When one door of happiness closes,
another opens.
But often we look so long at the closed door
that we do not see the one
that has been opened for us.

--Helen Keller--

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Sunday, February 04, 2007

Valentine's Day used to be on 15th February

Valentine's Day originated from the ancient Roman fertility festival of Lupercalia, which was celebrated on 15th Feb. During this festival, young men would draw the names of women from a box, & each pair of man & woman would remain a couple until the next year's celebration. Often they would fall in love & get married. In the 3rd century AD, Rome began to face a series of battles & civil uprising. When many of the men refused to join the army, Emperor Claudius II thought that it was coz they did not want to leave their loved ones behind and thus ordered for the cancellation of all marriages & engagements. 2 priests, Valentine & Marius, disobeyed the decree & continued to perform marriage ceremonies secretly. Valentine was caught on 14th Feb & dragged to jail, where he was later beaten to death & beheaded. Before his execution, Valentine himself fell in love with the jailer's daughter. In his final note to her, he signed off as "From your Valentine."

12:56 AM