History |
Malicious rumours have it that the gifts trade invented Valentine's day in order to increase profit on another day of the year. Or that it was an invention of florists, who claim that giving away flowers on February 14th is essential.
But all that is not true.
It is said that there was a bishop named Valentin who married couples secretly although the emperor forbade it. He died on a February 14th which was also the day on which the Romans celebrated "Lupercalia".
Lupercalia was the feast of the goddess June, the patron of marriage. In memory of these two events, the 14th of February was later called Valentine's day.
In fact, this custom has survived until today.
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