Valentine's Day, which falls on February 14, has been celebrated in our country relatively recently, only a couple of decades, while in Europe it has long traditions and roots going back to the history of the ancient world.
How is Valentine's Day celebrated?
The external manifestations of this holiday are known to everyone: within a couple of weeks, all the counters are full of hearts of all shapes and sizes, everyone gives each other so-called “Valentines” - cards also made in the shape of hearts. Traditionally, most of them are anonymous, and the recipient is asked to guess who the sender is on their own. However, it is believed that these cards appeared much later than the holiday itself, which dates back about 18 centuries, while The first Valentine was received by the wife of the Duke of Orleans in 1415. He was in prison and decided this way in an original way show your love to legal wife. Who would have thought that fashion for them would go so far and last so long! Some people gain courage and confess their love on this day. Many, in addition to traditional souvenirs, give something more significant, but this differs from the classic canons of the holiday.
The classic version of the origin of Valentine's Day
Today, probably only the lazy, or those who completely deny what is happening these days, do not know it. This story happened, as the legend says, because there is no documentary evidence for all the events described below, and it is unlikely that they existed, in 269 AD. Then Emperor Claudius II reigned, and Christianity was a very young religion. At that time, adherents of Christianity were still persecuted by fans of paganism, and Christian marriage, in modern understanding, almost did not exist. However, there was some Christian priest Valentin, who not only carried out the sacrament of Christian marriage - he married legionnaires for whom marriage ties were prohibited by the nature of their service in general. As legends say, the priest was not just a religious figure of that time, he was also involved in science and healing, and was also involved in resolving conflicts and quarrels between lovers. 
Some legends say that he was an ordinary ordinary priest, some believe that he held the rank of bishop, be that as it may, his activities did not go unnoticed by the authorities, and he went to prison, after which he was executed. Judging by some sources, love did not bypass him either, and already in prison he learned about this feeling that the jailer’s blind daughter had for the saint. She wrote him a letter, where she confessed her ardent passion, but since the priest could not remove his vow of celibacy, all actions on his part were limited a touching letter, which the girl received on the eve of his execution, February 13. However, there is a more optimistic, but less realistic version, according to which Valentin and this girl had affection for each other mutual feelings. Moreover, on the night before the execution, using his knowledge in medicine, he cured his beloved of blindness, after which he went to the execution, which was carried out by cutting off her head with a sword. The priest who accepted death for his beliefs was canonized and made a saint, and since the 8th century in Western Europe, the 14th day of February was considered the holiday of all lovers. In America it began to be celebrated a little later, from 1777, and in Russia even more so: as already said, we became aware of it about 20 years ago.
The external attributes of the holiday remain almost unchanged throughout the entire time that it is celebrated: hearts, hearts and again hearts, in the form of candies, cards and souvenirs.
The meaning of the holiday has changed somewhat over time. So, in the Middle Ages in Britain, both in its English and Scottish parts, on this day they organized a kind of lottery, drawing out the name of their beloved for a year. Thus, the holiday was important not only for couples, but also for those who had not yet found happiness in love, and thus gave last hope for luck. Today the official Catholic Church does not recognize Saint Valentine, and does not celebrate this day. The explanation is the lack of substantiated information on this issue, because all data regarding the circumstances of the case and the personality of the priest are in the nature of myths and fairy tales, and do not have documented sources. The only thing that is known is the method of execution of the priest. Guided by these data, or rather the lack thereof, the Catholic Church has excluded this holiday from the officially approved ones since 1969; it did not and does not support the traditions of its celebration. Today it is fashionable to get married on this day; it is believed that such a marriage will be strong and happy, and the love in it will be eternal.
Another version of the appearance of Valentine's Day
This option is not at all romantic, and therefore not popular. The origins of this version also date back to antiquity, and is due to the fact that earlier in mid-February it was Lupercalia celebration- a festival of female fertility, widely celebrated in ancient Rome. As part of the celebration, women stripped naked and exposed their bodies to the blows of whips, which were also distributed by naked Romans running through the streets of the city. It was believed that receiving your share of blows would ensure high fertility and an easy course of childbirth, which was especially valued given the level of medicine of that time. 
