St.Valentine's Day

St.Valentine - one of the most respected Christian saints is thought to be saint patron of the beloved ones. In ancient Rome 14 February was celebrated as the day of Juno, the goddess of family and wedlock. But Roman Emperor Claudius the Goth thought that marriage interfered with the military politics of the Empire because it kept the soldiers close to their family and house. Claudius prohibited marriages but in spite of his order bishop Valentine continued to marry young couples secretly.The legend says he was executed for this reason on 14 February 270. In the Middle Ages according to the old custom on this day young people wrote the names of girls on sheets and put them into urns. Young boys then drew the pieces with the names of girls and became their Valentines and the girls became their Valentines. In "Hamlet" in the song of Ophelia Shakespeare has reminiscence of this ritual. According to this tradition on 14 February we congratulate our beloved and give them presents. Love is a motive power of life, from time immemorial it inspired poets, sculptors, painters to create great works of art.

Cupid Pendant
Netherlands
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Psykter
Ancient Greece
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Eros is Struck by Psyche's Beauty
Denis, Maurice.
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