Valentine's Day

The Valentine's Day on February 14, applicable in some countries as a day of lovers. The customs of the day goes to one or more Christian martyrs named Valentinus ( in question are primarily Valentine of Terni or Valentine of Viterbo) back, who according to tradition, suffered martyrdom by decapitation. The Memorial was 469 introduced by Pope Gelasius I for the whole Church in 1969 but deleted from the Roman general calendar. Widespread however, there are around Valentine's Day services in which couples are blessed.

In recognition of Valentine's Day won the German language area by trading with flowers, but especially by the intense publicity the florist and confectionery manufacturers.

Customs

The popularity of the date in the Anglo-Saxon is based on a poem by the English writer Geoffrey Chaucer, "Parliament of Birds" ( Parlement of foul ( e / y) s ), which completed in 1383 probably on the occasion of Valentine celebration at the court of King Richard II, and for the first time was publicly presented. In the poem by Chaucer shows how the birds up unto this feast to the "Goddess Nature " gather, so that each one find a partner.

Since the 15th century Valentin pairs were formed in England, the chic, small gifts or poems. The pairs were formed by dissolving the night before or by the first contact on Valentine's Day. In the Victorian era came under the lovers on the custom to send each decorated cards.

English emigrants took the custom with Valentin in the United States and he came so by U.S. soldiers after the Second World War in the western part of Germany; 1950, held in Nuremberg, the first "Valentine Ball". Commonly known of Valentine's Day has been compounded by the onset before 14 February advertising the florists and the confectionery industry.

The most common gifts on Valentine's Day are still flowers. While mainly women buy flowers throughout the year, there are mainly men on Valentine's Day.

In Japan, women give gifts on February 14, the men with chocolate. That they are allowed then a month later on White Day White Chocolate expect as a return gift. Even young girls take this day as an opportunity to give their beloved chocolate, they have made themselves at best. This can reply on March 14.

In South Korea, there are in addition to Valentine's Day and White Day nor the Black Day: who missed out on 14 February and on 14 March, this mourning on April 14 and eats Jajangmyeon ( 자장면 ), noodles with black sauce.

Meanwhile, this day also delighted in the People's Republic of China in young, aligned at the western lifestyle Chinese increasing popularity. There are in China but also a counterpart to Valentine's Day, called the Kwee and is celebrated on the seventh day of the seventh month of the Chinese lunar calendar.

The day of lovers (Dia dos Namorados ) is celebrated on June 12 in Brazil. Here, couples making love small gifts.

In Italy, the love couples usually meet on bridges or waters. There devices are often attached from which you can connect a bicycle, for example. These are misused simply by a so-called " love lock " is attached. On the lock write the lovers their initials, sometimes with date, with large locks you can even see pasted photos of the couple. This castle is connected, then throw the two of each a key into the water and wish for something. Although the wishes of then are not to be expressed, Most just want to have eternal love found.

In Finland Valentine's Day is celebrated as a " Friendship Day ", in which man - sent to those who are found sympathetic, send cards or small gifts - mostly anonymous.

In South Africa, the day is also celebrated as a public festival. It is there custom clothing in the colors white and red to wear for the purity and love.

Tradition

The tradition of Valentine's Day is today mostly attributed to the tradition of Bishop Valentine of Terni, who died as a Christian martyr. Several places in Germany have a relic of St.. Valentin, such as the Bavarian town of Krumbach, Günzburg. The church of Santa Maria in Cosmedin has relics of the saint.

Valentine of Terni was in the third century AD, the bishop of the Italian city of Terni (then Interamna ). According to tradition he trusted more bridal couples, including soldiers who had to remain unmarried after damaligem imperial command. He is said to have married couples also given flowers from his garden. The marriages that were entered into by him, were according to tradition, under a lucky star. On the orders of Emperor Claudius II, he was beheaded on February 14, 269 because of his Christian faith.

It is also possible that the establishment of Memorial Day connected to February 14 with the Roman festival of Lupercalia, which was celebrated from the 13th to the 15th of February. The alleged relationship between a festival of " Juno Februata " and the Valentine's Day is an invention of the 18th century.