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The Reasons Behind Valentine’s Day: History or Commerce?
Have you ever wondered why Valentine’s Day is celebrated on the 14th of February?
If you’re anything like me you have a healthy skepticism of any holiday where major retail entities benefit financially. However, after watching this video I have a deeper appreciation of Valentine’s Day and the history behind it.
During the third century, Bishop Valentine went against an order from the Emperor of Rome which banned marriage. Emperor Claudius II believed that marriage made his soldiers weak so he banned the practice.
Bishop Valentine believed so much in love that he performed underground secret weddings for couples who dared to disobey the Emperor’s decree.
For this, Valentine was arrested and imprisoned. While in jail, he healed his jailer’s daughter who was blind and they fell in love.
The Emperor demanded that Valentine agree with his ban on marriage and go against his faith. When the Bishop refused he was executed.
Before he was killed Valentine wrote a farewell letter to the jailer’s daughter and signed it:
From your Valentine.
Valentine was thought to have been executed on February 14th, 240AD.
Whether you think the tale is real or you think it’s just an excuse for chocolate companies to sell more product is up to you. Personally, I’ll take the romantic fairytale history please.
www.visiontimes.com
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