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St.
Valentine's Day:
a
day that has been dedicated since the 14th century to lovers.
Valentine's Day is traditionally observed by the sending of
messages and gifts, usually employing the motif of a red heart,
by young men and women. *One tradition derives the customs of
the day from the old Roman February feast called the Lupercalia,
at which young men and maidens drew partners by lot for the
coming February feast. Later this ancient festival custom was
associated with the name of a Christian bishop, Valentine, who
was martyred Feb.
14, 271. Other tradition attributes the observances of the day
to the fact that it falls within the mating season for birds and
is, *therefore, an appropriate season for young people to choose
their "valentines," or lovers.
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