God and Goddesses of OLYMPUS

Fragment of a Hellenistic relief (1st century BC – 1st century AD) depicting the Twelve Olympians carrying their attributes in procession; from left to right, Hestia (scepter), Hermes (winged cap and staff), Aphrodite (veiled), Ares (helmet and spear), Demeter (scepter and wheat sheaf), Hephaestus (staff), Hera (scepter), Poseidon (trident), Athena (owl and helmet), Zeus (thunderbolt and staff), Artemis (bow and quiver), and Apollo (cithara) (from the Walters Art Museum)

 In Greek mythology, the Twelve Olympians, also known as the Dodekatheon (Greek: Δωδεκάθεον < δώδεκα, dōdeka, "twelve"+ θεοί, theoi, "gods"), were the principal deities of the Greek pantheon, residing atop a mythical Mount Olympus. The Olympians gained their supremacy in a war of gods in which Zeus led his siblings to victory over the Titans.

The concept of the "Twelve Gods" is older than any extant Greek or Roman sources, and is likely of Anatolian origin.The gods meet in council in the Homeric epics, but the first ancient reference to religious ceremonies for the Olympians collectively is found in the Homeric Hymn to Hermes. The Greek cult of the Twelve Olympians can be traced to 6th-century BC Athens and probably has no precedent in the Mycenaean period. The altar to the Twelve Olympians at Athens is usually dated to the archonship of the younger Pesistratos, in 522/521 BC.

     There was some variation as to which deities were included, but the canonical twelve as commonly portrayed in art and poetry were Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Demeter, Athena, Hestia, Apollo, Artemis, Ares,Aphrodite, Hephaestus and Hermes.

    Hades, known in the Eleusinian tradition as Pluto, was not usually included among the Olympians because his realm was the underworld. Plato connected the Twelve Olympians with the twelve months, and implies that he considered Pluto one of the twelve in proposing that the final month be devoted to him and the spirits of the dead.^[5][6] In Phaedrus Plato aligns the Twelve with the Zodiac and would exclude Hestia from their rank.

     In ancient Greek religion, the "Olympian Gods" and the "Cults of Twelve Gods" were often relatively distinct concepts. The Dodekatheon of Herodotus included Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Hermes, Athena, Apollo, Alpheus, Cronus, Rhea and the Charites.^[2][9] Herodotus also mentions that Heracles was included as one of the Twelve by some.At Kos, Heracles and Dionysus are added to the Twelve, and Ares and Hephaestus are not. For Pindar, the Bibliotheca,^[12] and Herodorus, Heracles is not one of the Twelve Gods, but the one who established their cult.^[2] Lucian (2nd century AD) includes Heracles and Asclepius as members of the Twelve, without explaining which two had to give way for them.

     Hebe, Helios, Eros, Selene and Persephone are other important gods and goddesses who are sometimes included in a group of twelve. Eros is often depicted alongside the other twelve, especially his mother Aphrodite, but not usually counted in their number.

    The Roman poet Ennius gives the Roman equivalents (the Dii Consentes) as six male-female complements,^[6] preserving the place of Vesta (Greek Hestia), who played a crucial role in Roman religion as a state goddess maintained by the Vestals.

