Every year, Valentine’s Day is celebrated across the globe on February 14th. Flowers, chocolates, balloons and cards are exchanged and gift shops do brisk business as many youngsters buy gifts for their valentine.
How did Valentine’s day come about? It is believed that it had its origin in ancient Rome when the feast of Lupercalia was celebrated from February 13 to 15. A goat and a dog were sacrificed by men and women were whipped with the hides of the sacrificed animals as it was believed that it would make them fertile.
Matchmaking would go on during this festival and men would draw names of women from a jar and would couple up with her during the festival or at times even longer.
Saint Valentine was actually a priest who helped Christian couples to get married. Emperor Claudius II was against marriage of single men and had Saint Valentine put to death. The execution took place on February 14. Since then, Valentine’s Day is celebrated as a day of love with exchange of cards, gifts and flowers and romantic dates too.
