History of Valentine's Day Crossword Puzzle

QUESTIONS LIST:

• three: the catholic church recognizes at least _ different saints named valentine or valentinus, all of whom were martyred.
• priest: one legend contends that valentine was a _ who served during the third century in rome.
• christians: other stories suggest that valentine may have been killed for attempting to help _ escape harsh roman prisons, where they were often beaten and tortured.
• romantic: although the truth behind the valentine legends is murky, the stories all emphasize his appeal as a sympathetic, heroic and—most importantly— _ figure.
• lupercalia: the christian church may have decided to place st. valentine’s feast day in the middle of february in an effort to “christianize” the pagan celebration of _ .
• fertility: celebrated at the ides of february, or february 15, lupercalia was a _ festival.
• welcomed: far from being fearful, roman women _ the touch of the hides because it was believed to make them more fertile in the coming year.
• love: pope gelasius declared february 14 st. valentine’s day. it was not until much later, however, that the day became definitively associated with _ .
• middle ages: valentine greetings were popular as far back as the _ _ , though written valentine’s didn’t begin to appear until after 1400.
• cupid: _ is often portrayed on valentine’s day cards as a naked cherub launching arrows of love at unsuspecting lovers.
• eros: the roman god cupid has his roots in greek mythology as the greek god of love, _ .
• arrows: according to the greek archaic poets, eros was a handsome immortal played with the emotions of gods and men, using golden _ to incite love and leaden ones to sow aversion.
• second: an estimated 145 million valentine’s day cards are sent each year, making valentine’s day the _ largest card-sending holiday of the year.