It's Valentine's Day! Duh! You already knew that. But maybe you DIDN'T know how it came to be a holiday of sorts. So check out this history to learn a bit about WHY we celebrate today from National Geographic Kids (no, it's not because you get candy!):
The holiday we know today got its name from a man named Valentine. While a few different stories are told about what he did to inspire the holiday, many people believe he’s celebrated for his role as a Roman priest who helped couples secretly get married. As the story goes, Emperor Claudius II of Rome—who reigned from the year 268 A.D. to 270 A.D.—banned marriage because he thought unmarried men made better soldiers. Valentine thought this was unfair and decided to break the rules and perform marriages anyway. He kept the ceremonies quiet, but he was eventually caught and later killed on February 14 of the year 270 for defying the emperor. Right before he died, Valentine supposedly wrote the first-ever “valentine” to his jailer’s daughter, with whom he’d fallen in love. Later, in the 5th century, Pope Gelasius I declared the day of his death as St. Valentine’s Day. Not sure what to do for Valentine's Day? Come to the library and check out our romance section!
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AuthorHi! I am Areadingwoman (otherwise known as Melissa Arenson). I just love books! I have a bachelor's degree in 9-12 English education, a master's degree in literature, and a specialist's degree in library science. Archives
January 2023
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