Rome, as a state, strongly encouraged the manifestations of this holiday, since it was believed that as a result, even the most hopeless representatives of the human race acquired the ability to bear children. In those days, infant mortality, both during childbirth and in the first year of life, was at a terrifying level, which more than once brought Rome to the brink of extinction. Such a holiday dedicated to the goddess of “feverish” love” and Faun, the patron saint of herds, each year led to a surge in the birth rate, which was welcomed by the state. With the advent of Christianity on the world stage, more than one holiday has been transformed and taken on a more civilized appearance. Lupercalia, where pagan roots were disguised under a civilized Christian veil, did not bypass this custom. However, not all historians support this version; many of them believe that these two holidays are connected only in that they relate to love and coincide chronologically, having completely different origins and manifestations.
How Valentine's Day was celebrated at different times
Everyone knows how this day is celebrated today, but people did not come to this order right away, and different countries it was celebrated in different ways.
England
In this country, as mentioned above, a kind of lottery was held on this day: on Valentine's Day, young people pulled out tickets with the names of their companions on next year . Many couples created on this day later formalized their relationship; those who were unlucky got another chance the next year. This fun was the lot of the common people, and the aristocrats had fun on this day by trying to outdo each other with the pomp and wealth of gifts presented to their mistresses.
Giving wives gifts on Valentine's Day was considered the height of indecency. The first Valentine, however, was presented precisely in England, and specifically to the legal spouse, as mentioned above.
In general, this holiday in Britain was so popular that servants in rich houses could abandon their work in anticipation of mail with heartfelt messages, and not be subjected to severe punishment.
America
Until the 18th century, poverty and the accompanying Puritan morals reigned in this country, severely limiting the number of holidays and entertainment. For a long time, they did not even celebrate Easter and Christmas, without finding direct permission in the Holy Scriptures to idle on this day. Even Thanksgiving was just a Presbyterian church day, and was celebrated in a very low-key manner. Needless to say, Valentine’s Day did not fit into the strict and spartan way of those centuries, however, when the tradition of celebrating it with roses and cards gradually penetrated from overseas, Americans liked it. By that time, the country had already achieved a fairly good level of prosperity, and commerce joined in the production of hearts and other holiday accessories. Their production and sale were put on stream, and soon its celebration began to be carried out on a large scale.
Japan
In this country, Valentine's Day began to be celebrated after the end of World War II, when Japan, until that time completely closed from the rest of the world, began to transfer American and European traditions into its everyday life. However, here the celebration has its own characteristics: firstly, most gifts and souvenirs were made from chocolate, and secondly, historically it has developed that for the most part it was the day of men, they were mainly presented with sweet gifts. Currently, this trend has continued.
Do you know what no one will tolerate? Savings, even on small things! What is the best birthday greeting for a teacher? about this in our article. What kind of breakfast can you make for Valentine's Day if you don't know how to cook? We have prepared some simple recipes for you at the following address.
Germany
Valentine's Day also entered this country after the end of the war, and its celebration was mainly carried out in European traditions, but had its own twist. So from the beginning of the celebration it became customary that this day was not just a holiday for lovers, but also for those who intended to enter into legal marriage. On February 14, these young people had to come to the bishop of the area where they lived and ask him for an official blessing for marriage procedures. It was believed that such a marriage would be stronger and happier. Currently, the custom has been preserved only for religious couples, of which, however, there are many in Germany. In conclusion, we offer you a short video in which we will also learn a little about the traditions of celebrating Valentine's Day in Ancient Rome and how this is done in our time in different countries of the world. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-GH-hvEtvY
Almost all over the world, on February 14, people have been celebrating Valentine's Day for many years. They give their soul mates hearts, most often in the form of postcards, and delight them with various romantic surprises. However, few people know who Saint Valentine is, where all these traditions came from and why they are so ardently revered in our time. Well, let's try to understand the history of this celebration, plunging into the depths of religion and mythology, as well as focusing on traditions various countries and peoples.
