I want to know about St. Valentine? What did this person do in real life? And is what we do today really good?
97501
Every February, across the country, candy, flowers, and gifts are exchanged between loved ones, all in the name of St. Valentine. But who is this mysterious saint and why do we celebrate this holiday? The history of Valentine's Day -- and its patron saint -- is shrouded in mystery. But we do know that February has long been a month of romance. St. Valentine's Day, as we know it today, contains vestiges of both Christian and ancient Roman tradition. So, who was Saint Valentine and how did he become associated with this ancient rite? Today, the Catholic Church recognizes at least three different saints named Valentine or Valentinus, all of whom were martyred.\n\nOne legend contends that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for young men -- his crop of potential soldiers. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When Valentine's actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death.
350018
This is a very intelligent question, brilliant!\nJesusChrist was a great guy,\nbut he died young and stayed dead as any other mortal.\nRESURECTION AFTER 3 DAYS HAS HAPPENED TO NOBODY.\nso relax....he's not a zombie.\nhe is whatever all the good spirts are.
95749
I always felt like it's one of those man made "holidays" (some people actually consider it a holiday) it makes people spend their money on presents, reastaurants, flowers, balloons, or whatever so who truly benefits from valentines day?. Love should be express on a daily basis, every day should be as special .
96127
Valentine's is celebrated on February 14, celebrated in various American and European countries by the exchange of valentines or love tokens.\n\nRoman Roots\nThe history of Valentine's Day is obscure, and further clouded by various fanciful legends. The holiday's roots are in the ancient Roman festival of Lupercalia, a fertility celebration commemorated annually on February 15. Pope Gelasius I recast this pagan festival as a Christian feast day circa 496, declaring February 14 to be St. Valentine's Day.\n\nValentines Galore\nWhich St. Valentine this early pope intended to honor remains a mystery: according to the Catholic Encyclopedia, there were at least three early Christian saints by that name. One was a priest in Rome, another a bishop in Terni, and of a third St. Valentine almost nothing is known except that he met his end in Africa. Rather astonishingly, all three Valentines were said to have been martyred on Feb. 14.\n\nMost scholars believe that the St. Valentine of the holiday was a priest who attracted the disfavor of Roman emperor Claudius II around 270. At this stage, the factual ends and the mythic begins. According to one legend, Claudius II had prohibited marriage for young men, claiming that bachelors made better soldiers. Valentine continued to secretly perform marriage ceremonies but was eventually apprehended by the Romans and put to death. Another legend has it that Valentine, imprisoned by Claudius, fell in love with the daughter of his jailer. Before he was executed, he allegedly sent her a letter signed "from your Valentine." Probably the most plausible story surrounding St. Valentine is one not focused on Eros (passionate love) but on agape (Christian love): he was martyred for refusing to renounce his religion.\n\nIn 1969, the Catholic Church revised its liturgical calendar, removing the feast days of saints whose historical origins were questionable. St. Valentine was one of the casualties.\n\nChaucer's Love Birds\nIt was not until the 14th century that this Christian feast day became definitively associated with love. According to UCLA medieval scholar Henry Ansgar Kelly, author of Chaucer and the Cult of Saint Valentine, it was Chaucer who first linked St. Valentine's Day with romance.\n\nIn 1381, Chaucer composed a poem in honor of the engagement between England's Richard II and Anne of Bohemia. As was the poetic tradition, Chaucer associated the occasion with a feast day. In "The Parliament of Fowls," the royal engagement, the mating season of birds, and St. Valentine's Day are linked:\n\nFor this was on St. Valentine's Day, \nWhen every fowl cometh there to choose his mate.\n\nTradition of Valentine's Cards\n Over the centuries, the holiday evolved, and by the 18th century, gift-giving and exchanging hand-made cards on Valentine's Day had become common in England. Hand-made valentine cards made of lace, ribbons, and featuring cupids and hearts eventually spread to the American colonies. The tradition of Valentine's cards did not become widespread in the United States, however, until the 1850s, when Esther A. Howland, a Mount Holyoke graduate and native of Worcester, Mass., began mass-producing them. Today, of course, the holiday has become a booming commercial success. According to the Greeting Card Association, 25% of all cards sent each year are valentines.
889550
What an incredible night I had with my man - we're falling in love and it was amazing! Like nothing I have ever felt before...pure bliss. And thinking about how lucky I am to be so blessed in my life. I don't make a bunch of money - can barely make ends meet. I live in a small apartment, but it's a roof over my head. I don't eat gourmet, but I have food in my fridge and can feed my daughter. I don't have a great car, but it gets me where I need to go. I am in a country where I don't have to watch what I say - if I want to voice a thought, that is my right to do so. I am a woman who can vote freely, speak freely, wear whatever I want, be with anyone I want, go anywhere, do anything...it's beautiful to be free. So I am thinking about how darn grateful I am to be alive today.\n\nThanks for asking this question...sometimes I get too stuck in my rut and bury my head, but today I am SO happy and your question makes me realize that.\n\nHave a SUPER day!
