The celebration of love.....

Date of Issue : 3 February 2017

Here is a beautiful stamp issued by Croatia Post for Valentine's Day depicting the real meaning of love.

The celebration of love, not just infatuation!!!

The famous Plato once wrote: 'At the touch of love, everyone becomes a poet.' Love is probably the topic on which verses and lofty words were written more than on any other topic. As an inexhaustible source of inspiration, love has moved the world from ancient times until today, so it is not surprising it is the only emotion which deserved to have - its own day!

At the present time, when Valentine's Day has become too commercialized and when the amount of gifts we send to one another is being measured, it is worth recalling the legend of how this holiday was actually created and what is its deep meaning.

There is a legend that says that in the 3rd century, in the era of the ancient Roman Empire, a wise and virtuous priest named Valentine lived in Rome. At the time Emperor Claudius forbade Roman soldiers to get married, believing that their family would be a distraction at the battlefield, but Valentine had disobeyed his command and secretly wedded many couples, risking his life. At the end, because of his protection of love (and lovers) he was caught and executed on the day of February 14th. Later on Valentine was canonized, and February 14th  was declared as the day of Saint Valentine, and the day of lovers. This version of the legend of Valentine is most widespread, but there is a legend that says that Valentine worked in his garden when he didn't serve Mass. One day a girl asked him to give her a rose for a sick friend. After a few days she had come back and told him that the boy was overjoyed with the given rose and asked him for another. Then Valentine decided to visit the poor, the sick and the lonely, and make them happy by giving them roses and other small things. It is believed that exactly because of his kindness to others he was later canonized.

Perhaps more than ever, in these days when most feelings, even love as the most sublime of all, are measured by material things, it is worth to think about the sacrifice of St. Valentine and ask what is a true love is and why we should celebrate it every day,  and not just one day a  year. Therefore, celebrating Valentine's Day we should really celebrate love – for the person we are in love with, but also for our parents, children, dear friends and everyone we carry deep in our heart !