Happy Valentine's day

Valentine's Day , also known as Valentine's Day , is a day to celebrate love.
Although it is easy for children, even the youngest ones, to understand that there is a day dedicated to people who are in love or who love each other, they may wonder who this Valentine is, and why it is celebrated on February 14. .

So today we tell you, in a simple way, the history of Valentine's Day (and some of its legends) so that you know How to explain it to your little ones.

The origin of Valentine's Day

The origin of this celebration dates back to the 3rd century, in Rome.

According to the most widespread theory, Saint Valentine was a bishop born in Terni (city of which he is still the patron saint today) who had dedicated, in the second century AD, his life to his city , the scene of terrible persecutions against the followers of Jesus. He was proclaimed a saint in 197 AD by Pope Saint Feliciano and patron saint of lovers because, it is said, he was the first to have celebrated the union between a pagan legionary and a young Christian woman.

There are two different versions of the end of Valentine's life. The first one that was imprisoned and stoned, far from his city, at the request of Emperor Aurelian who began persecutions against Christians.
And the second version, Instead, he says that Saint Valentine had tried to convert Emperor Claudius II and he had been captured and beheaded.

But one of the legends says that , during his imprisonment, he fell in love with the blind daughter of his jailer, Asterio, who, thanks to his faith, had restored the young woman's sight and who, before being beheaded, had sent his beloved a farewell note signed "from your Valentine."

What story to choose to explain Valentine's Day to children?

With so many versions or interpretations about who Valentine's Day was or why it is associated with lovers ( even we can get confused about the story to explain to children.)

We can choose to tell some of the legends of Valentine's Day.

Valentine's Day legends for children

We already have some information about who Saint Valentine was, but to make the explanation simpler or more enjoyable for children, we can also choose some of the legends that have been born over the centuries.
Let's tell some of them.

• The legend of the flowers . It is said that on Valentine's Day Valentine used to give flowers to young people who passed by his garden: hence the custom of giving bouquets and cards to your loved one was born.
• The Legend of Sabinus and Serapia. The young Roman centurion Sabinus fell madly in love with the beautiful Serapia of Terni, but his parents opposed the marriage: Sabinus was a pagan and they were Christians. Sabinus turned to Bishop Valentine to receive baptism, but bad luck loomed. Serapia became seriously ill with tuberculosis and at the bedside of the dying Valentino baptized Sabinus and married the two lovers, who later died together.
• The Legend of the Rose of Reconciliation . One day, in Valentin's garden, two lovers were walking intent on arguing. Valentine went to meet them holding a rose and praying to the Lord to take care of these young lovers. Some time later the couple returned to Valentín to receive the blessing of their marriage. In a short time the story that Valentine was attentive to lovers and prayed for them spread everywhere and pilgrims began to arrive from all over on the 14th of each month. Thus, the 14th became the day dedicated to the blessings of lovers, but the tradition ended in January 273, when Valentine died.

Today is, after all, a special day in which we celebrate love; the universal language that we all understand. ❤️