There are many versions about the origin of this Valentine's Day celebration. The most popular is the story of Saint Valentine is believed to be alive at the time of Emperor Claudius II who then meet death on February 14, 269 M. But even this there are several versions. What is clear and has no clash of ideas is when we probe further into the traditions of paganism (the gods) Ancient Rome, something that is filled with legend, myth, and idolatry.
According to traditional views of ancient Rome, mid-February was already known as a period of love and fertility. In the chronicle of ancient Athenian calendar, the period between mid-January to mid-February called Gamelion month, which is dedicated to the sacred marriage god Zeus and Hera.
In ancient Rome, February 15, known as the feast of Lupercalia, which refers to the name of one god named Lupercus, the god of fertility. God is portrayed as a man who half-naked and dressed in goat skins.
In an age of ancient Rome, the priests of each dated February 15, will perform the ritual worship of the god Lupercus with a goat sacrifice to the gods. After that they drink wine and will be running in the streets of Rome holding pieces of sheep skin and touching anyone they meet. The young women will compete for goat skin touched it because they believe that a touch of goat skin will be able to bring fertility to them. Something very proud in Rome at the time.
The celebration of Lupercalia was a series of purification rituals in ancient Roman times that took place between 13-18 February, where on February 15, reached its peak. The first two days (13-14 February), dedicated to the goddess of love (Queen of Feverish Love) named Juno Februata.
On this day, the boys get together and draw the names of the girl in a box. Then every youth are welcome to take names at random. The girl who called out to be his girlfriend for a full year to have fun and be the object of entertainment of the young people who choose it.
The next day, February 15, they are to the temple to ask for protection from interference wolf god Lupercalia. During this ceremony, the young man whipped the girls with animal skin. The perempuann was scrambling to get a crack because it considers that more and more get a crack so they will grow beautiful and fertile.
When the incoming Roman Catholic Christianity, they adopted the pagan rites (idols) and color it with shades of Christianity. Among others, they changed the names of the girls with the names of the Pope or Pastor. Among the supporters was the Emperor Constantine and Pope Gregory I.
In order to get closer again to the Christian doctrine, in 496 AD Pope Gelasius I made the ancient Roman ceremony this be a Day of Celebration Church with the name of Saint Valentine's Day to honor Saint Valentine who happened to die on February 14.
About who the real Saint Valentine himself, as has been alluded to in advance, historians still disagree. Currently there are at least three names Valentine, who died on 14 February. One of them described as persons who die in the Roman period. But even this did not exist a detailed explanation of who the real "St.. Valentine "intended, also with a story that was never known to edge-base for each source tells a different story.
According to the first version, the Emperor Claudius II who ordered the Roman Empire furious and ordered the arrest and jailing of Saint Valentine because he boldly declared his god is Isa Al-Masih, while refusing to worship god, god of the Romans. People who sympathize with Saint Valentine then write a letter and put it in his prison bars.
The second version to tell the Emperor Claudius II thought single young soldier is more steadfast and strong in battle than those who married. So last emperor forbade the young men who became soldiers to marry. The action of this emperor secretly opposition from St. Valentine, and he secretly married much too young until he was caught and arrested. Emperor Cladius decide hanging for Saint Valentine. Executions carried out on February 14, 269 M.
SEND TRADITION
In addition, the tradition of sending Valentine cards themselves have no link with Saint Valentine. In 1415 AD, when the Duke of Orleans was imprisoned in the Tower of London, in celebration of the church commemorate St. Valentine's Day February 14, he sent a poem to his wife in France.
By Geoffrey Chaucer, English poet, the events linked with the mating season of birds in his poetry.
So, how to say "Be My Valentine?" Which until now still found in many greeting cards or otherwise directly by their respective spouses? Ken Sweiger said the word "Valentine" is derived from Latin which has similarities with the meaning: "the Almighty, the Most Powerful, and the Almighty". This word is actually in the days of Ancient Rome addressed to Nimrod and Lupercus, a Roman god.
Knowingly or not, so Sweiger, if someone asks another person or their partner becomes "To be my Valentine?", Then with it we have actually committed a blatant act of God's wrath, the term Sweiger, because asking someone to be "The Supreme power "and it was tantamount to an effort to revive the culture of worshiping idols.
As for Cupid (meaning: the desire), the baby or a beautiful half-naked man who winged with arrows is the son of Nimrod "the hunter" Sun-god. God Called Love, because she was so beautiful, so hunted a lot of women even told that his own mother was interested in so doing incest with a child's birth!
Cross dispute who the real Saint Valentine himself is also going on in the Catholic Church itself. According to the Catholic Church as written in The Catholic Encyclopedia (1908), the name of Saint Valentine was at least refer to the three martyr or a saint (a saint) are different, namely: a priest in Rome, a bishop Interamna (modern Terni), and a martyr in the Roman province of Africa. The connection between the three martyrs with Valentine's Day is also not clear.
Even Pope Gelasius II, at 496 states that in fact nothing is known for certain about these martyrs, however Gelasius II remains declared on 14 February each year as a memorial feast day of Saint Valentine.
Some say, Pope Gelasius II, accidentally set it to match the feast of Lupercalia which was celebrated on February 15.
Skeletal remains unearthed from the tomb of Saint Hyppolytus on Via Tibertinus near Rome, identified as a corpse St. Valentinus. The body was then placed in a gold coffin and sent to the Church Whitefriar Street Carmelite Church in Dublin, Ireland. The body has been given to them by Pope Gregory XVI in 1836.
