42:10 AM PST by afraidfortherepublic
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To: kennyo
because the acient calender was off by ten days. (Ten days ahead)
7 posted on 02/14/2002 8:45:56 AM PST by jpsb
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To: vannrox
St. Valentine writing a letter "From your Valentine," is better than just before going to his execution, reaching into his pocket, and giving his executioner a small, purple, heart-shaped candy which read, "Be mine".
8 posted on 02/14/2002 10:29:19 AM PST by My2Cents
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To: vannrox
Lack of quality administrators led to frequent civil strife. Learning declined, taxation increased, and trade slumped to a low, precarious level.

I can't quite put my finger on it, but that sounds awfully familiar...

9 posted on 02/14/2002 10:33:19 AM PST by TopDog2
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To: vannrox
Thats right! Where is our annual Vagina Day post?

Ahh here it is: The Vagina Monologues: V-Day Goes Down

Tradition =)

10 posted on 02/14/2002 10:40:36 AM PST by mindprism.com
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To: vannrox
So really, asking someone "Will you be my Valentine?" is kind of gross.

Dan

11 posted on 02/14/2002 10:44:19 AM PST by BibChr
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To: vannrox
"This was around when the heyday of Roman American empire had almost come to an end. Lack of quality administrators led to frequent civil strife. Learning declined, taxation increased, and trade slumped to a low, precarious level. And the Gauls, Slavs, Huns, Turks and Mongolians illegals from Northern Europe and Asia all over the world increased their pressure on the empire's boundaries. The empire was grown too large to be shielded from external aggression and internal chaos with existing forces."

Sound vaguely familiar?

12 posted on 02/14/2002 10:49:02 AM PST by TexasRepublic
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To: vannrox
You're right. It's actually a conspiracy by the Swiss to sell chocolate.
13 posted on 02/14/2002 10:55:15 AM PST by Junior
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To: vannrox
keep you posts coming, but did the card industry create "mother's day"?
14 posted on 02/14/2002 11:49:08 AM PST by staytrue
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To: vannrox
this holiday was not created by the Card Industry.

Indeed: it is the card industry that was created by this holiday.

15 posted on 02/14/2002 12:32:16 PM PST by TopQuark
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