List of the OlympiansThe Twelve Major Gods

Greek name	Roman name	Image	Functions and attributes
Zeus	Jupiter		King of the gods and ruler of Mount Olympus; god of the sky and thunder. Youngest child of the Titans Cronus and Rhea. Symbols include the thunderbolt, eagle, oak tree, scepter and scales. Brother and husband of Hera, although he had many lovers. Brother of Poseidon and Hades.
Hera	Juno		Queen of the gods and the goddess of marriage and family. Symbols include the peacock, pomegranate, crown, cuckoo, lion and cow. Youngest daughter of Cronus and Rhea. Wife and sister of Zeus. Being the goddess of marriage, she frequently tried to get revenge on Zeus' lovers and their children.
Poseidon	Neptune		God of the seas, earthquakes and tidal wave. Symbols include the horse, bull, dolphin and trident. Middle son of Cronus and Rhea. Brother of Zeus and Hades. Married to the Nereid Amphitrite, although, like most male Greek Gods, he had many lovers.
Demeter	Ceres		Goddess of fertility, agriculture, nature, and the seasons. Symbols include the poppy, wheat, torch, and pig. Middle daughter of Cronus and Rhea. Her Latin name, Ceres, gave us the word "cereal".
Dionysus	Bacchus		God of wine, celebrations and ecstasy. Patron god of the art of theatre. Symbols include the grapevine, ivy, cup, tiger, panther, leopard, dolphin and goat. Son of Zeus and the mortal Theban princess Semele. Married to the Cretan princess  Ariadne. The youngest Olympian, as well as the only one to have a mortal mother.
Apollo	Apollo (or Phoebus)		God of light, knowledge, music, poetry, prophecy and archery. Son of Zeus and Leto. Symbols include the sun, lyre, bow and arrow, raven, dolphin, wolf, swan and mouse. Twin brother of Artemis.
Artemis	Diana		Goddess of the hunt, virginity, childbirth, archery, the moon, and all animals. Symbols include the moon, deer, hound, she-bear, snake, cypress tree and bow and arrow. Daughter of Zeus and Leto and twin sister of Apollo.
Hermes	Mercury		Messenger of the gods; god of commerce, thieves and games. Symbols include the caduceus (staff entwined with two snakes), winged sandals and cap, stork and tortoise (whose shell he used to invent the lyre). Son of Zeus and the nymph Maia. The second-youngest Olympian, just older than Dionysus. He married Dryope, the daughter of Dryops, and their son Pan became the god of nature, lord of the satyrs, inventor of the panpipes and comrade of Dionysus.
Athena	Minerva		Virgin goddess of wisdom, handicrafts, defense and strategic warfare. Symbols include the owl and the olive tree. Daughter of Zeus and the Oceanid Metis, she rose from her father's head fully grown and in full battle armor after he swallowed her mother.
Ares	Mars		God of war, violence and bloodshed. Symbols include the boar, serpent, dog, vulture, spear and shield. Son of Zeus and Hera, all the other gods (except Aphrodite) despised him. His Latin name, Mars, gave us the word "martial."
Aphrodite	Venus		Goddess of love, beauty, and desire. Symbols include the dove, bird, apple, bee, swan, myrtle and rose. Daughter of Zeus and the Oceanid Dione, or perhaps born from the sea foam after Uranus' semen dripped into the sea after being castrated by his youngest son Cronus who then threw his father's genitals into the sea. Married to Hephaestus, although she had many adulterous affairs, most notably with Ares. Her name gave us the word "aphrodisiac", while her Latin name gave us the word "venereal".[B]
Hephaestus	Vulcan		Master blacksmith and craftsman of the gods; god of fire and the forge. Symbols include fire, anvil, axe, donkey, hammer, tongs and quail. Son of Hera, either by Zeus or alone. Married to Aphrodite, though unlike most divine husbands, he was rarely ever licentious. His Latin name, Vulcan, gave us the word "volcano."

The Other Olmpian God's

Greek Name	Roman Names	Image	Functions and Attributes
Hades	Pluto(sometimesOrcus or Dis pater)		God of the Underworld, dead and the riches under the Earth ("Pluto" translates to "The Rich One"); he was born into the first Olympian generation, the elder brother of Zeus and Poseidon, Hera, and Demeter, and younger brother of Hestia, but as he lives in the Underworld rather than on Mount Olympus, he is typically not included amongst the twelve Olympians at times.
Asclepius	Vejovis		The god of medicine and healing. He represents the healing aspect of the medical arts; his daughters are Hygieia ("Health"), Iaso ("Medicine"), Aceso ("Healing"), Aglæa/Ægle ("Healthy Glow"), and Panacea ("Universal Remedy"). He is the son of Apollo andCoronis.
Eros	Cupid		The god of sexual love and beauty. He was also worshipped as a fertility deity, son of Aphrodite and Ares. He was depicted often as carrying a lyre or bow and arrow. He is often accompanied by dolphins, roses and torches.
Hebe	Juventas		She is the daughter of Zeus and Hera. Hebe was the cupbearer for the gods and goddesses of Mount Olympus, serving their nectar and ambrosia, until she was married to Heracles.
Heracles	Hercules		A divine hero, the son of Zeus and Alcmene, foster son of Amphitryon and great-grandson (and half-brother) of Perseus (Περσεύς). He was the greatest of the Greek heroes, a paragon of masculinity and a champion of the Olympian order against chthonic monsters.
Pan	Faunus or Silvanus		The god of nature, the wild, shepherds and flocks, mountains, hunting, the forest, and rustic music, as well as the companion of the nymphs. The root of panic comes from the god Pan.
Hestia	Vesta		Goddess of the hearth and of the right ordering of domesticity and the family; she was born into the first Olympian generation and was one of the original twelve Olympians, until she gave her throne to Dionysus in order to keep the peace, making her the most generous and gentlest of the gods. She is the first child of Cronus and Rhea, eldest sister of Hades, Demeter, Poseidon, Hera, and Zeus. Also the eldest of the Olympians.
Persephone	Proserpina		Queen of the Underworld and a daughter of Demeter and Zeus. Also goddess of spring time. She became the consort of Hades, the god of the underworld, when he kidnapped her. Demeter, driven to distraction by the disappearance of her daughter, neglected the earth so that nothing would grow. Zeus eventually ordered Hades to allow Persephone to leave the underworld and rejoin her mother. Hades did this, but because Persephone had eaten six of the twelve pomegranate seeds in the underworld when Hades first kidnapped her, she had to spend six months in the underworld each year. This created the seasons when for six months everything grows and flourishes then for the other six months everything wilts and dies.

