The Mystery of Saint Valentine
Apologies, I am a little late posting this, but we are still just about in February.
Valentine's Day, Saint
Valentine's Day or The Feast of Saint Valentine is celebrated on the 14th
February. It is a day to celebrate love and is observed by giving flowers;
particularly roses, chocolates, gifts, and cards. According to the Greeting
Card Association nearly 160 million Valentines cards are sent every year.
But who was Saint
Valentine? What is the mystery surrounding Saint Valentine? Why is he
the Patron Saint of love?
All will be revealed.
There is More Than One Saint
Valentine
The name Valentine derives from
the word Valens which in Latin means Strong, healthy, vigorous.
There are three Saint Valentines
or rather Valentinus, that have connections with the 14th
February. One a Roman priest, one the Bishop of Iteramna, now know as Terni in
Italy and another who was martyred in the Roman Province of Africa; now known as
Tunisia. Very little is known about this St.Valentine.
Who is the Real Saint Valentine?
Two
Saints two stories - Part 1
Saint Valentine lived and was
martyred in the third century. However there are two conflicting stories; who
is the Saint Valentine that is celebrated by the Feast of Saint Valentine?
The most popular belief is that
Saint Valentine was a Roman priest; he was executed during the reign of the
Roman Emperor Claudius II.
Claudius II was fighting many
wars and considered single men the best soldiers. He thought that
by being
married the men would not fight well; they would be afraid to die as they would
be considering their wives and children. Polygamy (from the
Greek words Many and Wedding) was very commonplace in Roman times, some of
Claudius's soldier had more than one wife. He passed a law forbidding all
marriages.
Many Romans were not happy with
being forbidden to marry, and there were also those who were attracted to
becoming Christians. The Christians were persecuted by Claudius at this time
and helping them was also a crime.
In secret Valentine carried out
Christian ceremonies, including marriages of Christians and Romans, including
Soldiers. This however did not stay a secret; he was discovered conducting a
marriage ceremony and was arrested and imprisoned.
Emperor Claudius was said to have
taken a liking to Valentine and tried to persuade him to become a Pagan.
Valentine refused and tried to convert the emperor to Christianity this was not
taken very lightly, Valentine was sentenced to death. He was beaten with stones
and clubs which failed to kill him, and so he was beheaded on the 14th February
by the Via Flaminius near Rome.
Image:St-Valentine-Kneeling-In-Supplicationby David Teniers III [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
Another story involves another
Saint Valentine the Bishop of Interamna (Terni) He was under the house arrest
of Judge Asterius for practicing Christianity. The Judge was drawn into a
conversation by the the Bishop about the validity of Christianity. The Judge
decided to test Valentine and stated that if he could restore the sight of his
adopted daughter he would do anything Valentine asked of him.
The Judge's daughter was brought
before Valentine he laid his hands upon her and prayed, and her sight was
restored. Judge Asterius kept his word; he would do anything Valentine asked of
him. Valentine asked him to fast for three days and be baptised a Christian.
Judge Asterius became a Christian along with the rest of his family; he also
freed all of the Christians imprisoned by his authority.
Valentine was arrested at a later
date, and sent Rome for continuing to convert Romans to Christians and was
brought before the Roman Emperor Aurelia. Valentine refused to renounce
his faith and was sentenced to death by beheading. The night before Valentine
was to be beheaded, he was rumoured to have sent a note to the daughter of
Judge Asterius who he loved. He asked her to remain near to God and to be
thankful for the healing miracle of her restored sight. The note was
signed "By Your Valentine"
This Saint Valentine was also
executed on the 14th February by the Via Flaminia.
Both of stories could be about
the same Saint Valentine, but they were at different times and they were buried
in difference locations along the Via Flaminia.
ImageSaint Valentine byJacopo Bassano [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
The Festival of Lupercalia
The annual Festival of Lupercalia
was celebrated in Rome between the 13th - 15th February and was connected to
fertility. The 14th February was also a day of celebration of the Roman Goddess
Juno, the Goddess of women and marriage. The pagan tradition was for men to draw
the names of women from a jar. Whoever was chosen would be their partner for
the rest of the festival; other accounts state the woman would the man's sexual
companion for the rest of the year.
By the fifth century Christian
Rome banned the performance of pagan rites. Pope Gelasius I was reputed to have
replaced the pagan festival of Lupercalia with the Feast of Saint Valentine. Young
men and women would draw out the names of saints from a jar; they would try to
emulate them for the rest of the year.
The middle of February in the
middle ages was associated with "Spring Fever" were birds would
choose there mates and romantic feeling were not just for birds but humans too.
Thus the 14th February became dedicated to love, and love letters and gifts
were given to the object of ones affection. Saint Valentine was then associated
as the Patron Saint of Love and Valentine's Day was born.
In the 19th century mass produced
cards replaced the hand written notes. Then began the tradition of giving
flowers and chocolates, and Valentines candy along with other gifts.
The 20th century saw the advent
of sending Valentine's e cards, and who knows how it will be celebrated in
years to come.
Image -
Valentine Card from 1862 - Public domain image courtesy of Wikimedia commons
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