By Hildebrand shayo
February 14th is just around the corner, i.e. valentine day. But do we know how it started? Or just giving red roses, chocolate hearts and sending valentine cards to the one we adore? So how did it all start? Who is St. Valentine, and why did he become a symbol for love? For michuzi blog readers, this is what I can share with you …
History tell us that he is probably not just one man, but a number of martyred saints named valentine or Valentinus ( which is the Latin world for Volar). One was a priest in Rome, another bishop in Terni and a third almost nothing is known. According to Christian tradition, all these Saints valentines are believed to have been martyred on February 14th.
Most scholars believe that the St. Valentine of the holiday was a priest who attracted the disfavour of Roman emperor Claudius II around 270 AD. According to legend, the emperor Claudius II banned marriage to prevent draft dodges. Only single men had to go into the army, and too many young men were getting married. Valeninus of Rome ignored the ban, continuing to officiate marriages in secret.
I would like to remind Michuzi blog readers that historians also say that the holiday of love derives its origins from the ancient Roman feast of Lupercalia which has a number of fertility customs associated with it.
Women would put their names on slips of paper in a box, to be drawn out by men. The two would then be coupled up for duration of festival-or for the rest of the year in some cases.
In the late 5th century, Emperor Gelasius declared February 14th a holy day in honour of Valentinus, allowing Christianity to adopt some of the love day customs previously associated with paganism. The traditional were reworked however, to honour the Christian martyrs.
Nine-centuries later, at the advent of the Renaissance, Valentines Day experienced poetry and music flourishing. The time was ripe for a celebration of love. God bless you. God bless Tanzania.
Email:
shayohil@thinkinternational.co.uk
source:michuzi blog
