A wonderful holiday Valentine's Day, or, as it is also called, Valentine's Day, has been celebrated by Catholics on February 14 for 1.5 millennia. But far from everyone knows the origin of this holiday, which has taken root in our country.
Instruction manual
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An ancient legend says that in the 3rd century AD, a simple priest named Valentine lived in Rome. He was kind, fair, beautiful in soul and body. Valentine was an educated and intelligent person: he was fond of natural science, medicine, he cured many diseases.
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At that time, men who performed military service (which, incidentally, lasted most of their lives) were forbidden by law to marry, as a woman and family distract male attention from military duties. Lovers secretly came to the priest Valentin for help, and he, imbued with their feelings and being himself very romantic, crowned them. In addition to the wedding, Valentin, as he could, helped the lovers - he transmitted gifts and messages from each other, reconciled the quarreling, taught how best to deal with difficult situations.
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Such prohibited activities could not go unnoticed for a long time in a state where the law was above all. Valentine was taken into custody and soon sentenced to death. While he was in prison, the jailer’s daughter was inflamed with passionate feelings for him. And he, too, fell in love with her, but could not admit, since he had made a vow of celibacy. Nevertheless, on the night before the execution, February 13, he wrote her a touching love message, which the girl read after his death. So Valentine died for love and with love in his heart.
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Almost 200 years after the execution, Valentine was canonized, he became a saint - the patron saint of all lovers of the Catholic faith. In 496, the Pope declared February 14 as Valentine's Day.
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Now the holiday of all lovers is celebrated in many countries of the world. Symbolic are the attributes of Valentine's Day - sweets, flowers, valentines in the shape of hearts. On this holiday, even the most humble person can anonymously write a declaration of love to the object of his passion. Valentines are written not only to loved ones, but also to friends, colleagues, relatives. This amazingly joyful, emotional and romantic holiday annually celebrates the feat of the priest Valentine, for whom love was the only feeling that could save the world.
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