I was going to join a Valentine's group, but after reading the titles such as: 'I think Valentine's day sucks' and 'I spend Valentine's day alone' and 'I don't like Valentine's day' I decided to put this post here. I grew up in a family who were extremely affectionate and passionate but as a whole, I would say we are very closed off and cautious when forming relationships of any kind outside of it, so apart from the big hug, the obligatory two cheek kiss, things can cool off in a hurry if we don't know you that well. If you want to experience real Italian passion, you should perhaps observe the soccer stadium. But as St Valentine's day isn't far off, an interesting story about how everyone who lives in Rome is familiar with the famous Ponte Milvio where couples go to exemplify their commitment by affixing a small lock to the bridge and then throwing the key into the Tiber River. But not much is know about Saint Valentine himself except that he was martyred on 14th February 269 A.D on the northern outskirts of Rome. He was subsequently buried a a cemetery along the Via Flaminia, very near the Milvian Bridge. As for his association with all things romantic, the history is less clear. There is the unconfirmed legend that he disobeyed the orders of Emperor Claudius and performed weddings in secret so that husbands didn't have to go to war. But a more likely opinion is that the pagan gods were already losing favour in Rome around this time (less than 100 years before Constantine finished the job) and so Christian saints and martyrs were gradually being recruited to fill their shoes.
