happy valentine's day folks!
this year my special valentine is definately my iPod.
though not in pink.....no offence to those who *have* pink iPods.
and now, ladies and gentlemen, a short history.
this all started out as a Roman celebration of lupercalia, a festival of eroticism that honored Juno. on the ides of february notes with people's names on them would be drawn, pairing men and women for a year of feating and sexual escapades.
them christians didn't like that so they substitued the names for those of saints. people were supposed to exhibit the attributes of the choosen saint for a year. HA!
this didn't exactly catch on so they decided to turn the day into a festival of st. valentinus who had been martyred on feb 14th. now this st. valentine had been a chaste man so they "embellished" the story a bit...
according to one legend, valentinus ignored a decree from Emperor Claudius II that forbade all marriages and betrothals. caught in the act, Valentinus was imprisoned and sentenced to death for secretly conducting several wedding ceremonies. while imprisoned, the saint cured the jailer's daughter of blindness. she fell madly in love with Valentinus, but could not save him. on the eve of his execution, valentinus managed to slip a parting message to the girl. the note was signed "From your Valentine." and thus began the tradition of valentines.
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