Saint Valentine's Day, commonly shortened to Valentine's Day, is an
annual commemoration held on February 14 celebrating love and
affection between intimate companions.
The day is named after one or more early Christian martyrs, Saint
Valentine, and was established by Pope Gelasius I in 500 AD. It was
deleted from the Roman calendar of saints
in 1969 by Pope Paul VI, but its religious observance is still
permitted. It is traditionally a day on which lovers express their
love for each other by presenting flowers,
offering confectionery, and sending greeting cards (known as
"valentines"). The day first became associated with romantic love in
the circle of Geoffrey Chaucer in the High
Middle Ages, when the tradition of courtly love flourished.
Modern Valentine's Day symbols include the heart-shaped outline,
doves, and the figure of the winged Cupid. Since the 19th century,
handwritten valentines have given way to
mass-produced greeting cards.
To-morrow is Saint Valentine's day,
All in the morning betime,
And I a maid at your window,
To be your Valentine.
Then up he rose, and donn'd his clothes,
And dupp'd the chamber-door;
Let in the maid, that out a maid
Never departed more.
—William Shakespeare, Hamlet, Act IV, Scene 5
Hayle Bishop Valentine whose day this is
All the Ayre is thy Diocese
And all the chirping Queristers
And other birds ar thy parishioners
Thou marryest every yeare
The Lyrick Lark, and the graue whispering Doue,
The Sparrow that neglects his life for loue,
The houshold bird with the redd stomacher
Thou makst the Blackbird speede as soone,
As doth the Goldfinch, or the Halcyon
The Husband Cock lookes out and soone is spedd
And meets his wife, which brings her feather-bed.
This day more cheerfully than ever shine
This day which might inflame thy selfe old Valentine.
—John Donne, Epithalamion Vpon Frederick Count Palatine and the Lady
Elizabeth marryed on St. Valentines day
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Regards;
VK Pandey