242821
Love and romance is real.  Just don't confuse it with what you read in a book.  Books condense a lifetime story into a couple of hours of reading.  What is in books is the result of someone spending a lot of time just to create an illusion that the reader can swim in.  Real life love and romance can be just as good but it is spread out over years and all the responsibilities and limitations that reality lay upon us.  That is why you learn to savor and hold tight to those special times with someone.  We all wish those times were daily or weekly but the truth of life is we spend a lot of it doing the mundane and just trying to survive.
172136
http://answers.yahoo.com/search/search_result?p=need+valentine
106476
The holiday probably derives from the ancient Roman feast of Lupercalis (February 15). Originally a festival for shepherds, it was celebrated in honour of Faunus. Its primary purpose was to secure fertility for the fields, the flocks, and the shepherds themselves. The festival gradually became associated with the feast day (February 14) of two Roman martyrs, both named St Valentine, who lived in the 3rd century, but about whom nothing specific is known. St Valentine has traditionally been regarded as the patron saint of lovers. An early reference is found in the works of Chaucer, who states that birds pair on St Valentine’s Day. The practice of calling oneself a “valentine” and asking one’s beloved to be the same, is referred to in the Paston Letters, the largest surviving collection of 15th-century English correspondence written by the Paston family and their neighbours in Norfolk.
150438
*sigh*\n\nOk call me a fuddy duddy. But I guess I just don't feel that love should be celebrated on this one day because we are supposed to. Love should be shown every day. I sooooooooo prefer someone doing something for me spontaneously on some odd day just cause they so want to, instead of because they feel obligated to. Soooo, I plan on ignoring the day........and surprising someone I truly care about when he least expects it. It's just so much more meaningful that way! *sorry for being a little poopy head when it comes to Valentine's day**
1045385
He's an illusionist.. even he says that. In every show, he looks awesome. You pay too much attention on attire. Just watch the show and enjoy it. He's catholic too. In one show I saw him do the sign of the cross. And him and his family had prayed on the show before.
115474
There are varying opinions as to the origin of Valentine's Day.  Some experts state that it originated from St. Valentine, a Roman who was martyred for refusing to give up Christianity.  He died on February 14, 269 A.D., the same day that had been devoted to love lotteries.  Legend also says that St. Valentine left a farewell note for the jailer's daughter, who had become his friend, and signed it "From Your Valentine".  Other aspects of the story say that Saint Valentine served as a priest at the temple during the reign of Emperor Claudius.  Claudius then had Valentine jailed for defying him.  In 496 A.D.  Pope Gelasius set aside February 14 to honour St. Valentine.
138296
It has something to do with a priest named Valentine who continued doing marriages even though it was forbidden in his part of the world.  Eventually, the church executed him.  On his last day, he sent someone a note and signed it, "Love, your Valentine."  For this, Hallmark makes millions every year.
150255
valentine's day came from St. Valentine. He is a roman priest in nearly 600-700 a.d. In his time, roman should praise their roman god and godess, but valentine worship Chrsit, our God. That's why the emperor of that time decided to persecute Valentine. While he was in the jail, waiting for his persecution, Valentine wrote a letter for his love ones. He was persecuted and died february 14. \n\nEvery year, his family and friends celebrate his death by sharing their love to each other. When valentine became a saint. The tradition of his family spread all over the world. Thats how valentine's day originatred.
514618
Very commercial and still a reminder needed for some .Asking parents regular for help and even saying thank you ,is great . But a day that you give to just that one is really nice .It should stop you from doing it more , but still a special day , as a birthday .Even though I no long have birthdays ( I refused to age pass 35 yrs.), my children will call or come over and now say Happy unbirthday ! So they are undoing the years ! As far as commercial use , they have gone over board .Valentines  was a card . Then came flowers , candy , gifts  and what a cut in your pay check !There are some  people that will argue just before the date and make up after the date past .REALLY ! One guy told me it was cheaper to date all week than to take his girl out on Valentines Day .Besides half off the next day and he would say I bought this yesterday ,but we weren't talking . LOL
26153
is valentines christian????
93485
Awesome!!! My boyfriend woke me up at 4 in the morning, asked me to come out, and when I did, there was a giant banner across my unit (i live in an apartment) that said "Happy Valentine's Day, ..... I love you!" Awww... right? How was urs?
82987
Saint Valentine is supposed to be some sort of martyr, but it is actually a holiday kept alive by the greeting card, candy and flower industries.  Total 2006 Valentine's day retail is expected to exceed 13 and a half BILLION dollars.