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| LOVE
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Love is a state of
mind and heart, a warm, tender feeling and a deep,
affectionate devotion. True love is not dependent
on beauty, physical health or wealth.
True
love is glorious ! Luscious !!
Holy
Bible, 1 Corinthians 13.4--8 :
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Love is patient, love is kind.
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It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
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It is not rude, it is not self-seeking.
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It is not easily angered; it keeps no record of
wrongs.
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Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with
the truth.
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It always protects, always trusts, always hopes,
always perseveres.
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Love never fails.
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| St.
Valentine's Day or Lovers Day - February 14 |
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St.
Valentine's Day is a day dedicated exclusively to lovers.
It's a day to express oneself and make the other person
feel special. It's
a day to send cards, candy and Valentines
Day flowers, share romantic poems and
love songs, propose your love to your sweetheart. It’s
a day; we got to know each other much better. It’s
a day we hoped would never end!
St. Valentine's Day is celebrated on February 14 by
the custom of giving or sending affectionate greeting
cards or gifts to express love and affection to a chosen
partner. The cards, known as valentines, are generally
sent anonymously. Like other greeting cards, there are
many verities, but Valentine cards are often designed
with hearts to symbolize love. It is estimated that,
world-wide, approximately one billion valentine cards
are sent each year, making the day the second largest
card-sending holiday of the year behind Christmas. This
statistics is unbelievable but it is a fact that every
year the card/gift sending is on increase. |
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There
are many legend about St. Valentine's Day, among that
three Roman martyrs, all are named St Valentine or Valentinus,
who lived in the 3rd century, but about whom nothing
specific is known. |
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| Legends
/ The History of Valentine's Day |
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One
legend says that
Valentine was a priest. He lived in 3rd century and
served as a priest in Rome. The then Emperor Claudius
II believed that the single men are better soldiers
than those who are residing with wives and families
and he outlawed marriage for young men. Claudius had
forbidden marriages and Christian conversions. Valentine,
realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius.
He refused to accept the Roman Gods and carried on his
religious duties and continued to perform marriages
for young lovers in secret. When Valentine's actions
were discovered, he was imprisoned for disobedience.
Claudius ordered that he be put to death and he was
executed on the 14th day of February which may occurred
around 270 A.D.
Other story tells that
Valentine, a Christian priest, may have been killed
for attempting to help Christians escape harsh Roman
prisons where they were often beaten and tortured. |
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| A
Love Story
Most popular legend --- Valentine was a young, handsome
Christian devotee who always closely associated with
the villager’s difficulties and problems. He helps
needy, care the poor, pray for the sick and he was also
a physician and would cure the sick. He helped young
lovers for their marriage, though it was against the
then Emperor Claudius who believed that the single men
are better soldiers than those who are residing with
wives and families and he outlawed marriage for young
men. Valentine became very popular shortly and the news
reached in the ear of the Emperor Claudius II. Claudius
wants to put an end of Valentine’s activities
and he was arrested and put into jail charging Christian
conversion. But he continued these activities in jail
secretly.
Once, the jailer’s young and blind daughter happened
to hear the preaching of Valentine and she was very
much impressed. They talk together, sit together and
pray together. She put out her sorrow at his feet-the
sorrow of a blind. He depicted the greatness of God’s
creations. She saw the beauty of God’s creations,
mountains, rivers every thing on the earth, sky and
sea through his words. They fell in love. Her irresistible
thirst to see his face or by their prayers or due to
herbal medicine given by him, a miracle happened, her
blindness cured, she gained her sight. She saw his face!
But the happiness last only for a short period!
When Claudius came to know that Valentine’s imprisonment
had not changed enduring Christian spirit in him and
no way affected Valentine’s popularity Claudius
ordered him death punishment. Valentine was executed
on 14th February. However, on the day of his death Valentine
wrote a note to his girlfriend, 'the jailer's daughter'
and signed it - 'From Your Valentine'. This great man
who died for his beliefs, for his enduring love of the
Christian God, was chosen as the patron Saint of lovers.
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There
are many popular folklores; few are copied as below:-
“ While some believe that Valentine's Day is celebrated
in the middle of February to commemorate the anniversary
of Valentine's death or burial. Others claim that the
Christian church may have decided to celebrate Valentine's
feast day in the middle of February in an effort to
'christianize' celebrations of the pagan Lupercalia
festival. In ancient Rome, February was the official
beginning of spring and was considered a time for purification.
Sweeping them out and then sprinkling salt and a type
of wheat called spelt throughout their interiors ritually
cleansed houses. Lupercalia, which began at the ides
of February, February 15, was a fertility festival dedicated
to Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture, as well as
to the Roman founders Romulus and Remus. "
“ St Valentine's Day was supposedly started in
the time of the Roman Empire. In Ancient Rome, the date
of February 14 was a holiday to honor the Queen of Roman
Goddesses and Gods, Juno. Juno was known as the Goddess
of women and marriage. The next day February 15 was
the first day of the Festival known as the Feast of
Lupercia.
On February 14 is was said that the young boys and girls
of the villages would write down the names of every
girl and place these names in a jar of which each young
man would have to draw a name of a girl and this particular
maiden would be their partner for the duration of the
festival. Sometimes these parings would last a year
and end up in marriage’” |
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Stories
on February 14
It was a custom, on February 14 the young boys and girls
of the villages would write down the names of every
girl and place these names in a jar of which each young
man would have to draw a name of a girl and this particular
maiden would be their partner for the duration of the
festival. Sometimes these parings would last a year
and end up in marriage.
St Valentine's Day was probably started in the time
of the Roman Empire. In Ancient Rome, the date of February
14 was a holiday to honor the Queen of Roman Goddesses
and Gods, Juno. Juno was known as the Goddess of women
and marriage. The next day February
15 was the first day of the Festival known as the Feast
of Lupercia.
Another Interesting origin is that St Valentine was
the patron Saint of Epilepsy,
reason was that he was supposedly a sufferer of the
disease and took a keen interest in those who suffered
from this affliction and also that those who suffered
this disease were suffering from Valentine's
sickness.
Ladies are facing enormous pressure at campus, office,
home and severe problems related to personal relation,
health, finance and in many cases, she needs at least
a moral support and few words of consolation. |
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