St. Valentine's Day

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Red hearts, chocolate and roses -- St. Valentine's Day is difficult to ignore in the United States, but the pressure to romance can leave the unattached feeling left out. </P>
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<P>A diver shows off a heart made of squid as she feeds it to stingrays at Sunshine International aquarium in Tokyo February 12, 2005, ahead of Valentine's Day, which falls on February 14</P><P>[IMG]http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2005-02/13/xin_49020213102188654276.jpg[/IMG]</P>

<P>A South Korean woman paints heart mark on her partner's face with chocolate during a face painting event for valentine's day in Soul last year. The concept of lovesickness might be more than just a flighty poetic notion, as it can burden the afflicted with genuine mental trauma, a British psychological study warned.</P><P>[IMG]http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2005-02/13/xin_500202131021011296007.jpg[/IMG]</P>

<P>Youths from the Iranian basij militia </P><P>Two youths from the Iranian basij militia, a volunteer <FONT color=#808000><b>reservist </b></FONT>army, prepare to light candles during the 26th anniversary ceremony of Iran's Islamic revolution at the Khomeini shrine in the Behesht Zahra cemetery south of Tehran January 31, 2005. </P><P>[IMG]http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2005-02/01/xin_34020201103406402471.jpg[/IMG]</P>

<P>Swans and ducks swim at a lake in Belarus </P><P><b><FONT color=#808000>Belarussian</FONT></b> men feed swans and ducks with bread at a lake with water clear of ice, near the village of Zhdanovichi in the <FONT color=#808000><b>outskirts</b></FONT> of <FONT color=#808000><b>Minsk</b></FONT> , February 1, 2005. Severe winter conditions have created problems for swans to find open water to swim in Belarus.</P><P>[IMG]http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2005-02/02/xin_28020202111160920271.jpg[/IMG]</P>

<P>Austrian state opera ballet in rehearsal for opera ball </P><P>Members of the Austrian state opera ballet perform during a <FONT color=#808000><b>rehearsal</b></FONT> for the opera ball in Vienna February 2, 2005. The traditional annual opera Ball is the highlight of Vienna's ball season and takes place inside the State opera house Thursday night.</P><P>[IMG]http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2005-02/03/xin_440202031050217161462.jpg[/IMG]</P>

<P>New Yorker Ashrita Furman owns 88 Guinness records </P><P>New Yorker Ashrita Furman poses after the Guinness Book of World Records acknowledged his 88th Guinness record, this time for the world's largest flower <FONT color=#808000><b>bouquet</b></FONT> . The bouquet was made up with 101,000 flowers.</P><P>[IMG]http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2005-01/26/xin_480102261004216106262.jpg[/IMG]</P>

<P>Iraqis preform a traditional Assyrian dance to celebrate the election </P><P>Iraqis preform a traditional <FONT color=#808000><b>Assyrian</b></FONT> dance to celebrate the election outside a polling place in Skokie, Illinois, near Chicago, January 30, 2005. Emotional and <FONT color=#808000><b>jubilant</b></FONT> Iraqi expatriates braved long trips and frigid weather to cast their votes across the United States. Voting in five different U.S. cities ends today.</P><P>[IMG]http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2005-01/31/xin_250102310951311278572.jpg[/IMG]</P>

<P>Fireworks explode during a celebration rally in Kiev </P><P>Fireworks explode over the main square during a celebration <FONT color=#808000><b>rally</b></FONT> in Kiev January 23, 2005. Viktor Yushchenko became Ukraine's president on Sunday and vowed to <FONT color=#808000><b>overturn</b></FONT> its post-Soviet legacy by seeking a place in Europe for the people he led in a peaceful revolt against a <FONT color=#808000><b>rigged</b></FONT> election and pressure from Russia.</P><P>[IMG]http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2005-01/24/xin_350102241049727255782.jpg[/IMG]</P>

<P>Maldivian children row their boat in tsunami-hit area </P><P>Maldivian children row their boat near a <b><FONT color=#808000>hamlet</FONT></b> in tsunami-hit Guraiudhoo island in the <FONT color=#808000><b>Maldives</b></FONT> January 10, 2005.</P><P>[IMG]http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2005-01/12/xin_45010212093860420111.jpg[/IMG]</P>

<P>St. Valentine's Day has roots in several different legends that have found their way to us through the ages. One of the earliest popular symbols of the day is Cupid（爱神丘比特）, the Roman god of love, who is represented by the image of a young boy with bow and arrow.</P><P>[IMG]http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2005-02/11/20040209_2594_valentine_0.jpg[/IMG]</P>

<P>Three hundred years after the death of Jesus Christ, the Roman emperors still demanded that everyone believe in the Roman gods. Valentine, a Christian priest, had been thrown in prison for his teachings. On February 14, Valentine was beheaded（斩首）, not only because he was a Christian, but also because he had performed a miracle. He supposedly cured the jailer's daughter of her blindness. The night before he was executed, he wrote the jailer's daughter a farewell letter, signing it "From Your Valentine." Another legend tells us that this same Valentine, well-loved by all, received notes to his jail cell from children and friends who missed him.</P>
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<P>Another Valentine was an Italian bishop who lived at about the same time, AD 200. He was imprisoned because he secretly married couples, contrary to the laws of the Roman emperor. Some legends say he was burned at the stake. </P>
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<P>February 14 was also a Roman holiday, held in honor of a goddess. Young men randomly chose the name of a young girl to escort to the festivities. The custom of choosing a sweetheart on this date spread through Europe in the Middle Ages, and then to the early American colonies. Throughout the ages, people also believed that birds picked their mates on February 14!  In AD 496 Sain Pope Gelasius I named February 14 as "Valentine's Day". Although it's not an official holiday, most Americans observe this day.</P>
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<P>Whatever the odd mixture of origins, St. Valentine's Day is now a day for sweethearts. It is the day that you show your friend or loved one that you care. You can send candy to someone you think is special. Or you can send roses, the flower of love. Most people send "valentines," a greeting card named after the notes that St. Valentine received in jail. Valentines can be sentimental, romantic and heartfelt（真心真意的）. They can be funny and friendly. If the sender is shy, valentines can be anonymous.</P>
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<P>Americans of all ages love to send and receive valentines. Handmade valentines created by cutting hearts out of colored paper, show that a lot of thought was put into making them personal. Valentines can be heart-shaped, or have hearts, the symbol of love, on them. In elementary schools children make valentines for their classmates and put them in a large decorated box, similar to a mailbox. On February 14, the teacher opens the box and distributes the valentines to each student. After the students read their valentines they have a small party with refreshments.</P>
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<P>For teenagers and adults, major newspapers throughout the country have a Valentine's Day offer. Anyone can send in a message, for a small fee of course, destined for a would-be sweetheart, a good friend, an acquaintance or even a spouse of fifty years. The message is printed in a special section of the newspaper on February 14.</P>
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