Why is Valentine's Day celebrated?

Gifts, small messages, letters, romantic outings and more. Every February 14, we celebrate Valentine's Day, known in many countries as Valentine's Day, of love and friendship. It has different connotations around the world.

The story goes back to Rome. Legend has it that during the year 270, the great empire was in decline, weakened and lost the battle against its rivals. The then Emperor, Claudius III, considered that married men were making less in the fighting because they were emotionally related to their families..

That is why, immediately, the emperor ordered to ban the marriage.

That's how Valentine, a Christian bishop, dissatisfied with this decision, secretly started to unite in the sacred marriage the couples of young lovers who came to him.

When Claude III was informed, he arrested the religious and forced him to renounce Christianity. Faced with his refusal, he sentenced him to death.

It was during the last weeks of his life that one of his jailers recognized Valentin as a man of letters and took his daughter Julia, born by birth, to receive lessons from him.

So, Valentine read to him stories of Roman history, taught him arithmetic and told him about God. Julia learned to see the world through Valentine's eyes, until the young woman's successive calls to have a sense of vision were heard.

On the eve of his death, Valentín wrote a last letter to Julia asking him to stay close to God and signed to him "From you Valentín", without knowing that in this way was created the tradition of sending love messages on this particular date.

Valentín was executed the next day, February 14 of the year 270, near a door that was later called Valentine's Gate to honor his memory.

Valentine's Day is celebrated today by the exchange of love notes called "valentines", often accompanied by drawings representing the symbolic form of the heart. Since the nineteenth century, the exchange of mbad-produced postcards has been introduced, a practice that was later added to give other types of gifts.

How is celebrated in the world
The date has different connotations in each country. For example, In Colombia, it is not celebrated on February 14, but in September, because February is the month of the school season in most parts of the country. There, the tradition of the secret friend is common, consisting in drawing lots the recipient of a gift – man or woman – without this one knowing who gave it to them.

In Mexico, the love between the newlyweds with roses is demonstrated. In Peru, meanwhile, this holiday is known as the day of love and friendship.

In Japan, the celebration of Valentine's Day is quite special. It has been celebrated since the mid-20th century, initially promoted by a chocolate company.

As a particularity The fact that women give chocolates to men, whether they are relatives, friends or co-workers. As compensation, also derived from marketing, men return the favor a month later, on March 14, to a celebration known as White day ("White Day"), when they usually give white chocolates, marshmallows or any white gift, even underwear.