Thursday, February 13, 2014

What About the Saint in Valentine's Day?

The day traditionally associated with love and romance is nearly upon us.  Friday is the feast of St. Valentine, but much of the world might not realize that.  So just who was St. Valentine and how is he connected with love?


There are many St. Valentines in the Roman calendar (Valentinus was a popular name), but the one celebrated on February 14 may be one or two people.  There was a martyred third century bishop named Valentine, but also a Roman priest by the same name who was martyred under the rule of the Emperor Claudius.  There is also a theory that these descriptions are of the same person.  One thing we do know - this man was martyred for his faith.  As a pope in the fifth century noted, Valentine's acts are known to God alone, and that was probably good enough for Valentine.

So why is this saint connected with hearts and flowers?  It has nothing to do with the man, at least not St. Valentine.  The connection lies with Geoffrey Chaucer and his poem Parlement of Foules (1382).  In modern English:  "For this was on St. Valentine's day when every bird comes there to choose his mate."  Birds, mates, flowers, candy, cards - you get it.

I still think this saint is associated with love.  St. Valentine, whoever he was, loved God enough to die for Him.  

CC  

No comments:

Post a Comment