佑生国际小故事：情人节
We all know February 14th is a very romantic day, but how did it become that way?
我们都知道2月14日是一个非常浪漫的日子，但它是怎么变成这样的呢？
There are many different theories, and there is no way to tell which is true.
有许多不同的说法，而且没有办法判断哪个是正确的。
But the most popular legend is the story of Saint Valentine.
但最流行的传说是圣瓦伦丁的故事。
Saint Valentine was a priest who lived in the Roman Empire around 200 AD.
圣瓦伦丁是一位公元200年左右生活在罗马帝国的牧师。
During this time, Emperor Claudius II was known to have outlawed marriage
for young men —
在此期间，皇帝克劳迪亚斯二世宣布年轻男人结婚是违法的，
he believed that married men did not make good soldiers
他认为已婚男士不能成为好士兵，
and that his army of single men would be much stronger.
他的单身汉军队会更强大。
But Valentine did not agree with this mandate,
但圣瓦伦丁不同意这一规定，
and he continued to perform secret marriages for young couples.
他继续为年轻夫妻举行秘密婚礼。
不幸的是，他被抓住并判处死刑。
It is said that while he was in prison, Valentine too fell in love,
据说瓦伦丁在狱中时也坠入爱河，
and that he actually sent the first "valentine card" to his love, signing it: "From your Valentine."
他实际上寄出了第一张给爱人的“情人节卡片”，落款是：“来自你的瓦伦丁”。
Supposedly, he died in the middle of February, thus Valentine's Day is celebrated on February 14th, in honor of his death.
据说，他死于2月中旬，因此情人节被定在了2月14日来庆祝，以纪念他的死。
☀ Other Theories 其他说法
In ancient Rome, February 15th was the first day of a fertility festival called Lupercalia, dedicated to the Roman god of agriculture.
在古罗马，2月15日是一个叫牧神节的丰收节的第一天，用来祭拜罗马农业之神。
On this day it was tradition for men and women to be paired up randomly by a lottery system to be married.
在这一天有一个传统，就是男人和女人通过抽签系统随机配对结婚。
It is claimed that the Pope Gelasius declared February 14th St. Valentine's Day during the late 400s AD.
据记载格拉修斯教皇在公元400年代末将2月14日定为情人节。
Allegedly, Pope Gelasius actually banned the Lupercalia festival because it was a pagan ritual,
据说，格拉修斯教皇实际上禁止了牧神节，因为它是一种异教仪式，
but perhaps he wanted to see the festival continue on as a Christian holiday.
但也许他想看到这个节日继续作为基督教节日存在。
During the Middle Ages in France and England, February 14th was known as
the first day of birds' mating season, and was known as a romantic day.
在中世纪的法国和英格兰，2月14日被认为是鸟儿交配季节的第一天，被认为是浪漫的一天。