Retrospective of legends about the origin of this saint
There are three legends about who Saint Valentine is. More precisely, three people are known by this name in the Catholic Church. The first is Valentin Rimsky, who worked in Rome as a clergyman. He died in the third century AD as a result of persecutions that occurred during the collapse of the Roman Empire. The second character is Valentin, who also worked in Italy as a church bishop. He was executed in 270 and buried in the outskirts of Rome. The third is a personality completely unknown to people of our time. Some, however, believe that he was a warrior and died during the Roman army's campaign against Carthage. With the advent of the Middle Ages, when all kinds of romance, art and other manifestations of beauty were under the strictest ban, people portrayed Valentine as an associate who propagated the church (Catholic) idea throughout the world.
A beautiful fairy tale that could be true
Nowadays, there is the so-called “Golden Legend”, which tells the story of who Saint Valentine is, where he lived and why he became the patron saint of all lovers. So, Claudius II, who once ruled the Roman Empire, felt that young men were reluctant to join his army. It seemed to him that it was their wives who were not letting them go to war, so the emperor signed a decree banning weddings for every unmarried member of the stronger sex. Valentin was a local doctor and preacher of Christianity. Along with this, he secretly married lovers. One day he was approached by a man whose daughter Julia was blind, and he prescribed ointment for her. Later, rumors about secret weddings reached Claudius, and Valentin was locked in prison. Knowing that he would be executed, he sent Julia an envelope, where, along with healing saffron, he left a message with the text “Your Valentine.” The former doctor was executed on February 14, and the girl, having opened the envelope, regained her sight. Officially, this holiday was included in the church canons in 496.
Inconsistencies in the most beautiful legend
The story of Valentine's Day, which was outlined in the previous paragraph, cannot be true for several reasons. Firstly, the holy martyr himself lived in Rome in the third century AD, when wedding rites as such did not yet exist. This is primarily due to the fact that at the moment Christianity had not yet taken over in the Roman Empire, and all citizens, including the ruler, remained pagans. Those getting married could do this both secretly and publicly, so such rumors were unlikely to reach the emperor. Although it is not worth asserting with certainty that every word in this legend is fiction, since a saint with a similar name is fully recognized by the Catholic Church, and most often he is identified with the doctor who prayed for every patient in the world and helped every person who asked him about healing.
Origin of Valentine's Day According to Pagan Theory
Some historians believe that this celebration was invented, like St. Valentine himself, in order to oust a very cruel pagan holiday from Roman traditions. According to a long-standing tradition, the city of Rome was founded by the brothers Romulus and Remus, who were fed by a she-wolf with her milk. That is why every year the inhabitants of the empire sacrificed one sheep (food for wolves), as well as a dog (an animal that wolves hate). The skin of dead animals was divided into narrow thin belts, after which completely naked young guys lashed everyone who got in their way with them. It is noteworthy that young girls tried to fall under these blows, since it was believed that the scars made it possible to successfully marry, bear and give birth to a child. In turn, the history of the appearance of St. Valentine’s Day here is connected with the fact that these belts were called “february”, and the ritual itself was carried out in the middle of this February, which in Romano-Germanic languages sounds like “february” and its other derivatives.
Love rituals associated with this celebration
In our usual form, Valentine's Day began to be celebrated only in the 19th century in Great Britain. Of course, no one knew who Saint Valentine was, as well as the history of the origin of this entire ritual. For people, this has already become simple entertainment, which appeared either at the behest of the Pope, or by some decree of the local government. However, every year on February 14, young men pulled notes from the drum, which included the names of girls they knew. This is how “couples” were formed, who had to accept each other’s courtship for a year, after which they could separate or get married. Later, this tradition migrated to the USA, where it gained great popularity and new rules, many of which are familiar to us today.
The history of Valentine's Day in the twentieth century
At the dawn of the new century, newly minted businessmen took up such entertainment. Thanks to them, heart-shaped cards, specialized gift bouquets, sweets and other trinkets appeared on sale. Also, the owners of restaurants and cafes began to organize certain programs where only loving couples could attend. Gradually, this celebration became an excellent opportunity to make money by selling postcards, valentines, flowers, good wine and other gifts that today, as a rule, men give to their beloved ladies. In the 21st century, in honor of such a holiday, they don’t organize anything. And specialized DJ sets, films, concerts, and many other events.
