What country began the tradition of valentines day?

Answer 1

Valentine's Day--whose origins have nothing to do with Saint Valentine, and everything to do with pagan sex rituals--originated in one of the oldest Roman festivals, the festival of Lupercus, the Roman god of fertility. The festival was held on the ides (15th) of February in the Lupercal, where Romulus and Remus were said to have been suckled by a she-wolf.

On the day of the Lupercalia, Luperci (priests of Lupercus) gathered in the grove to sacrifice animals that were considered to have strong sexual instincts (and therefore appropriate as a sacrifice to the god of fertility), namely dogs and goats.

The 14th of February, in Roman times, was a date set aside for pagan 'love lotteries', whereby the names of young girls were written on strips of paper and placed into jars, from which the young boys would pick one. The chosen girl would be paired with the boy, for their mutual entertainment and pleasure, for the duration of the Lupercalia festival. The pairings often led to lasting relationships.

Later, the Catholic church, determined to put an end to the practice, sought a 'lovers saint' to replace Lupercus. As it turned out, Saint Valentine was the ideal candidate for their purposes. Valentine aided young lovers who went against Emperor Claudius II's decree banning marriage. Claudius, when he learned of this, had Valentine brought before him and tried to convert him to the Roman pagan gods, to save him from execution. Valentine refused to denounce Christianity, and actually tried to convert the mad emperor. He was executed for his folly.

There is a story that goes: "While Valentine was in prison awaiting execution, he fell in love with the blind daughter of the jailer, Asterius. Through his unswerving faith, he miraculously restored her sight. He signed a farewell message to her "From Your Valentine," a phrase that would live long after its author died."

During the Lupercian lottery (under penalty of mortal sin), Roman young men instituted the custom of offering women handwritten greetings of affection on February 14. The cards acquired St. Valentine's name: as Christianity spread, so did the Valentine card.

Answer 2

Every February 14th, candy, flowers, and gifts are exchanged between loved ones, all in the name of St. Valentine. But who is this mysterious saint and why do we celebrate this holiday?

We�ve found 2 different legends ... Enjoy!

The first legend, and perhaps the best known, began in Rome, when the Emperor, Claudius II, was involved in many bloody and unpopular campaigns. �Claudius the Cruel� as he was called, was having a difficult time getting soldiers to join his military leagues. He believed that the reason was that Roman men did not want to leave their loves or families. So, he cancelled all marriages and engagements in Rome!

The good Saint Valentine, who was a priest in Rome, in the year 269 A.D., together with his friend Saint Marius, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret.

When Valentine's actions were discovered, he was sentenced to be beaten to death with clubs and to have his head cut off.

But while in prison, it is believed that Valentine fell in love with a young girl, who may have been his jailor's daughter, who visited him during his confinement. Before his death on the 14th day of February, it is alleged that he wrote her a letter, which he signed" From your Valentine"

In 496 A.D., Pope Gelasius set aside February 14 to honor St. Valentine.

Another legend says that Valentine's Day started ...

in ancient Rome, on February 14th, a holiday to honor Juno. Juno was the Queen of the Roman Gods and Goddesses. The Romans also knew her as the Goddess of women and marriage. Then, the following day, February 15th, began the Feast of Lupercalia.

In those days, the lives of young boys and girls were strictly separate. However, on the eve of the festival of Lupercalia, the names of Roman girls were written on slips of paper and placed into jars. Each young man would draw a girl's name from the jar and would then be partners for the duration of the festival with the girl whom he chose. Sometimes the pairing of the children lasted an entire year, and often, they would fall in love and would later marry.

In the United States, Miss Esther Howland is given

credit for sending the first valentine cards. Commercial valentines were introduced in the 1800's and now ... well .. you know the rest....

Answer 3

Valentine's Day goes as far back as 270 AD and came from celebrations from ancient Christian and Romans. One legend tells that the holiday began from the Roman festival of Lupercalia, a fertility celebration, but when Christianity took over pagan holidays were renamed for early Christians martyrs. In 496 AD the pope turned Lupercalia into a Christian feast day. He proclaimed that it was to honor of Saint Valentine a Roman martyr from the 3rd century. According to the Catholic encyclopedia there were three early Christian saints by the name of Valentine. One was a priest in Rome and another was a bishop in Terri. Nothing is known about the third except he died in Africa. The story of Saint Valentine is about a bishop who held secret marriage ceremonies of soldiers in Claudius II who banned marriage for young men. He felt that marriage made men weak and Valentine was arrested for performing the marriages and excecuted. Thus, February 14 became a day for lovers and was annually observed by young Romans. In medieval France and England it was believed that birds mated on February 14 and the image of birds became the symbol of lovers in poems dedicated to the day. By the 18th century Valentines Day had become common in England and handmade Valentine cards, ribbons, and hearts were created. This spread to the American colonies, but it wasn't until 1840 that greeting cards were sold in the United States.

Answer 4

austrilla

Answer 5

England

Answer 6

Australia