Minor residents of Mount Olympus

Assembly of twenty gods, predominantly the Twelve Olympians, as they receive Psyche (Loggia di Psiche, 1518–19, by Raphael and his school, at theVilla Farnesina)

The following gods, goddesses, and demigods were not usually counted as Olympians, although they had close ties to them.

• Aeolus - King of the winds, keeper of the Anemoi, master of the seasonal winds.
• Amphitrite - Queen of the Sea, wife of Poseidon.
• Anemoi – Wind gods consisting of Boreas (north), Notus (south), Zephyrus (west), and Eurus (east).
• Aura - Goddess of cool breezes and fresh air.
• Bia – Personification of violence.
• Circe - minor goddess of magic, not to be confused with Hecate.
• Deimos - God of terror, brother of Phobos.
• Dione – Oceanid; Mother of Aphrodite by Zeus in Homer's version.
• Eileithyia – Goddess of childbirth; daughter of Hera and Zeus.
• Enyo - A goddess of warfare, companion of Ares. She was also the sister of Ares in some cases. In those cases, her parents are Zeus and Hera.
• Eos – Personification of dawn.
• Eris – Goddess of discord and strife.
• Ganymede – Cupbearer of the gods' palace at Olympus.
• Graces - Goddesses of beauty and attendants of Aphrodite and Hera.
• Harmonia - Goddess of concord and harmony, opposite of Eris, daughter of Aphrodite.
• Hecate - Goddess associated with magic, witches and crossroads.
• Helios - Titan; personification of the sun.
• Horae – Wardens of Olympus.
• Hypnos - God of sleep, father of Morpheus and son of Nyx.
• Iris – Personification of the Rainbow, also the messenger of Olympus along with Hermes.
• Kratos – Personification of power.
• Leto – Titaness of the unseen; the mother of Apollo and Artemis.
• Moirai - Goddesses of destiny and alotters of fate, more powerful than Zeus.
• Momus - God of satire, mockery, satires, and poets.
• Morpheus – God of dreams.
• Muses – Nine goddesses of science and arts. Their names are Calliope, Urania, Clio, Polyhymnia, Melpomene, Terpsichore, Thalia, Euterpe, and Erato.
• Nemesis – Greek goddess of retribution and revenge.
• Nike – Goddess of victory.
• Nyx - Goddess of night.
• Paean – Physician of the gods.
• Perseus – Son of Zeus, slayer of Medusa, the legendary founder of Mycenae and of the Perseid dynasty.
• Phobos - God of fear, brother of Deimos.
• Selene – Titaness; personification of the moon.
• Styx - Goddess of the River Styx, the river where gods swear oaths on.
• Thanatos - God of Death, sometimes a personification of Death.
• Theseus - Son of Poseidon, first Hero of Athens and slayer of the Minotaur.
• Triton - Messenger of the Seas, son of Poseidon and Amphitrite. He holds a twisted conch shell.
• Tyche - Goddess of Luck.
• Zelus – Personification of Emulation.

Extraordinary HistoryMaker: Confucius

Confucius (Kong Fu Zi)

Confucius 

                      Confucius (Chinese: 孔子; pinyin: Kǒng Zǐ; Wade-Giles: K'ung-tzu, or Chinese: 孔夫子; pinyin:Kǒng Fūzǐ; Wade-Giles: K'ung-fu-tzu), literally "Master Kong", (traditionally 28 September 551 BC - 479 BC) was a Chinese thinker and social philosopher of the Spring and Autumn Period.

