১৪ ফেব্রুয়ারি কেন পালিত হয় ভ্যালেন্টাইনস ডে? ইতিহাস ও প্রেক্ষিত

Nirbheek Bengali, Mahesh De, Asansol: The last and most special day of Valentine's Week is 14th February. This day is celebrated as a festival of love all over the world. The importance of Valentine's Day as a unique occasion to express love, affection and relationships is increasing day by day. But the question arises – why is this day celebrated on 14th February? History says that this day has been named after the Christian priest Saint Valentine. The third century Roman emperor Claudius II believed that unmarried men were more skilled in warfare. That's why he banned young people from marrying. But St. Valentine secretly grants marriage to loving couples. For this reason he is arrested and given death sentence. According to popular belief, 14 February was his death anniversary. Later, the Christian religious leader Pope Gelasius I declared 4th February 14th as “St Valentine's Day”. Through this, Christian tradition was established instead of the Roman festival of Luparcaliar. There was a popular belief in Europe in the Middle Ages that birds started choosing mates from February 14th. This idea associates the day with love and romance. Gradually, the day became a symbol of love through literature and culture. Presently Valentine's Day is celebrated as a day of expression of love worldwide. Flowers, gifts, greeting cards or special moments—all in all, February 14th has become a special day to celebrate relationships. Due to the combination of historical story, religious decisions and folk beliefs, this day is recognized today as a symbol of love.