Just who was this St Valentine, anyway?
The Saint Valentine that appears in various martyrologies in connection with February 14 is described either as:
* A priest in Rome,
* A bishop of Interamna (modern Terni), or
* A martyr in the Roman province of Africa.
The Farmer’s Almanac newsletter states:
…a Christian bishop named Valentine was martyred on February 14 in A.D. 271
Yet the Wikipedia entry states that no “Valentine” appeared in the earliest list of Roman martyrs, which was compiled in A.D. 354.
In other words? No one really knows for sure who St Valentine was. And no one seems to be able to track exactly why Valentine’s Day became globally associated with sweethearts, courting, and gift-giving.
Though I say “globally”, Valentines traditions vary across the world.
In Japan and South Korea, only the boys receive gifts of chocolate on Valentine’s Day. The girls have to wait their turn until White Day, which occurs on March 14th. In the Republic of China, although White Day is also celebrated, the order is reversed … with the girls getting gifts in February and the boys in March. Some countries celebrate February 14th as a day to honor love and friendship, others do not celebrate it at all. In some regions, a “lovers day” is marked on a different day of the year. In Slovenia, though February 14th is a special day, it is the day that farmers traditionally begin working in the fields.
In some areas of the world, Valentine’s Day has even been banned … due to religious and cultural conflict.
Although the stories of St Valentine, whoever he may have been, are ancient, many countries have only begun celebrating any version of Valentine’s Day proper in recent times. For many, it’s simply a modern celebration of love, offering various ways to show appreciation for the people you care about.
The way I see it, however you view St Valentine’s Day, showing appreciation for your loved ones can’t be a bad thing. Like many other holidays that had their roots in religious observation, Valentine’s Day has become more of a social celebration. Although there may be some who still focus on the martyrdom of whichever St. Valentine they believe the day is based on, I think those people are probably few and far between. For most of us, it’s a day to say “I Love You”.
So, to all my friends and family, to my darling children, my wonderful husband, my precious animal family and companions, and to all of you who have touched my life and made me smile….
Happy Valentine’s Day.
I love you!
