Special
Archives February 2004
Love's
Saint
February has long been a month of romance. The present day celebration
of St. Valentine's Day contains vestiges of both Christian and ancient
Roman tradition.
Popular customs associated with Saint Valentine's Day may have their
origin in the Middle Ages conventional wisdom birds begin to pair half
way through the second month of the year. Chaucer took note of the date
himself. For this was sent on Seynt Valentyne's day, Whan every foul
cometh there to choose his mate.
At least three different Saint Valentines, all martyrs, are mentioned
in the early martyrologies. One is described as a priest at Rome,
another a bishop in the second half of the third century and a third
Saint Valentine, who suffered in Africa with a number of companions.
There are varying opinions as to the origin of Valentine's Day.
In ancient Rome, February 14th was a holiday to honor Juno, Queen of
the Roman Gods and Goddesses. The Romans also knew her as the Goddess
of women and marriage. The following day, February 15th, began the Feast
of Lupercalia. The lives of young boys and girls were strictly
separate, but on the eve of the festival of Lupercalia the names of
Roman girls were written on slips of paper and placed into jars. Young
men would draw a girl's name from the jar and they would be partners
for the duration of the festival.. Sometimes, pairings lasted an entire
year, and often, resulted in marriage.
Some experts think it originated from a Roman priest in the third century
who was martyred for refusing to give up Christianity on February 14,
269 A.D. However the more popular legend is that Emperor Claudius
II Rome believed military recruitment was down because roman men didn’t
want to leave their loves or families. Claudius banned marriages and
engagements in Rome.
Valentine, a priest, secretly married couples but he was apprehended,
beaten to death and had his head cut off on the 14th of February, about
the year 270. Legend says that St. Valentine left a farewell note
for the jailer's daughter, who befriended him and signed it "From
Your Valentine".
In 496 A.D. Pope Gelasius set aside February 14 to honor St. Valentine.
By the Middle Ages, Valentine was one of the most popular saints in
England and France.
During the Middle Ages, young men and women drew names from a bowl
to see who their valentines would be and wore the names on their sleeves
for a week. The custom died out, but the idea remains in the phrase
‘wearing your heart on your sleeve” as a show of feelings.
Gradually, February 14 became the date for exchanging love messages
and St. Valentine became the patron saint of lovers. The date was marked
by sending poems and simple gifts like flowers.
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