His Philosophy

               The philosophy of Confucius emphasized personal and governmental morality, correctness of social relationships, justice and sincerity. These values gained prominence in China over other doctrines, such as Legalism (法家) or Taoism (道家) during the Han Dynasty (206 BC - AD 220). Confucius' thoughts have been developed into a system of philosophy known asConfucianism (儒家).

                    Because no texts survive that are demonstrably authored by Confucius, and the ideas most closely associated with him were elaborated in writings that accumulated over the period between his death and the foundation of the first Chinese empire in 221 BC, many scholars are very cautious about attributing specific assertions to Confucius himself. His teachings may be found in the Analects of Confucius (論語), a collection of aphorisms, which was compiled many years after his death. For nearly 2,000 years he was thought to be the editor or author of all the Five Classics (五經) such as the Classic of Rites (禮記) (editor), and the Spring and Autumn Annals (春秋) (author).

Confuciu's Principles

            Confucius' principles had a basis in common Chinese tradition and belief. He championed strong familial loyalty, ancestor worship, respect of elders by their children (and, according to later interpreters, of husbands by their wives), and the family as a basis for an ideal government. He expressed the well-known principle, "Do not do to others what you do not want done to yourself", one of the earlier versions of the Golden Rule.

              Confucius was a Chinese philosopher who was born in 551 BCE. Confucius is a corruption of the name K'ung Fu-tzu. Although K'ung Fu-tzu was the philosopher's correct name, he has historically been referred to as Confucius in Western countries.

The Religion

                   The religion of Confucianism derives its name from Confucius, and is based on his writings. These writings were intended to be advice for the rulers of China in the sixth century BCE, and were later studied by the followers of Confucius. In addition, his followers brought in ideas originating in Buddhism and Taoism, as Confucianism spread from China to other Asian countries, including Korea, Japan, and Vietnam.

             One idea emphasized by Confucius was "beautiful conduct." He thought that if everyone in a society could achieve "beautiful conduct," or what he considered correct behavior, society could become perfect. This involved avoiding all extreme actions and emotions, being considerate to others, respecting family, and worshiping ancestors.

                Confucius may not have considered himself to have founded a religion. He was a philosopher, not a prophet, and did not emphasize spirituality, but instead certain behaviors and being a good citizen. He believed that five relationships formed the basis of a stable, happy society. These five relationships include those between ruler and subject, older brother and younger brother, father and son, husband and wife, and the relationship between two friends.

Confucius Describes As...

                  Confucius (Kong Fu Zi), a humble man from poor beginnings, became so influential that his teachings inspired a philosophy, a religion, and a way of life that has lasted until today.

From his basic "sayings" in The Analects, or discussions, there developed a philosophy, a social system and a political system which was based on harmony, tolerance, and merit.

            Confucius was born in answer to his parents' prayers at a sacred hill called Ni. Confucius' surname Kong means literally an utterance of thankfulness when prayers have been answered.

                   At the age of fifty, when Duke Ding of Lu was on the throne of Lu, Confucius' talents were recognized and he was appointed Minister of Public Works and then Minister of Crime. It seemed that Confucius’ dream of a position of influence in government had come true. But Confucius apparently offended members of the Lu nobility and he was forced to leave office and go into exile. He returned to Lu in 484 BCE and spent the remainder of his life teaching, putting in order the Book of Songs, the Book of Documents, and other ancient classics.

He gathered students around him and taught the basics of what is today called Confucianism. He taught decorous, courtly behavior, duty to rulers, parents, and older brothers. He taught that you should not do to others, what you would not want done to yourself.

Confucian Philosophy

               Confucian philosophy seeks a harmonious society, not dependent on feudal or financial merit but based on the ultimate goodness and moral equality of all mankind.

The heart of the Confucian teaching is 'morality'. Rin is the key. Rin means the qualities of benevolence, humanity and love. It is the duty of governments, parents and teachers to cultivate Rin in all its aspects.

                      Also important is Li, meaning rituals, ceremonies and how to behave. Then there is Yi, meaning duty or righteous behavior. There is also Chi, which means wisdom, derived from both history and experience. Another virtue is Chung, meaning reciprocity: 'Do not do unto others what you would not have them do unto you'.