Traditions that depend on the culture of a particular country
Even though we now know who Saint Valentine is and that his homeland is Italy, the celebrations held in his honor span the entire world. In England, where the holiday was first celebrated, nowadays people most often use fortune telling... on birds. If on February 14th the first thing you see is a robin, then you and the sailor will live happily ever after. The sparrow is most often found with a poor groom, but the goldfinch is a clear messenger of a rich prince. When this holiday became the property of the Americans, their men took it as a tradition to give marzipan to their other halves. Today, they are easily replaced with chocolate and other confectionery products, but their color must remain red or white. The French give their women the most expensive gifts - they present jewelry and Jewelry to those who are loved. But in Japan, citizens limit themselves only to chocolate. Moreover, this product is a manifestation of pure love, and both men and women can confess their feelings.
Brief conclusion
This mysterious and varied origin of Valentine's Day has made it a worldwide celebration. In our country it also gained popularity, but only in the early 1990s. It is also common throughout the world to believe that marriages concluded on February 14 will not only be happy, but also eternal.
Valentine's Day is a holiday of love, passion and tenderness, it is celebrated by many people and brightly covered in the media. But for the most part, people who celebrate this day do not know the history of the holiday Valentine's Day or its essence. So where did Valentine's Day come from, who is Saint Valentine, and what is the meaning of this holiday? Let's take a look at the history of Valentine's Day in order.
Valentine's Day is surrounded by a flower-angel halo and strewn with scarlet rose petals. Every self-respecting lover strives to prove to his soul mate that he is truly the most in love.In gentle and Holy holiday love - Valentine's Day - candies, hearts and Stuffed Toys flow like a river, and the net is full of young ladies with toys and flowers.
Who is Saint Valentine, and did he even exist?
If you ask an ordinary person who Saint Valentine is and what his merits are, it is unlikely that many will formulate a clear answer. His figure is surrounded by a large halo of myths and speculation.
Some will say that it was a priest who secretly married soldiers. And someone that Valentine was an oppressed clergyman who was inflamed with passion for the jailer’s beautiful daughter and signed his messages “your Valentine.”
And there will be those who will say that this is generally fiction, and that St. Valentine did not exist at all. So was there a Saint Valentine?
Which one is right? Perhaps a little of each. Saint Valentine, the patron saint of lovers, is a collective image and not entirely real. Who is Saint Valentine?
The prototype of the saint in whose honor hearts are given and cards are written are several different Valentines. The most famous of them are the Bishop of Interamna and Valentine the Roman.
Valentine, Bishop of Interamna, is known for possessing the gift of healing. One day, the philosopher Kraton turned to him, whose son had injured his back and could not even straighten up. No amount of healing helped the young man.After Valentine healed young man, the news of this miracle began to spread, and many people converted to the Christian faith. And everything would have been fine, except that Avundius, the son of a pagan fanatic and part-time Roman mayor, also converted to Christianity.
The mayor turned all his anger on this matter towards Valentin, Bishop of Interam. Because Valentine did not want to renounce his faith and worship idols, he was soon beheaded.
Along with him, the disciples who lived in Kraton’s house and spread Christianity also suffered. According to some versions, Saint Valentine was executed on February 14th. In addition, Pope Gelasius appointed the day of his commemoration for February 14.
This is one of the stories of the origin of Valentine's Day, which few people know about.
There is another version of who Saint Valentine is. But there is even less information about Valentine the Roman. It is known that he lived under the emperor Claudius of Gotha and healed the daughter of a dignitary, Asterius, from blindness. After such a miracle, Asterius converted to Christianity. For this, both he and Saint Valentine were executed.
There is no exact evidence about the lives of these saints. There is even a possibility that this is the same person. Due to the confusion that arose when analyzing the lives of these saints, the Catholic Church excluded Valentine from the universal Roman calendar.There was also another saint named Valentine from Africa, but since no information at all has been preserved about him, it is unlikely that he is related to this holiday.
As you can see, in these stories of the origins of Valentine's Day, not a word is said about love. So why exactly is St. Valentine called the patron saint of lovers?
Valentine's Day. history of the holiday
Let's turn to the history of ancient Rome. Perhaps the history of Valentine's Day originated from there.
