From red horns to Naples to heart -shaped cheese in the north of France, love is celebrated through many customs in the four corners of the globe.
On the occasion of Valentine’s Day, countries around the world are seized with various traditions to celebrate love.
Le Cornicello, symbol of love anchored in the Neapolitan tradition
In the Italian city of Naples, romantics prefer to send red horns to their loved one rather than flowers and chocolates. These pendants, known as “Cornicelli”are deeply anchored in local culture and are supposed to bring prosperity, love and luck to the person who receives them.
The origins of Cornicello date back to Greek and Roman mythology. Its form and its bright color symbolize fertility and protection, in reference to Priapus, the god of male fertility.
Chocolate and cheese for gourmets
In the north of France, the Neufchâtelf, A heart -shaped cheese dating back more than a thousand years, is the ideal way to say “I love you”.
“The legend wants that on the occasion of Valentine’s Day, the young dairy people in the country of Bray offered these heart-shaped cheeses on the day of Valentine’s Day to those who had stolen their hearts”explains François Olivier, cheese maker in Rouen.
The Belgians, on the other hand, prefer to stick to the more traditional gift of chocolate, a treat for which they are renowned worldwide.
However, the price of cocoa beans having reached heights on the raw material market, offering chocolate has become a more expensive gesture than ever.
“The harvests were less good than usual. Secondly, some of the fields treated in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana are a little older and therefore produce less than usual. Third, there is a lot of speculation. The result of extremely high cocoa prices “said Philippe de Selliers, CEO of Leonidas and president of Choprabisco.
Many chocolate makers believe, however, that this sweet treat is crowned for Belgians, who are ready to pay any price to obtain it.
“For me, chocolate remains a pleasure for Belgian consumers, because it is part of their culture, what they like. When it’s wrong, we say to ourselves’ I’m going to take a chocolate tablet, a small box chocolate ‘”explains Christophe Museur, responsible for production and chocolate creations at Wittamer in Brussels.
It’s “Va-Lion-Tine” in the Netherlands
In the Netherlands, even animals are partying. The sanctuary for large felines Felida, in Nijeberkoop, decorated the enclosures of two lions with hearts, a symbolic initiative to bring the two animals closer.
For this special event “Va-Lion-Tines”the sanctuary team has decorated their enclosures with heart -shaped cardboard ornaments, adding a fun touch.
“It’s a great story that we can celebrate as a team on Valentine’s Day, but there is a more important goal”explains Juno Van Zon, responsible for the management of animals and facilities in the sanctuary. “We aim to socialize them, in the hope of future integration”.
Rome Venus Venus, the goddess of love
The Galleria Borghese of Rome offers a unique experience that takes visitors to a captivating exploration of love in all its forms, through the prism of the goddess Venus.
The special event “The goddess of love: the thousand faces of Venus”invites art lovers to immerse themselves in the evolution of Venus, goddess of beauty, sensuality and desire, as it was represented during history.
ADVERTISEMENTThe exhibition presents emblematic works, including the famous statue of Pauline Borghese by Antonio Canova, who represents the sister of Napoleon Bonaparte in the guise of a triumphant Venus, as well as the “Cabinet des Venus”a room filled with works of art centered on the goddess and the stories of her myth.
“On the occasion of the days devoted to Valentine’s Day, the Galleria (Borghese) organized these glimpses on Venus, the goddess of love and beauty, starting with the two rooms where she is the protagonist”explains Emanuela Mangia, a gallery guide.