                       Many consider Confucianism to be a religion also. Confucianism is not a clear-cut belief in the same way as Christianity, Islam or Judaism. It does not answer questions about God and the afterlife. But there are the religious principles of Tien and Tao, Heaven and the Way. It is tolerant of the other faiths of China, Taoism and Buddhism.

Confucian System of Government

                Confucius said it best "...those who preside over the people should cherish the dearest aims and give the most correct lessons, honoring the requirements of humanity by loving the people as their sons; then the people will use their utmost efforts to please their superiors." Analects

                      Children owed a duty of obedience to their fathers, and men to their rulers. But this was a reciprocal obligation. The father had a responsibility to his children, and the ruler to his subjects. He must put their interests first.

                    The Confucian formula is 'sageliness within, kingliness without'. Each person should be both a 'sage', achieving equilibrium and content by meditation, and a 'king' in the management of public affairs.

                  After the fall of imperial China, Confucianism lost much of its power. But in spite of pressures from the west, and the communist government in China, it continues to be a important force, not only in China, but also in Japan and other parts of Asia.

Memory of VALENTINES

               

Memory of St. Valentines

and why it is called a VALENTINES....

               Every year, the fourteenth day of the month of February has millions across the world presenting their loved ones with candy, flowers, chocolates and other lovely gifts. In many countries, restaurants and eateries are seen to be filled with couples who are eager to celebrate their relationship and the joy of their togetherness through delicious cuisines. There hardly seems to be a young man or woman who is not keen to make the most of the day.

 The reason behind all of this is a kindly cleric named Valentine who died more than a thousand years ago.

         It is not exactly known why the 14th of February is known as Valentine's Day or if the noble Valentine really had any relation to this day. 

The history of Valentine's Day is impossible to be obtained from any archive and the veil of centuries gone by has made the origin behind this day more difficult to trace. It is only some legends that are our source for the history of Valentine's Day.

        The modern St. Valentine's Day celebrations are said to have been derived from both ancient Christian and Roman tradition. As per one legend, the holiday has originated from the ancient Roman festival of Lupercalis/Lupercalia, a fertility celebration that used to observed annually on February 15. But the rise of Christianity in Europe saw many pagan holidays being renamed for and dedicated to the early Christian martyrs. Lupercalia was no exception. In 496 AD, Pope Gelasius turned Lupercalia into a Christian feast day and set its observance a day earlier, on February 14. He proclaimed February 14 to be the feast day in honor of Saint Valentine, a Roman martyr who lived in the 3rd century. It is this St. Valentine whom the modern Valentine's Day honors. 

        According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, there were at least three early Christian saints by the name of Valentine. While one was a priest in Rome, another was a bishop in Terni. Nothing is known about the third St. Valentine except that he met his end in Africa. Surprisingly, all three of them were said to have been martyred on 14th February. 

         It is clear that Pope Gelasius intended to honor the first of these three aforementioned men. Most scholars believe that this St. Valentine was a priest who lived around 270 AD in Rome and attracted the disfavor of Roman emperor Claudius II who ruled during this time. 

        The story of St. Valentine has two different versions - the Protestant and the Catholic one. Both versions agree upon Saint Valentine being a bishop who held secret marriage ceremonies of soldiers in opposition to Claudius II who had prohibited marriage for young men and was executed by the latter. During the lifetime of Valentine, the golden era of Roman empire had almost come to an end. Lack of quality administrators led to frequent civil strife. Education declined, taxation increased and trade witnessed a very bad time. The Roman Empire faced crisis from all sides, from the Gauls, Slavs, Huns, Turks and Mongolians from Northern Europe and Asia. The empire had grown too large to be shielded from external aggression and internal chaos with existing forces. Naturally, more and more capable men were required to to be recruited as soldiers and officers to protect the nation from takeover. When Claudius became the emperor, he felt that married men were more emotionally attached to their families, and thus, will not make good soldiers. He believed that marriage made the men weak. So he issued an edict forbidding marriage to assure quality soldiers. 

          The ban on marriage was a great shock for the Romans. But they dared not voice their protest against the mighty emperor. 

