Valentine's day
Valentine's day was originally a pagan festival that was renamed after two Early Christian martyrs named Valentine. Until 1969, the Catholic Church formally recognized eleven Valentine's Days. Later on the day became associated with romantic love and especially with the mutual exchange of love notes in the form of "valentines".
Since the 19th century, handwritten notes have largely given way to mass-produced greeting cards. The popularity of Valentine cards in 19th-century America was a harbinger of the future commercialization of holidays in the western world. Only in the US approximately one billion Valentines are being sent each year, making the day the second largest card-sending holiday of the year, behind Christmas.
Paradoxically St. Valentine's day is currently considered a most important holiday and generates a huge marketing campaign even in Orthodox countries, such as Bulgaria, where it was only introduced after the fall of communism and happens to coincide with the orthodox holiday "Trifon Zarezan", the Day of Saint Trifon, patron of vine-growers, wine-producers and tavern-keepers.
Date added: Saturday, 14th of February 2009 02:32:24 PM
Author: Mellia