Valentine’s Day is not everybody’s cup of tea. However its origins go back to Antiquity.
In the old Athens calendar, the ancient rite of Zeus and Hera’s marriage was celebrated in many parts of Greece between mid-January and mid-February. During the Roman Empire, Lupercalia, an archaic rite connected to fertility, took place from February 13 to February 15.
According to a popular legend Valentine was a bishop who served during the third century in Rome. At that time, the Emperor Claudius II prohibited marriage for young citizens because he believed that married men made poor soldiers. Valentine defied the emperor and continued to marry young people in secret. When his actions were discovered, he was jailed and sentenced to death. The legend tells that Valentine fell in love with the daughter of his jailer and on the day of his execution, the bishop gave her a note on which he had written “from your Valentine”.
In the Medieval period, people believed that birds began their mating season on February 14th.
Nowadays, Valentine’s Day is celebrated all around the world and is considered in many countries as a day to celebrate love and friendship. According to Hallmark, Valentine’s Day is the second largest card-sending holiday of the year after Christmas.
Here is a useful link to whisper sweet nothings in different languages.
The Aplingo team wishes you a Happy Valentine’s day! We remain at your disposal if you need translation services in the language of love or any other language. Do not hesitate to email us at translation@aplin.co.uk.
