“The Origin of Holidays”: Saint Valentine’s Day
This holiday owes its origin to the Union of several events intertwined. Firstly, in the Roman time there was a big party named Lupercalia where the Romans sacrificed two goats and one dog, because goats were a symbol for Pan (God of Shepherds) who played his flue to attract women, and the dog represented the she-wolf which feed Romulus and Remos (The fathers of the city of Rome). After sacrificing those animals, the Romans made strips of leather from their skins and used to whip women in the sheet, because they believed that this was good luck for having babies. In this party, which was celebrated every 15th of February, they also played romantic games. That party was a “Party of Love”.
On the other hand, in the Romans days there was a Christian priest named Valentine who married young men and women even when the Roman Emperor made a law to ban that because he believed that young men had to go to war and not to be a husband before 40 years old. That’s why Valentine went to prison where he met and fell in love with the daughter of the prison guard, because she was blind and he healed her with his power.
Valentine was executed but before he left a letter of love to this girl signed “From your Valentine”. Valentine became a saint on 14thof February, and that is the reason most people celebrate love.
By Daniella Tamayo EC Malta