There was a Lupercalia holiday in ancient Rome, dedicated to the cheerful Faun (aka Luperk) and the unrestrained goddess of “feverish” love, Juno Februata.
By the way, the month of February received its name precisely from the name of this loving goddess.
The Lupercalia holiday was noisy, lively, and had a pronounced sexual and erotic character. At a time when the birth rate had dropped significantly, the oracle announced that the ritual of flogging women with a whip made from the skin of sacrificial animals was necessary, and this would ensure their fertility and easy childbirth.
And so on February 15, naked men filled the streets of Rome and whipped women. They willingly exposed themselves to blows. At the end of the celebration, women also shed their clothes.
Women threw scraps with their names into the urn, and men drew lots from the urn, and the one whose name fell out became the partner of the man who chose her for whole year, until the next holiday. The celebration of love ended with a general orgy.
This holiday of free love was very tenacious among the people. Even with the advent of Christianity on February 15, people were overwhelmed by a wave of sexual pleasures.
In order to somehow rein in the people and add piety to the lives of believers, Pope Gelasius declared February 14 as the day of veneration of St. Valentine. The celebration of Lupercalia was banned.
Instead of the names of women, the names of saints were taken from the urn, and it was believed that throughout the next year people would inherit the life path of the chosen saint. Thus, the clergy hoped to replace the holiday of debauchery in people’s consciousness with a modest and chaste holiday. This is the story of Valentine's Day.
Apparently it was at that time that the name of St. Valentine became overgrown with legends and myths about secret weddings of soldiers and secret notes with love confessions.
For some reason, no reliable facts from the lives of these (or this) saints confirming these cases have been recorded.
Maybe there were all these romantic events, or maybe it didn’t happen, and this whole story of Valentine’s Day is a fiction? People just needed beautiful holiday, and they did it.
These are the controversial facts and versions about the history of the Valentine's Day holiday.
How Valentine's Day is celebrated in different countries
Perhaps this is why there is a rather ambiguous attitude towards St. Valentine in different countries, and this holiday is celebrated in different ways.
As an example, I will tell you how Valentine's Day is celebrated in different countries of the world.
Valentine's Day in Japan. Hadaka Matsuri
It's interesting how Valentine's Day is celebrated in Japan. Valentine's Day in Japan is a romantic holiday more likely for men.
It is men who are given sweets and gifts. Chocolate has a special place on Valentine's Day in Japan. It even has special names on this day.
Colleagues and acquaintances are given “giri” - a regular set of chocolate. And myself dear person A special type of chocolate is given, called “honmei”. But that is not all.
On February 14, Valentine's Day, Japan celebrates the holiday of naked men - Hadaka Matsuri. Crowds of men wearing only loincloths run around the city and chase the same naked people. It is believed that on the day of Hadaka Matsuri, touching a naked man will bring protection from misfortunes and troubles.
Valentine's Day in Germany
And in Germany, Saint Valentine is considered the patron saint of crazy people. Clergymen advise visiting mentally ill relatives on this day, if you have any.
On Valentine's Day in Germany, wards in special institutions and hospitals are decorated with scarlet ribbons.
By the way, we also have an unspoken rule for Catholics to visit mentally ill relatives on February 14th. And consider St. Valentine the patron saint of the insane.
If you look at all the candy-hearted fuss that reigns in mid-February, and the depressive states of those left without gifts, it is clear that they are not so wrong.
Valentine's Day in France, England and Holland
How do other European countries celebrate Valentine's Day?
France is not particularly original and focuses on flowers, hearts, chocolate and love poems.
It is believed that France is the birthplace of romantic quatrain messages on Valentine cards.
In England, on this day they write declarations of love, give gifts and sweets not only to loved ones, but also to their beloved pets (not so far from Germany).
In Holland, on Valentine's Day, a woman who is desperate to wait for a proposal from a man can propose marriage herself. And in case of refusal, he has the right to buy out: a beautiful silk dress.
Here's how Valentine's Day is celebrated in different countries. But that's not all about February 14th.February 14 – Geek Day
On February 14, the unofficial, but widely known in narrow circles, “Geek Day” is celebrated. Therefore, on February 14, you can safely congratulate unromantic programmers (romantic ones, by the way, are also allowed), as well as all cybernetics and electronics engineers.
