Every year Hallmark makes millions, HERSHEY'S bombards every store with kisses and heart chocolates, Ty or any other toy company takes the initiative to get adults to by cutesy plush animals for their special someone. Movies come out with a tangle of love stories. Couples are a little more affectionate, sometimes crushes or secret admirers are revealed. but when we take away all the commercialism, all the chocolate, all the roses, the root of Valentines Day is LOVE. It is a day celebrating LOVE. We actually have a holiday dedicated to love. Weird huh? But how did this happen? What is Valentine's Day really about? Truth is, noone is really sure.
Let's start with St. Valentine. In Rome, he was a catholic priest. (as one theory goes) During his term, or whatever you call it, the Romans decided that men without wives and children made better soldiers. So, the decided to out law marriage for all young men. Valentine, being the hopeless romantic that he was, thought this was unfair. He defied his emperor and married young lovers anyway. When Emperor Claudius II found out, he sentenced poor Valentine to death.
The second story is that Valentine, still a priest, helped tortured and dying christian prisoners escape from Roman jail. (they were held due to their beliefs) Again, Valentine was caught. He had fallen in love with the jailer's blind daughter. He sent her the "World's First Valentine" before his execution. On the letter it said, from your Valentine. He was sainted because it is said, he cured the girl of her condition right before his execution.
Well, I guess love is in the air, and in honor of our martyr saint I found some love story's centered around Sout
hern Maryland.
Jane Deborah Vincent's Charming Novel based in our very own St. Mary's County!
It's a love story of a local and an aristocrat. Adorable: Hard Crabs and Cultured Pearls: A Southern Maryland Love Story
Here is another heart warming article about a widow and a widower who found comfort on the Chesapeake Bay: Chesapeake Bay; A love story
All the chocolate must be going to my head!
Well, here's another story about two local lovers. Ever heard of Indian Head, MD 20640? Wondered how it got the name? Legend has it that an Indian Princess of the Algonquin tribe, was set to be married to the Son of the Chief from a neighboring tribe. However, her heart told her no, and just before the marriage she fell in love with a young warrior from Virginia. They planned to escape, but were discovered. He was executed. It was to be a warning to all neighboring tribes. When the Europeans discovered it, they named the area Indian Head. So there you have it. I didn't say it was a happy love story. But interesting!
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