13 Feb 2018

Valentine’s Day is a time when people across the world show feelings of love, affection and friendship.

It is celebrated in many ways and falls on February 14 each year.

Even though the  origins of Valentine’s  day was not clear, www.timeanddate.com says it originated from a Christian feast honouring some early saints named St Valentine, a Roman priest who was martyred on or around February 14 in the year 270 Common Era (CE).

How he became the patron saint of lovers remains a mystery, but one theory is that the church used the day of St Valentine’s martyrdom to Christianise the old Roman Lupercalia, a pagan festival held around the middle of February.

However, the editors of Encyclopedia Britannica, which was last updated on January 19 2018, said St Valentine defied the emperor’s orders and secretly married couples to spare the husbands from war.

It is for this reason that this day is associated with love.

Although it came to be celebrated as a day of romance from about the 14th century, the day has expanded to expressions of affection among relatives and friends.

On this day some people take their partners or admirers for romantic dinners while some give greeting cards, jewellery, chocolates or flowers (particularly roses).

The day is symbolised with red, pink colours, hearts, roses, images and statue cupid’s bows and arrows which signify romance and love.

In  an interview with BOPA, a vendor at Kanye Shoppers Mall, Ms Khumo Akanyang said Valentine’s Day is observed every year for people to express love and affection for each other.

She said although the day is generally associated with lovers, one can still celebrate it with family as they are also important people in one’s life.

However, she cheerfully shared that she usually makes good business on the day because demand for airtime is ever so high.

Ms Annah Tshekoesele said she usually spends the day with family, but this time she will be celebrating the birth of her son, who turns a year on Valentine’s Day.

Ms Tshekoesele said she will be celebrating the birth of her son, who will be turning one year on Valentine’s Day.

She said she wrap up the day with dinner.

However, an elderly vendor who withheld her name, said she has no idea what Valentine’s Day stood for.

She said she takes the day like any other normal day.

For the 28-year-old Michael Kopi, Valentine’s Day is a special day to him and her girlfriend, adding that they exchange gifts.

But he also saw the day from a different angle as he said to some people it encourages bad things. Ends