Why is Computer Scientist Day celebrated on February 14? Of course, this has nothing to do with Saint Valentine. In 1946, on this day, a truly working ENIAC I computer was first presented to the world public. It was from it that modern computer technology inherited the binary number system.
Naturally, before this moment there were also attempts to imagine similar computers, but only prototypes that were not entirely successful and at times completely non-functional.
But ENIAC I could actually solve the tasks assigned to it. Naturally, such a miracle was created for the needs of the military industry.
This is such a controversial holiday - Valentine's Day. For some it is romantic, for others it is sexy, and for others it is purely professional.
But whether to celebrate it or not, everyone decides for themselves. But it’s hardly worth waiting for Valentine’s Day to confess your love, give candy or hug your loved one.
Love does not require special dates, holidays or recognizable symbols that are put on display. Love itself is already a holiday. Love each other every day.
As for Valentine's Day, I described the history of the holiday, versions and facts. Valentine's Day is celebrated in different ways in different countries, how you celebrate it is up to you.
Also on our website you can find a hint, or think with us about.
Instructions
In Western Europe, Valentine's Day began to be widely celebrated in the 13th century. This tradition migrated to North America in 1777. On this day it is customary to give flowers and gifts to your loved ones. Traditionally, jewelry, sweets, perfume, or simply romantic evening for two. In the West, many men choose this day to propose marriage to their girls.
In Russia, this holiday appeared only at the end of the 20th century after the collapse of the USSR. Now it is celebrated on no less scale than in Europe and America. Even in schools, 14 they install special mailboxes where anyone can drop their valentine with a declaration of love, sometimes even anonymously. Many couples in Russia choose Valentine's Day to register their marriage. It is believed that a marriage entered into on this day will be long and happy. The excitement that can be observed in stores on the eve of this holiday can only be compared with the New Year and March 8th.
The most romantic holiday occurs in mid-February. For many, it has already become customary to celebrate Valentine's Day; people congratulate each other and exchange small pleasant gifts. Some people even specially mark a wedding or engagement to coincide with Valentine’s Day. But not everyone knows what the history of Valentine's Day is.
Unfortunately, no one can say exactly where exactly the tradition of celebrating Valentine's Day came from. Even the true history of St. Valentine is unknown, since at least three saints bearing this name have been canonized by the Catholic Church. But there is beautiful legend about the origin of the holiday.
Legend
According to legend, the history of the most romantic holiday dates back to the third century. The formidable emperor of Rome at that time, named Claudius II, dreamed of conquering the whole world. And he didn’t want anything to stop him from achieving his goals. The Emperor believed that the best warrior is a single warrior , because married man, wants not to fight, but to live in a family and raise his children. Therefore, the emperor issued a decree that categorically forbade legionnaires to marry.
However, the warriors from Claudius's army were not robots, but people. And people tend to fall in love. A priest named Valentin, perfectly understanding the danger threatening him, nevertheless secretly married lovers .
The emperor, having learned that his decree was being grossly violated, became terribly angry. The disgraced priest was captured, imprisoned and sentenced to death. The jailer's young daughter, having learned about Valentin's tragic story, wanted to meet him. An ardent feeling flared up between the young people. But Valentin did not have long to live. In a day before the execution, which fell on February 14 , the priest handed his last love note to his beloved.
There is another version of the legend. According to her, the jailer's young daughter was beautiful, but blind. But, having received a farewell note from Valentin, in which he put a sprig of saffron, the girl began to see the light.
Who was Valentin?
Several priests of early Christian times can “claim” the role of the founder of Valentine’s Day. Thus, Valentine could be a Roman priest executed by order of the emperor in 269. But perhaps the title of the most romantic saint deserves the bishop of Interamna, who had the ability to heal the sick. This priest was also executed because, thanks to him, many young people converted to Christianity.
When did the holiday appear?
The day dedicated to Saint Valentine was established in 496 by papal decree of Gelasius I.
Since 1969, as a result of the reform of worship, Saint Valentine was removed from the liturgical calendar of the Catholic Church (along with other Roman saints, information about whose lives is contradictory and unreliable), noted the Internet portal wordyou.ru. However, even before 1969, the church did not approve or support the traditions of celebrating this day.