The kindly bishop Valentine also realized the injustice of the decree. He saw the trauma of young lovers who gave up all hopes of being united in marriage. He planned to counter the monarch's orders in secrecy. Whenever lovers thought of marrying, they went to Valentine who met them afterwards in a secret place, and joined them in the sacrament of matrimony. And thus he secretly performed many marriages for young lovers. But such things cannot remain hidden for long. It was only a matter of time before Claudius came to know of this "friend of lovers," and had him arrested. 

           While awaiting his sentence in prison, Valentine was approached by his jailor, Asterius. It was said that Valentine had some saintly abilities and one of them granted him the power to heal people. Asterius had a blind daughter and knowing of the miraculous powers of Valentine he requested the latter to restore the sight of his blind daughter. The Catholic legend has it that Valentine did this through the vehicle of his strong faith, a phenomenon refuted by the Protestant version which agrees otherwise with the Catholic one. Whatever the fact, it appears that Valentine in some way did succeed to help Asterius' blind daughter. 

            When Claudius II met Valentine, he was said to have been impressed by the dignity and conviction of the latter. However, Valentine refused to agree with the emperor regarding the ban on marriage. It is also said that the emperor tried to convert Valentine to the Roman Gods but was unsuccesful in his efforts. Valentine refused to recognize Roman Gods and even attempted to convert the emperor, knowing the consequences fully. This angered Claudius II who gave the order of execution of Valentine. 

            Meanwhile, a deep friendship had been formed between Valentine and Asterius' daughter. It caused great grief to the young girl to hear of his friend's imminent death. It is said that just before his execution, Valentine asked for a pen and paper from his jailor, and signed a farewell message to her "From Your Valentine," a phrase that lived ever after. As per another legend, Valentine fell in love with the daughter of his jailer during his imprisonment. However, this legend is not given much importance by historians. The most plausible story surrounding St. Valentine is one not centered on Eros (passionate love) but on agape (Christian love): he was martyred for refusing to renounce his religion. Valentine is believed to have been executed on February 14, 270 AD. 

             Thus 14th February became a day for all lovers and Valentine became its Patron Saint. It began to be annually observed by young Romans who offered handwritten greetings of affection, known as Valentines, on this day to the women they admired. With the coming of Christianity, the day came to be known as St. Valentine's Day. 

          But it was only during the 14th century that St. Valentine's Day became definitively associated with love. UCLA medieval scholar Henry Ansgar Kelly, author of "Chaucer and the Cult of Saint Valentine", credits Chaucer as the one who first linked St. Valentine's Day with romance. In medieval France and England it was believed that birds mated on February 14. Hence, Chaucer used the image of birds as the symbol of lovers in poems dedicated to the day. In Chaucer's "The Parliament of Fowls," the royal engagement, the mating season of birds, and St. Valentine's Day are related: 

"For this was on St. Valentine's Day, When every fowl cometh there to choose his mate." 

          By the Middle Ages, Valentine became as popular as to become one of the most popular saints in England and France. Despite attempts by the Christian church to sanctify the holiday, the association of Valentine’s Day with romance and courtship continued through the Middle Ages. The holiday evolved over the centuries. By the 18th century, gift-giving and exchanging hand-made cards on Valentine's Day had become common in England. Hand-made valentine cards made of lace, ribbons, and featuring cupids and hearts began to be created on this day and handed over to the man or woman one loved. 

     This tradition eventually spread to the American colonies. It was not until the 1840s that Valentine's Day greeting cards began to be commercially produced in the U.S. The first American Valentine's Day greeting cards were created by Esther A. Howlanda Mount Holyoke, a graduate and native of Worcester. Mass. Howland, known as the Mother of the Valentine, made elaborate creations with real lace, ribbons and colorful pictures known as "scrap". It was when Howland began Valentine's cards in a large scale that the tradition really caught on in the United States. 

          Today, Valentine's Day is one of the major holidays in the U.S. and has become a booming commercial success. According to the Greeting Card Association, 25% of all cards sent each year are "valentine"s. The "valentines", as Valentine's Day cards are better known as, are often designed with hearts to symbolize love. The Valentine's Day card spread with Christianity, and is now celebrated all over the world. One of the earliest valentines was sent in 1415 AD by Charles, Duke of Orleans, to his wife during his imprisonment in the Tower of London. The card is now preserved in the British Museum. 

         There may be doubts regarding the actual identity of Valentine, but we know that he really existed because archaeologists have recently unearthed a Roman catacomb and an ancient church dedicated to a Saint Valentine.

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