BISHKEK, Feb. 14 (Xinhua) -- 175 couples tied the knot in Kyrgyzstan on St. Valentine's Day, the State Registration Service of Kyrgyzstan reported on Tuesday.
According to data of the automatic registration system of the State Registration Service, 175 couples registered their marriages on this holiday, 17 of them are from the capital city of Bishkek.
St. Valentine's Day is popular holiday among Kyrgyz youth.
However, in 2016 in some schools it was prohibited to exchange cards. In 2014 the celebration of this day was banned in southern Kyrgyzstan. Then officials in the city of Osh have prohibited students from celebrating a holiday by explaining it that it is not a part of the country's culture and history and holiday of love is a bad influence on children's morality.
This year the Ministry of Education and Science of Kyrgyzstan did not prohibit students to exchange cards on St. Valentine's Day.
The Ministry said that this year Kyrgyzstan hosts the English Week and St. Valentine's Day can be a topic of a lesson on this day.
St Valentine's Day is celebrated worldwide every year on Feb. 14. In Kyrgyzstan, this holiday gained widespread popularity and is marked in accordance with all the rules of the most romantic holiday of the year.
It's the day when people show their affection for another person or people by sending cards, flowers or chocolates with messages of love.
Bishkek resident Kanybek Baizakov told Xinhua that he likes and supports this holiday and usually marks it with his girlfriend. This year he bought flowers for his beloved and in the evening they plan to go to cinema. He also said he will propose a marriage.