So modern Valentine's Day is an exclusively secular holiday, not a church holiday.
According to the Catholic calendar, February 14 is the day of veneration of Saints Cyril and Methodius. IN Orthodox Church The day of remembrance of Roman Valentine is present, but it falls on July 19 (new style).
Many Christian holidays are based on pagan festivities. Valentine's Day is no exception. Many believe that the history of the holiday begins much earlier before the appearance Christianity.
During the times of Ancient Rome, the holiday of Lupercalia was extremely popular among young people. It was dedicated to eroticism and fertility. A holiday was held in honor of two deities at once - the goddess of love Juno and the satyr god Faun. This holiday was celebrated in mid-February. This month was the New Year's Eve (the year for the Romans began on the first of March), so at this time it was necessary to take stock and make plans for the next year.
The holiday began at the Capitoline Hill, where animals were sacrificed to Faun, who patronized cattle breeding. Belts were cut from the skin of killed bulls and given to young men. The guys, having previously stripped naked, ran around the city, whipping the girls and women they met with belts.
Interestingly, this method of “courtship” did not cause protests among the ladies. Moreover, they willingly exposed their sides and backs, since it was believed that this ritual would make women more fertile and provide them with an easy birth.
The celebration continued the next day. On this day, girls dominated. They put signs with their names in a large vase. And the men had to take out one tablet at a time. That is, a kind of lot was drawn. The girl whose nameplate the guy took out should become his girlfriend for this year. No one asked the guy’s opinion about whether he liked the girl he would have to court.
A holiday somewhat similar to the ancient Roman Lupercalia, it was also celebrated in Rus' during the pagan period. True, it was celebrated not in February, but at the end of June (according to the old style, if counted according to the new style, then at the beginning of July), and was dedicated to Kupala - the god of fertility and the Sun.
Young boys and girls decorated themselves with flowers, sang songs, danced in circles, and jumped over fires.
These days the holiday is known as Ivan Kupala night , since after the introduction of Christianity this day fell on the day of remembrance of John the Baptist.
Tradition and modernity
The traditions of celebrating Valentine's Day have, of course, changed somewhat over the years. But one thing remained unchanged - the custom of exchanging love notes, which began to be called “Valentines.”
The oldest known “Valentine” is a love letter in verse sent by the Duke of Orleans to his young wife from a cell in the Tower of London. This “Valentine” dates back to 1415.
And starting from the mid-18th century, in the countries of Europe and America it became a habit to exchange small tokens of attention and notes with declarations of love. In the twentieth century, homemade “Valentines” were practically supplanted ready-made postcards, printed in printing houses. But these days it has again become fashionable to give handmade “Valentines”.
At the beginning of the last century It has become fashionable for young people to send sweet gifts to their lovers - marzipans . This delicacy was not cheap back then, so it was a very generous gift. Over time, marzipan was replaced by chocolate. And confectioners quickly figured out how to make additional profit and began producing sweets in the shape of hearts.
In Japan, Valentine's Day began to be celebrated only in the 30s of the last century. But in the Land of the Rising Sun, special traditions have developed. On this day it is customary to congratulate only men. Girls give their chosen ones pure Men's Accessories(razors, belts, etc.).
The holiday began to be celebrated in Russia in the 90s of the last century. But it has already become incredibly popular, it is celebrated by people of the most different ages, from kindergarteners to pensioners, because, as you know, love knows no age.
Why did this holiday become a favorite in Russia so quickly? The answer is simple: during a long winter, any person wants more warmth and love. And here comes another reason to remember your loved ones. Therefore, people are happy to exchange pleasant gifts and recognition.
But there are some countries in the world that are especially distinguished in celebrating Valentine's Day. First of all this Saudi Arabia, which is the only country in the world where this holiday... officially prohibited, and under pain of heavy fines.
And Rus' had its own Valentine's Day, but it was celebrated not in winter, but in early summer. It was associated with the legendary love story of Peter and Fevronia, today in our country this day is celebrated official holiday All-Russian Day of Family, Love and Fidelity.
