by Nabil Salih
BAGHDAD, Feb. 14 (Xinhua) -- The Iraqi capital Baghdad has turned red on Valentine's Day, with love symbols such as heart balloons, giant teddy bears and roses displayed by vendors and shops across the city.
In the upscale neighborhood of al-Mansour, young couples visit gift and florist shops, enjoying a sense of safety as years of killings, terrorist attacks and suicide bombings have gradually diminished, especially since Iraq's victory in late 2017 over the Islamic State (IS) and liberation of all cities once seized by the extremist group.
"People tend to buy flowers and exchange gifts on Valentine's Day, especially as the security situation in the city has remarkably improved this year," said Abdul-Qader, an agricultural engineer who runs a gift shop in Baghdad.
The residents in Baghdad are keen to put behind years of violence and bloodshed, dressing in red and expressing love to their partners to celebrate the annual day of romance.
Valentine's Day, also known as the Feast of Saint Valentine, is a holiday celebrated worldwide annually on Feb. 14, where people exchange gifts with their loved ones.
The history behind the feast of love dates back to the third century, when the Roman emperor Claudius II banned engagements and marriages to commit his soldiers to the army.
Saint Valentine defied the unjust emperor and secretly continued performing marriages for young lovers in the city. When his actions were discovered, the emperor ordered his death on Feb. 14, 270.
It is said when the slain priest was in jail, he left a note for the jailer's daughter signed "From Your Valentine."