Many tourists who make pilgrimages to this church on Valentine's Day, in which the gold coffin was carried in a solemn procession and brought to a high altar in the church. On that day, a special mass was held and presented to the young people and those who are in a relationship of love. Feast day was removed from the Church calendar in 1969 on the grounds as part of a larger church effort to remove the saints and that its origin could not be accounted for solely based on myths or legends. But nevertheless, this Mass is still celebrated by some church groups.
Clearly, Valentine's Day actually originated from myths and legends of ancient Roman times where the trust is still valid paganism (idolatry). Catholic Church itself can not agree on who the real Saint Valentine who is considered a martyr on February 14. However, this celebration had officially commemorated Whitefriar Church Street Carmelite Church in Dublin, Ireland and officially banned in 1969. Several groups of Catholic churches still hold this memorial each year.
BUSINESS INTERESTS
If it was Valentine's Day still dihidup-turn on until now, there are even more lively impression, it is none other than the efforts of entrepreneurs engaged in printing greeting cards, business hotels, business interest, business organizer, and a number of other entrepreneurs who have been reaping the benefits enormously from that event.
They deliberately, through promotion and marketing strength, blow-niupkan Day Valentine's Day as a special day very special for a loved one, for merchandise they sell and they get very, very big profits. This is what is often referred to by sociologists as the industrialization of religion, where religious celebration by capitalist deflected into a business celebration.
PARTY disobedience
Christendom is another title to the lands or Christian countries in the West. Originally only Christian reference to mainland Europe such as Britain, France, Holland, Germany, and so on, but nowadays also penetrated into the mainland United States.
People usually think that the celebration of Valentine's Day from America. But history states that the celebration of Valentine's Day actually originated in England. In the 19th century, the British Empire still ruled the North American region. Culture Kingdom of England was then imported by the colonies in North America.
In America, the first Valentine cards are mass produced printed after the year 1847 by Esther A. Howland (1828 - 1904) from Worcester, Massachusetts. Her father owned a bookstore and office supply stores are great. Mr. Howland was inspired to produce the cards in the United States from a British Valentine card she received. His work was later followed by other employers until now.
Since 2001, The Greeting Card Association (U.S. Greeting Card Association) each year issued an award "Esther Howland Award for a Greeting Card Visionary" to the best card printing company.
Since Howland Happy Valentine's Day greeting cards produced in America, mass production made cards in selutuh world. The Greeting Card Association estimates that worldwide, approximately one billion Valentine cards are sent per year. This is the second biggest holiday after Christmas and New Year (Merry Christmast and The Happy New Year), where the greeting cards sent. The same association also estimates that the women who buy less than 85% of all valentine cards.
Starting in the second half of the 20th century, the tradition of exchange of cards in the United States have diversification. Greeting cards that had been holding a central point, now only as an accompaniment of a bigger prize. This is often done male to female. Gifts can include roses and chocolates. Beginning in the 1980s, the diamond industry began to promote Valentine's Day as an opportunity to give jewelry to women's choices.
In the United States and some Western countries, a date on Valentine's Day is often interpreted as the beginning of a serious relationship. This makes the celebration of Valentine's Day there is more 'dating' that often ends with sleep together (adultery) rather than the disclosure of affection from children to parents, to teachers, and so sincere and not accompanied by physical contacts. This is the real essence of Valentine's Day.
Valentine's Day celebrations in Western countries is generally perceived as a day in which dating couples can do anything, something that is commonplace in Western countries, throughout the night. In fact, in various hotel organized various competitions and events that ended in each room is filled with a couple different kinds. This is considered normal, not to mention a more party-party be closed and disgusting.
PARTICIPATE RECOGNISING JESUS AS GOD
Each year before the month of February, many young Indonesian Muslims claim that in fact went along busy preparing for the celebration of Valentine. Despite many of whom have heard that Valentine's Day is one of the Christian holiday that contains the values of Christian faith, but this does not really mess around them. "Ah, I'm ngerayaain Valentine for fun-fun aja ...," so many young Muslims behave. Can be justified like that attitude and outlook?
Valentine's Day Celebration includes a recognition of the claims of Christian dogma and ideology as acknowledged, "Jesus as the Son of God" and so forth. Celebrating Valentine's Day also means, directly or indirectly, participate admit the truth of Christian dogma and ideology that, whatever the reason was.
Well, if there is a Muslim who went along to celebrate Valentine's Day, then admit it or not, he also went along to receive the view that "Jesus as the Son of God" and so forth which in Islam is already included in the deed polytheists, associating partners with Allah SWT, an act that will not receive forgiveness from Allah SWT. Naudzubillahi min dzalik!
"Whoever imitates a people is he including those of people," so the sound hadith the Prophet narrated by Tirmidhi.
Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jauziyah rahimahullah also said, "Giving congratulations on the event that a special ritual infidels to them, it was agreed that the act was unlawful. Like to congratulate for their feasts and fasts, by saying, "Happy holidays!" And the like. For those who said it, even if not to the disbelief, at least it is an unlawful act. Means he has to congratulate for their acts in associating partners with Allah. Even the act was a greater sin in Allah's wrath and more than congratulated for the actions of drinking alcohol or kill. Many people who do not understand religion mired in an act without realizing the bad deeds. He has prepared himself to get the anger and wrath of God. " Allah alone in the Quran surah Al-Maidah verse 51 forbids Muslims to imitate or emulate the Jews and the Christians, "O ye who believe, do not take Jews and Christians become leaders ( mu); They will sebahagian is the leader for another. Whoever among you takes them to become leaders, then surely it belonged to them. Verily Allah does not guide the unjust people. "