Every February 14, thousands of couples take to the streets to celebrate Valentine’s Day, the date on which heart-shaped balloons, chocolates, flowers and stuffed animals will not be missing as a tribute to love.
But do you know why that date is celebrated on Valentine’s Day?
Its origin dates back to the time of the Roman Empire, towards the third century, when the governor was Claudius Aurelius Marcus Gothicus, known as Claudius II, who decided to ban marriages for young people because he felt that single people without family and with less ties were Better soldiers
At that moment in history, Valentin was born, a priest from Rome who decided to go against the norm and celebrate marriages clandestinely and fulfill the dream of young people to unite their lives in love.
When the emperor and the governor of Rome learned about this practice, they ordered to stop Valentin, who performed a miracle before being imprisoned. He looked back at a young woman named Julia who was born blind, the jailer’s daughter and whom she later fell in love with.
According to legend, during his detention, Valentín tried to convert the various authorities to Christianity and his execution was ordered. The day before his murder, he sent a note to his crush with the signature “De tu Valentín”.
Valentín was beheaded on February 14, 270. The young Julia planted an almond tree with pink flowers next to his grave, so the almond tree is considered a symbol of lasting love and friendship.
Many attribute to Julia’s writing to Julia the origin of the love letters or emails that you surely received sometime. In addition, Valentine’s Day, dedicated to love, has expanded and is not only around couples, but also based on friendship.