西方传统节日简介 (2).doc

西方传统节日简介Valentine'sDay（情人节）ThehistoryofValentine'sDay--anditspatronsaint--isshroudedinmystery.ButwedoknowthatFebruaryhaslongbeenamonthofromance.St.Valentine'sDay,asweknowittoday,containsvestigesofbothChristianandancientRomantradition.So,whowasSaintValentineandhowdidhebecomeassociatedwiththisancientrite?Today,theCatholicChurchrecognizesatleastthreedifferentsaintsnamedValentineorValentinus,allofwhomweremartyred.OnelegendcontendsthatValentinewasapriestwhoservedduringthethirdcenturyinRome.WhenEmperorClaudiusIIdecidedthatsinglemenmadebettersoldiersthanthosewithwivesandfamilies,heoutlawedmarriageforyoungmen--hiscropofpotentialsoldiers.Valentine,realizingtheinjusticeofthedecree,defiedClaudiusandcontinuedtoperformmarriagesforyoungloversinsecret.WhenValentine'sactionswerediscovered,Claudiusorderedthathebeputtodeath.OtherstoriessuggestthatValentinemayhavebeenkilledforattemptingtohelpChristiansescapeharshRomanprisonswheretheywereoftenbeatenandtortured.Accordingtoonelegend,Valentineactuallysentthefirst'valentine'greetinghimself.Whileinprison,itisbelievedthatValentinefellinlovewithayounggirl--whomayhavebeenhisjailor'sdaughter--whovisitedhimduringhisconfinement.Beforehisdeath,itisallegedthathewroteheraletter,whichhesigned'FromyourValentine,'anexpressionthatisstillinusetoday.AlthoughthetruthbehindtheValentinelegendsismurky,thestoriescertainlyemphasizehisappealasasympathetic,heroic,and,mostimportantly,romanticfigure.It'snosurprisethatbytheMiddleAges,ValentinewasoneofthemostpopularsaintsinEnglandandFrance.情人节的历史充满了神秘，但是我们知道，很久以来，2月就是一个浪漫的月份了。情人节既留有基督教的痕迹，又有古罗马的传统。情人节又称圣瓦伦丁节。关于情人节有好多传说。其中之一是，3世纪的时候，古罗马的皇帝Claudius二世认为独身的男子比有妻子、家庭的男子更善于打仗，于是他宣布婚姻是非法的，这也断绝了士兵的来源。牧师Valentine意识到这条法令的谬误，就公开反对，并且秘密为青年人主持婚礼。Claudius二世知道后就把Valentine处死了。AprilFool'sDay（愚人节）Unlikemostoftheothernonfoolishholidays,thehistoryofAprilFool'sDay,sometimescalledAllFool'sDay,isnottotallyclear.Therereallywasn'ta"firstAprilFool'sDay"thatcanbepinpointedonthecalendar.Somebelieveitsortofevolvedsimultaneouslyinseveralculturesa