Hundreds celebrate Valentine's day in Lisbon by placing padlock on "love" sculpture

Hundreds of people celebrated Valentine's day on Saturday by placing a padlock on a giant sculpture consisting of the word "love" at the Rossio square in downtown Lisbon, Portuguese capital.

The event was organized by the association De Mais Coracao -- Movimento Daniela (Give More Heart -- Daniela Movement) to raise money for children with heart problems in Mozambique.

"We wanted to put these letters here people to be able to make a donation, and in exchange for that donation we give them a padlock, with a nameplate, so people can leave a love message and put them on the structure," organizer Vilma Ferrao told Xinhua.

"The three euros we suggest in exchange for the padlock and the nameplate later go to De Mais Coracao Daniela Movement and consequently to a hospital in Mozambique which carries out heart operations on children who cannot pay for that operation," Ferrao said.

She said hundreds of people had bought padlocks on Saturday morning to help the association.

Both local and foreign couples of all ages attended the event on Saturday in Lisbon. They wrote their names on the padlock and then chose one of four letters to place it on. Many of the couples also took a "selfie" or a picture of the padlock and uploaded it to social networking sites.

"We have been together 3 years and 2 months and we are placing a padlock because it is a symbol for the love we feel, which is eternal just like this padlock, which is closed," said Joao Silva, 26, a bank assistant who was accompanied by his girlfriend, Cristina.

The sculpture was designed by Portuguese sculptor Rui Miragaia and will be at the square until March 14, before moving onto other parts of the country. Endit