Hello Starpeople,
This week we celebrated Valentine’s Day (well, I spent it writing this post, since I am not that romantic) and therefore we thought that some of you would have been happy to know more about this recurrence.
Since it is Valentine’s day’s week, we would like to benefit from your kindness and we remind you that you can let us know what you think about our newsletter by filling this form in.
This is very important for us so we thank you in advance for your help!
🏛 SOME FACTS YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW ABOUT VALENTINE’S DAY
1. VALENTINE'S DAY DATES BACK TO ANCIENT ROME.
Around February 14th, Romans celebrated a three-day festival called Lupercalia. But roses were not involved.
Participants reportedly sacrificed goats and dogs and then beat women with their skins. The practice was meant to help fertility.
2. NO ONE IS QUITE SURE WHO ST. VALENTINE WAS.
Some say that St. Valentine was a priest who lived in Rome and was killed by Emperor Claudius II around 270 AD after being discovered secretly marrying lovers as a tactic to get men out of military service.
However, he may also have been the bishop of Terni, Italy.
In addition, there was another Valentine who lived in Africa and met an unfortunate end in February.
3. ST. VALENTINE IS THE HOLIDAY OF MORE THAN LOVERS.
Whoever St. Valentine was in human form, he has enjoyed a wide and varied perspective in the afterlife. He is also the protector of beekeepers, fainting, travellers and people with epilepsy.
4. A POPE INITIATED VALENTINE'S DAY TO CURB "UNCHRISTIAN" CELEBRATIONS.
Pope Gelasius I declared Lupercalia to be un-Christian, so he cancelled them and proclaimed February 14 the Feast of St. Valentine.
You can discover more about other facts you may not know about Valentine’s Day in this article.
🔬 ANIMALS THAT MATE FOR LIFE
🐭 Unlike most rodents, prairie voles mate, build a nest, feed on each other and raise their young. However, sometimes either the male or female will mate with a stranger.
🦎 Shingleback skinks (Tiliqua rugosus) pair up with the same partner every mating season. They often travel in pairs, with the male following the female.
🐧 Mated macaroni penguins (Eudyptes chrysolophus) become excited when they see each other and show their love by cackling and swinging their heads from side to side in what is called an "ecstatic display".
🦅 Bald Eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) spend winters alone but reunite with the same partner during the breeding season. The male stays to keep the eggs warm and feed the young chicks during their first months of life.
You can discover about more ones here.
🎨 PAOLO VERONESE - THE WEDDING AT CANA (1563)
Should a love bring an happy ending, here’s a renown story about a wedding.
The painting depicts the episode of the conversion of water into wine during a wedding at Cana (John 2:1-11). The scene is rich in details and shows a mixture of ancient and contemporary details: the architecture is characterized by many classical elements, like two large colonnades on both sides of the painting. Above Jesus, on an elevated balcony, a butcher is carving an animal to portions: the alignment of the two figures seems to anticipate Jesus sacrifice as the Lamb of God.
Following the artistic tradition of the century, the painter represented himself in the scene: Veronese represented himself as one of the musicians. Moreover, in the painting the main painters of the Venetian school are playing alongside Veronese: Jacopo Bassano, Tintoretto and Titian as well.