Valentine's Day is a worldwide holiday of lovers. Despite the fact that in some countries, including Russia, there are their own national holidays for lovers, no one would ever think to underestimate the tradition of celebrating February 14. The story of Saint Valentine tells about what miracles true love is capable of.
The Legend of Saint Valentine
Saint Valentine lived in the third century AD in Rome. He was a doctor, but so talented that over time even people from distant lands learned about him. Valentine knew how to cure diseases from which other doctors died. He himself was a very kind person and quickly realized that it was not enough to heal the bodily wounds of people; it was also necessary to help their souls. Therefore, he began to preach Christian ideals.
Rome in those days was not the most peaceful and prosperous place. Constantly participating in wars, where men died in large numbers, the city lacked those willing to replenish the army ranks. Emperor Claudius, who ruled Rome at that time, could not think of what it was better to do so that men would more willingly go to war. On reflection, he decided that the establishment of families prevents men from striving for military glory, and forbade marriage. All priests, on pain of death, were forbidden to conduct marriage ceremonies.
Everyone obeyed, except for Valentine, who secretly continued to conclude marriages between people, sympathizing with the lovers. Soon the emperor Claudius learned about this, who ordered the execution of the disobedient healer. He imprisoned him, but Valentine was not afraid. He was in love with the jailer's daughter, and asked him to convey a message of love to her. But the girl was blind, the jailer could not understand how she would read something?
On February 14, the courageous doctor was brutally executed in front of all of Rome, but he stood firm until his last breath, never admitting that he had made a mistake.
The jailer gave his message to his daughter only after the execution. The note contained a bright yellow saffron leaf. And then a miracle happened. Saffron, flushing, healed the girl, restoring her sight. Then she was able to read the message of Valentine in love with her.
When the holiday became traditional
Since then, small notes passed by lovers to each other are talismans of their love. The saint himself proved by his example that nothing is impossible, and true love is really capable of working miracles.
There is a version that the introduction of Valentine's Day was needed by the Catholic Church to replace the pagan holiday of lovers. There was a day of fertility, which was celebrated in February in Rome, and Valentine's Day over time really displaced it, taking pride of place among the rest of the celebrations.
Nevertheless, this holiday became truly popular only in the 19th century, and not at all in Italy, but in Great Britain. Later, they began to celebrate it in the United States, from where it migrated into the traditions of almost all countries of the world.
