Barrister Miti Sanjana :
Valentine’s Day is a time to celebrate romance and love. Valentine’s Day (or Saint Valentine’s Day) is observed on each February 14, by exchanging notes of affection, love, and devotion around the entire world.
The lovers celebrate Valentine’s Day by giving flowers, candy and cards to the loved ones. It is time to brush up on the origins of this festival and Valentine’s history!
In Roman mythology, Cupid (meaning ‘desire’ in Latin) is the god of desire, affection and erotic love. Cupid’s Greek counterpart was Eros. Cupid is the son of Venus, goddess of love who was also a messenger of Venus. He is also known as Amor (meaning ‘love’ in Latin). Cupid appeared as a winged infant carrying a bow and an arrow. This arrow is known as love arrow which wounds both gods and humans causing them to fall in love. Cupid is often referred as an icon of Valentine’s Day.
However, there are different versions of stories as to how the celebration of Valentine’s Day began. St Valentine was a priest during third century in Rome. There was an oppressive Roman emperor named Claudius II. Emperor Claudius II believed that single men made braver soldiers. He prohibited marriage for all young men serving in his army. St Valentine strongly protested his decision and went against him. When Emperor Claudius II found out such disobedience act of Valentine, he arrested and imprisoned him. Later the Emperor carried out the sentence of death.
There is another version of the story which states that Valentine was an imprisoned man. During the last few days of his life he fell in love with the jailor’s daughter who was his devoted student. Valentine was a very wise man. The jailer sent his daughter, Julia, to Valentine for lessons. The beautiful young girl was blind since her birth.
Valentine read many beautiful stories of Roman history to her. He described the beauties of world and nature to her. He was always there for Julia. The poor blind girl was becoming more and more curious about what was happening around her. Valentine was very happy to share whatever he knew with Julia who asked him thoughtful questions about nature, God and many more aspects of life. She was spellbound by his unique wisdom. His tantalizing verbal creations had made her more interested to learn and absorb knowledge from him. She was blessed and enriched by the wisdom radiated from him. She could see the entire world through his eyes. She was receiving the heartwarming one-on-one mentoring in the darkness of the small, confined and suffocating cell of the prison. She felt touched and healed somewhere deep inside by the kindness and love of Valentine. Tragically, the day of execution arrived.
Valentine became quiet as he contemplated his fate. He embraced the hangman’s noose wholeheartedly for the sake of love. On the eve of his death he wrote Julia his beloved the last goodbye note and signed it ‘From your Valentine.’
His death sentence was carried out on February 14, 270 AD. He was buried at the Church of Praxedes in Rome. In the loving memory of Valentine, Julia planted a pink-blossomed almond tree near his grave which remains today as a symbol of affection, love, and devotion.
February has been declared as the month of love to celebrate romance, love, desire and devotion in the honor of Saint Valentine. He sacrificed his precious life for the sake of love but is still alive in millions of hearts.
(The writer is an Advocate, Supreme Court of Bangladesh
and an activist)
Valentine’s Day is a time to celebrate romance and love. Valentine’s Day (or Saint Valentine’s Day) is observed on each February 14, by exchanging notes of affection, love, and devotion around the entire world.
The lovers celebrate Valentine’s Day by giving flowers, candy and cards to the loved ones. It is time to brush up on the origins of this festival and Valentine’s history!
In Roman mythology, Cupid (meaning ‘desire’ in Latin) is the god of desire, affection and erotic love. Cupid’s Greek counterpart was Eros. Cupid is the son of Venus, goddess of love who was also a messenger of Venus. He is also known as Amor (meaning ‘love’ in Latin). Cupid appeared as a winged infant carrying a bow and an arrow. This arrow is known as love arrow which wounds both gods and humans causing them to fall in love. Cupid is often referred as an icon of Valentine’s Day.
However, there are different versions of stories as to how the celebration of Valentine’s Day began. St Valentine was a priest during third century in Rome. There was an oppressive Roman emperor named Claudius II. Emperor Claudius II believed that single men made braver soldiers. He prohibited marriage for all young men serving in his army. St Valentine strongly protested his decision and went against him. When Emperor Claudius II found out such disobedience act of Valentine, he arrested and imprisoned him. Later the Emperor carried out the sentence of death.
There is another version of the story which states that Valentine was an imprisoned man. During the last few days of his life he fell in love with the jailor’s daughter who was his devoted student. Valentine was a very wise man. The jailer sent his daughter, Julia, to Valentine for lessons. The beautiful young girl was blind since her birth.
Valentine read many beautiful stories of Roman history to her. He described the beauties of world and nature to her. He was always there for Julia. The poor blind girl was becoming more and more curious about what was happening around her. Valentine was very happy to share whatever he knew with Julia who asked him thoughtful questions about nature, God and many more aspects of life. She was spellbound by his unique wisdom. His tantalizing verbal creations had made her more interested to learn and absorb knowledge from him. She was blessed and enriched by the wisdom radiated from him. She could see the entire world through his eyes. She was receiving the heartwarming one-on-one mentoring in the darkness of the small, confined and suffocating cell of the prison. She felt touched and healed somewhere deep inside by the kindness and love of Valentine. Tragically, the day of execution arrived.
Valentine became quiet as he contemplated his fate. He embraced the hangman’s noose wholeheartedly for the sake of love. On the eve of his death he wrote Julia his beloved the last goodbye note and signed it ‘From your Valentine.’
His death sentence was carried out on February 14, 270 AD. He was buried at the Church of Praxedes in Rome. In the loving memory of Valentine, Julia planted a pink-blossomed almond tree near his grave which remains today as a symbol of affection, love, and devotion.
February has been declared as the month of love to celebrate romance, love, desire and devotion in the honor of Saint Valentine. He sacrificed his precious life for the sake of love but is still alive in millions of hearts.
(The writer is an Advocate, Supreme Court of Bangladesh
and an activist)
