Today is 14th of February (Malaysian Time is 8:16 AM) & so its Happy Valentine's Day to all!!!!! Now what is Valentine's Day? How it all started? How is it celebrated? What is so special about Valentine's Day? Well, lets see what can I come up with through my search on the net.
From this website - http://www.history.com/
Today, the Catholic Church recognizes at least three different saints named Valentine or Valentinus, all of whom were martyred.
One legend contends that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for young men -- his crop of potential soldiers. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When Valentine's actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death.
Other stories suggest that Valentine may have been killed for attempting to help Christians escape harsh Roman prisons where they were often beaten and tortured.
According to one legend, Valentine actually sent the first 'valentine' greeting himself. While in prison, it is believed that Valentine fell in love with a young girl -- who may have been his jailor's daughter -- who visited him during his confinement. Before his death, it is alleged that he wrote her a letter, which he signed 'From your Valentine,' an expression that is still in use today. Although the truth behind the Valentine legends is murky, the stories certainly emphasize his appeal as a sympathetic, heroic, and, most importantly, romantic figure. It's no surprise that by the Middle Ages, Valentine was one of the most popular saints in England and France.
While some believe that Valentine's Day is celebrated in the middle of February to commemorate the anniversary of Valentine's death or burial -- which probably occurred around 270 A.D -- others claim that the Christian church may have decided to celebrate Valentine's feast day in the middle of February in an effort to 'christianize' celebrations of the pagan Lupercalia festival. In ancient Rome, February was the official beginning of spring and was considered a time for purification. Houses were ritually cleansed by sweeping them out and then sprinkling salt and a type of wheat called spelt throughout their interiors. Lupercalia, which began at the ides of February, February 15, was a fertility festival dedicated to Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture, as well as to the Roman founders Romulus and Remus.
To begin the festival, members of the Luperci, an order of Roman priests, would gather at the sacred cave where the infants Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome, were believed to have been cared for by a she-wolf or lupa. The priests would then sacrifice a goat, for fertility, and a dog, for purification.
The boys then sliced the goat's hide into strips, dipped them in the sacrificial blood and took to the streets, gently slapping both women and fields of crops with the goathide strips. Far from being fearful, Roman women welcomed being touched with the hides because it was believed the strips would make them more fertile in the coming year. Later in the day, according to legend, all the young women in the city would place their names in a big urn. The city's bachelors would then each choose a name out of the urn and become paired for the year with his chosen woman. These matches often ended in marriage. Pope Gelasius declared February 14 St. Valentine's Day around 498 A.D. The Roman 'lottery' system for romantic pairing was deemed un-Christian and outlawed. Later, during the Middle Ages, it was commonly believed in France and England that February 14 was the beginning of birds' mating season, which added to the idea that the middle of February -- Valentine's Day -- should be a day for romance. The oldest known valentine still in existence today was a poem written by Charles, Duke of Orleans to his wife while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London following his capture at the Battle of Agincourt. The greeting, which was written in 1415, is part of the manuscript collection of the British Library in London, England. Several years later, it is believed that King Henry V hired a writer named John Lydgate to compose a valentine note to Catherine of Valois.
Well, I think it will be helpful to know the history before actually celebrating it. Why? Because I am a Muslim (btw have you read a book of the same title written by Dina Zaman? A cool author who speaks sincerely of her mind about the things surrounding her). Reading from the history mentioned, one cannot help but to make a conclusion regarding the main important basic for the celebration of Valentine's Day. It was first celebrated to honour the 3 saints who fought for the glory of Christianity.
So what are we actually celebrating when we say we celbrate Valentine's Day? Exactly - we are actually celebrate the history that is associated with Christian's glorifying 3 saints. Okay people, don't get me wrong. I am not condemning the Christians or anything. But today's blog is mainly to remind myself and others who seems to be celebrating Valentine's Day blindly and not to mentioned foolishly. Well, personally I have nothing against celebrating the day itself. During my "Jahiliyyah Age"; I do celebrate Valentine's Day by sending cards to my family members and friends. During my Matriculation years in Bangsar, the old Jusco in Jalan Telawi used to sell pretty card during Valentines. What makes them different from other cards? They didn't have the word Valentine printed on it, which is a relief. Each time I send a card to my Ayah, he will definitely give me the "Valentine's Tazkirah" over the phone, on why we are not supposed to celebrate Valentines, why Valentine's is not part of our culture - and of course me being me will retaliate each statement given. Father's day, Mother's Day are also not part of my culture - but why are we still celebrating it? Yup, Ayah had to put up with my strong headed arguments.
Perhaps its because love is supposed to be celebrated every day. I mean myBabah did not have to wait for Valentine's day to give my Bonda a bouquete of roses. Then I thought perhaps it wass wrong to celebrate Valentine's because virgins are so ever eager to lose it during this "Holy Day" or because to many sins are being done during this time - for us Muslim as adultery are a strict No-No (I am sure all of you knows right?). Basically my conclusion was that its not right to celebrate Valentine's Day because of the sins Muslims do during the day.
Personally I think that nowadays the Valentine's celebration has been too commercialized. A spokesperson from a local florist mentioned that every year around Valentine's day the price of flowers will be increAsed by at least 30%. No wonder a bouquet of Red Roses now costs around RM 150 and above. It means that couples will have to plan sooo ahead before Valentines Day. Merely because of the money spend on the flowers, gifts and not to mentioned that bloody expensive diners.
Imagine having to spend average of RM 150 for the flowers, another RM 150 for the bears ( it can be more if we were talkingabout jewelleries)
Some interesting facts regarding Valentines Celebration:
- 188 million Valentine's Day cards are exchanged annually, making Valentine's Day the second-most popular greeting-card-giving occasion. (This total excludes packaged kids valentines for classroom exchanges.) (Source: Hallmark research)
- Over 50 percent of all Valentine's Day cards are purchased in the six days prior to the observance, making Valentine's Day a procrastinator's delight. (Source: Hallmark research)
- Research reveals that more than half of the U.S. population celebrates Valentine's Day by purchasing a greeting card. (Source: Hallmark research)
Haha, I do not celebrate Valentines as per say but I still participate in the event activities in the office or my work place with the intention of only bringing joy to others and none personal. So don't expect me to give you flowers and chocolates etc okay love :)
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