VALENTINE'S DAY

If we're told to associate love with a date, most of us would - without a doubt - answer February 14th because that day is familiar to us as the day of love, also known as Valentine's Day. This sweet day is filled with chocolates, flowers, handwritten notes, and other gifts that come from the deepest part of our hearts to give to our family members, friends, lover, even strangers! But how exactly did the tradition of Valentine's Day start?

Valentine's Day got its name from a man named Valentine. He's a Roman priest who - according to many people - helped couples secretly get married. There are a lot of different stories about St. Valentine, but he's still celebrated nonetheless.

Emperor Claudius II of Rome banned marriage at that time as he thought unmarried men were better soldiers since they wouldn't have to be responsible for family. St. Valentine thought the emperor's rule was unfair to those in love, so he broke the rules and helped couples secretly get married. He continued helping couples get married until he was caught, jailed, and killed on February 14th. But before he died, he allegedly wrote a love letter to his jailer's daughter whom he fell in love with. It wasn't until the 5th century that Pope Gelasius I declared the day of his death as St. Valentine's Day.

Surprisingly, many years before Valentine was even born, people in Rome already celebrated an ancient festival focused on love. To be more specific, they focused on matchmaking. Boys would draw the names of girls from a container and whoever they get have to stay with them until the end of the festival. Some pairs would actually end up married. People matched the two traditions together and thus came the modern version of Valentine's Day. Instead of matchmaking, people started exchanging handwritten love notes, cards, and gifts.

There are plenty of ways to show your loved ones you love them. It could be shown by words, small acts of kindness, or just exclaim loudly to the world how much you love them! OSIS Bid. 10 hopes that you've spent the day of love well and full of happiness. God bless!

Written by:

Jeanny Amelia (XS3)