Today In History – 5 Interesting Events Of Feb 14 That You Must Know

Feb 14 is considered a remarkable day for lovers all over the world but very few people know the truth behind this day. In Today in History, we present to you 5 Interesting events of Feb 14 that you need to be acquainted with
After all, a ride through the annals of history is always a precursor to what today and the future holds.

1. 270 A.D – St Valentine was beheaded
Around the year 270 AD, a catholic priest in Rome named Valentine was beheaded by Emperor Claudius II.
History notes that the Emperor who was involved in so much war was having issues with men recruiting to join the army. He felt it was because the men were married and did not want to leave their wife.
He therefore banned the institution of marriage. This did not go down well with Valentine who secretly married the young couples.
When this was discovered, Valentine was jailed and consequently beheaded on Feb 14. After his death, he was given the title of a saint for his noble act.
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On how his death date became a lover’s day, history has it that it might have been juxtaposed with the Feast of Lupercalia, a pagan feast.
To put an end to the feast,Pope Gelasius in 496 A.D declared Feb 14 St. Valentine’s Day. It has however become a day to show love and share gifts.
2. 1845 – Abolitionist, Fredrick Douglas was born.

3. 1870 –  Esther Morris becomes world first female justice of peace in the US.
4. 1876 – Elisha Gray and Alexander Graham Bell both apply for patents for the telephone.

5.1989 – Ayatollah Khomeini calls for the death of Salman Rushdie over book ‘The Satanic Verses’.

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