Valentine's Day is the day when people send their beloved symbols of love, but few are familiar with the true story of the origination of the day.
Valentine's Day, the 14th of February is the day when we celebrate love. The traditionally kept alive by the exchange of love gifts between lovers, or that you send a card to someone you admire secretly. Today there are not many who know that Valentine's Day has its origins in a ritual that dates back for centuries.
A True Romantic
St. Valentine was an evangelic priest who lived near Rome under Claudius 2nd in the 200's.
Claudius refused his young soldiers to marry, since marriage made them less willing to go to war.
Bishop Valentine made ceremony rituals in secret, and when Claudius heard about this "lovers friend ", he had him taken into custody.
Valentine was put to death on February 14th, 269 AD - This date which has since been associated with romance and love throughout the world.
Valentine's Day is the day you should send your girlfriend sweet words and gifts.
The First Valentine Card
The established practice of sending declarations of love on Valentine's Day descent back to St. Valentine himself.
While Valentine's waiting to be executed, he was very attached to his guard Asterius' daughter.
She was sightless, and through his strong faith, Valentine succeeded in miraculously giving her sight back.
It is claimed that Valentine fell in love with his prison guard's daughter, and that he shortly before his capital punishment, asked for writing materials.
He wrote a parting letter and signed it: "From Your Valentine".
In the time that followed, young Romans began to give gifts to women they admired as a sign of their devotion.
In 1415 the first valentine card was sent by the Duke of Orleans, and the phenomenon quickly spread to the rest of the evangelical world.
Symbols and Rituals
The symbols used or received on the valentine cards, may have underlying meanings, which have been associated with romance through the millennia.
The Heart as a Symbol
As a symbol of love the heart have roots far back in time.
It was felt that the heart was the place where all the feelings lay, and by giving one's heart to another individual is the same as giving all one's love.
Wear Your Heart on Your Sleeve
In the medieval times, young women and men drew a piece of paper where the name of their Valentine was written.
They walked around with the name on their sleeves during a whole week.
When we talk about "wear your heart on your sleeve" that means it is no problem for others to see how you feel.
This love lottery still exists in the form of anonymous letters that are delivered and received.
One of the pleasant things about Valentine's Day is just to guess who the secret admirer could be.
Cupid's Love Game
In many valentine cards are the photos of Amor, the Roman god of passionate and playful love, who was the son of Venus, the goddess of love and beauty.
Their Greek counterparts are Eros and Aphrodite, as the words "erotica" and "aphrodisiac" comes from.
According to the old myth, Cupid's lover, the mortal Psyche, fell into an enchanted sleep and killing, and love god had to stab her in the heart with an arrow to wake her to life again.
This symbol, the arrow and the heart, has in a strange way, survived until the present day.
We still use a red heart with two names with an arrow through, as a symbol of love.
The Written Word
When Bishop Valentine wrote his farewell letter to his great love, he signed it "From Your Valentine".
The first true Valentine card was thus not anonymous!
Be bold and write a card to someone you are secretly in love with, and sign it with your name - let the person know whom to invite on a date!
Alternatively, you can write a beautiful and sweet letter to your girlfriend or boyfriend, a friend, mother, father, child, or who you now cherished in your life.
Write about all the good things you love about them.
Be generous with praise words, and ask not for anything in return.
Sign the letter and send it!
Love Incense
If you are single and looking for a soul mate, or to strengthen the love you already have, Valentine's Day is a perfect day to work with the couple relationship.
Apply a love fragrance to enchant your Valentine.
Think of Love
Pour a little rose water in your hands, and rub it in your face, hair and arms.
Spark up a barbecue, and crush some fresh cinnamon and dried rose petals over it.
Sit next to the grill, and inhale the incense.
Think about the meaning behind Valentine's Day while you inhale the incense, and remind yourself of all the lovers around the world that day.
Open the heart, and invite the energy of love into your life.
Searching for Romantic Ideas and Tips to show your special someone that this is exactly what she is? - View this special Valentine's Day website where you among other things, may find unique Valentines Day Gift Ideas or Tips for that perfect rendezvous.
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