Valentine-Day-西方情人节简介-英文版

WhatisValentine'sDay?Valentine'sDayisacelebrationofromanticloveoccurringannuallyonFebruary14.AlthoughitsoriginisassociatedbylegendwithaCatholicsaintnamedValentine,thefactisValentine'sDayisnotareligiousholidayandneverreallyhasbeen.Valentine'sDayhashistoricalrootsmainlyinGreco-RomanpaganfertilityfestivalsandthemedievalnotionthatbirdspairofftomateonFebruary14.ThehistoryofexchangingcardsandothertokensofloveonFebruary14begantodevelopinEnglandandFranceinthe14thand15thcenturiesandbecameespeciallypopularintheUnitedStatesinthe19thand20thcenturies.Overthelastdecadeorso,Valentine'sDayobservancehasevenspreadtotheFarEast,India,andtheMiddleEast.WhatistheHistoryofValentine'sDay?TheoriginofassociatingthemiddleofFebruarywithloveandfertilitydatestoancienttimes.InancientAthens,theperiodbetweenmid-Januaryandmid-FebruarywasthemonthofGamelion,whichwasdedicatedtothesacredmarriageofZeusandHera.InancientRome,February15wasLupercalia,thefestivalofLupercus(orFaunus),thegodoffertility.Aspartofthepurificationritual,thepriestsofLupercuswouldsacrificegoatsandadogtothegod,andafterdrinkingwine,theywouldrunthroughthestreetsofRomestrikinganyonetheymetwithpiecesofthegoatskin.Youngwomenwouldcomeforthvoluntarilyfortheoccasion,believingthatbeingtouchedbythegoatskinwouldrenderthemfertile.Youngmenwouldalsodrawnamesfromanurn,choosingtheirblinddateforthecomingyear.In494ADtheChristianchurchunderPopeGelasiusIappropriatedthesomeaspectsoftheriteastheFeastofthePurification.InChristianity,atleastthreedifferentsaintsnamedValentineorValentinus,allofthemmartyrs,arementionedintheearlylivesofthesaintsunderthedateofFebruary14.TwooftheValentineslivedinItalyinthethirdcentury:oneasapriestatRome,theotherasbishopofTerni.TheyarebothsaidtohavebeenmartyredinRomeandburiedontheFlaminianWay.AthirdSt.ValentinewasmartyredinNorthAfricaandverylittleelseisknownofhim.SeverallegendshavedevelopedaroundoneormoreoftheseValentines,twoofwhichareespeciallypopular.Accordingtooneaccount,EmperorClaudiusIIoutlawedmarriageforallyoungmenbecausehebelievedunmarriedmenmadebettersoldiers.ValentinedefiedClaudiusandcontinuedtoperformmarriagesforyoungcouplesandwasputtodeathbytheemperorforit.ArelatedlegendhasValentinewritinglettersfromprisontohisbeloved,signingthemFromyourValentine.However,theconnectionbetweenSt.Valentineandromanticloveisnotmentionedinanyearlyhistoriesandisregardedbyhistoriansaspurelyamatteroflegend.ThefeastofSt.ValentinewasfirstdeclaredtobeonFebruary14byPopeGelasiusIaround498.ItissaidthepopecreatedthedaytocounterthepracticeheldonLupercalia,butthisisnotattestedinanysourcesfromthatera.ThefirstrecordedassociationofSt.Valentine'sDaywithromanticlovewasinthe14thcenturyinEnglandandFrance,whereitwasbelievedthatFebruary14wasthedayonwhichbirdspairedofftomate.ThuswereadinGeoffreyChaucer's(c.1343-1400)ParliamentofFowls,believedtobethefirstValentine'sDaypoem:ForthiswasonsaintValentine'sday,Wheneveryfowlcomestheretochoosehismate.ItbecamecommonduringthateraforloverstoexchangenotesonValentine'sDayandtocalleachothertheirValentines.ThefirstValentinecardwassentbyCharles,dukeofOrleans,tohiswifein1415whenhewasaprisonerintheTowerofLondon.Valentine'sDaylovenoteswereoftengivenanonymously.ItisprobablethatmanyofthelegendsaboutSt.Valentinedevelopedduringthisperiod(seeabove).Bythe1700s,verseslikeRosesarered,violetsarebluebecamepopular.Bythe1850s,romanticsinFrancebeganembellishingtheirvalentinecardswithgiltpaper,ribbonsandlace.GirlsmakingValentine'sDaycards.Valentine'sDaywasprobablyimportedintoNorthAmericainthe19thcenturywithsettlersfromBritain.IntheUnitedStates,thefirstmass-producedvalentinesofembossedpaperlacewereproducedandsoldshortlyafter1847byEstherA.Howland(1828-1904)ofWorcester,Massachusetts.Herfatheroperatedalargebookandstationerystore,andshetookherinspirationfromanEnglishvalentineshehadreceived.Inthe19thcentury,relicsofSt.ValentineweredonatedbyPopeGregoryXVItotheWhitefriarStreetCarmeliteChurchinDublin,Ireland,whichhasbecomeapopularplaceofpilgrimageonFebruary14.Butin1969,aspartofalargerefforttoparedownthenumberofsaintdaysoflegendaryorigin,theChurchremovedSt.Valentine'sDayasanofficialholidayfromitscalendar.Valentine'sDayCustomsandTraditionsPhoto:JanineHealy.TheprimarycustomassociatedwithSt.Valentine'sDayisthemutualexchangeoflovenotescalledvalentines.Commonsymbolsonvalentinesarehearts,thecolorsredandpink,andthefigureofthewingedCupid.Startinginthe19thcentury,thepracticeofhandwritingnotesbegantogivewaytotheexchangeofmass-producedgreetingcards.Thesecardsarenolongergivenjusttolovers,butalsotofriends,family,classmatesandcoworkers.Valentinecardsareoftenaccompaniedbytinycandyheartswithaffectionatemessagesprintedonthem.TheGreetingCardAssociationestimatesthatapproximatelyonebillionvalentinecardsaresentworldwideeachyear,makingValentine'sDaythesecondlargestcard-sendingholidayoftheyear,behindChristmas.Theassociationalsoestimatesthatwomenpurchaseapproximately85percentofallvalentines.Inthelast50yearsorso,especiallyintheUnitedStates,thepracticeofexchangingcardshasbeenextendedtoincludethegivingofgifts,usuallyfromamantoh