第019期 你真的了解情人节吗？（原声版）

Introduction:

 Hello, everyone. Welcome back to Perry’s way to Terrific English. Haven’tseen you for nearly three weeks, how is everything going? Besides wishing you ahappy new year, I would also say “happy Valentine’s Day”.

  Ican’t remember since when we Chinese began to celebrate the Valentine’s Day onFebruary 14th, but how many of you really know the origin of thisholiday? Why it falls on February 14th? Today, let’s find out together

AudioScript

 2000 years ago, the most powerful army in the world belonged to theRomans. The Romans were so strong that they conquered almost all of Europe. Butthen they began to grow very rich and a little bit lazy. And many of thesoldiers longed for the comforts of home.

  TheEmperor, whose name was Claudius the Second, grew worried that his army wasgrowing soft. And so he made a law that no soldier was allowed to get married.

  Bythat time, many of the Romans were Christians and one of their leaders was a bishopcalled Valentine. He believed if a man and a woman fell in love with eachother, they should get married. And so he decided to let soldiers get marriedin his church, even though now it was against the law.

  Thesoldiers weddings were meant to be kept a secret, but as you know, all secretsare hard to keep. And soon the word got out. Valentine got arrested and theEmperor sentenced him to death.

 While Valentine was in prison, the jailor’s daughter used to bring himfood. She was a young woman who was unfortunately blind. And soon they fell inlove. One day, Valentine put his hands through the bars of the cell and touchedthe lids of her closed eyes. When she opened them again, she could see. It wasa miracle.

 Valentine’s execution was set for the 14thof February. Onhis last night on earth, he wrote his final message to the girl. He signed hislove letter “From Your Valentine”. This took place in the year 217 and eversince, lovers have sent each other messages on February 14thwiththe same signature.

  Finally,I would quote Ernest Miller Hemingway to conclude today’s program.

  “I can’t sayhow every time I ever put my arms around you I felt that I was home!”

 Happy Valentine’s Day and May you all be together with your loved ones.See you next time!