St Valentine and the Church
The Mysterious Patron Saint of Love According to Fact and Legend
Jan 12, 2009
Even though there isn’t any definite evidence to say who the St. Valentine of Valentine’s Day fame was, there is evidence about figures of the early church who were named St. Valentine.
St. Valentines of the Early Church
There are several pieces of information that are known about saints in the early church who were named Valentine:
- There were three different St. Valentines who were all martyrs and were all mentioned in the early martyrologies under February 14.
- One St. Valentine was described as a priest in Rome, another as Bishop of Interamna (modern Terni). Both suffered in the second half of the third century and were buried on the Flaminian Way.
- The third St. Valentine suffered in Africa with companions.
- The priest in Rome assisted martyrs, was arrested, then beheaded on February 14, circa 270.
- Archaeologists have found a Roman catacomb and ancient church dedicated to St. Valentine.
- In 496 A.D. Pope Gelasius marked February 14 to be celebrated in honor of the martyrdom of St. Valentine.
- The Nuremberg Chronicle (published in 1493) has text stating that a Roman priest was caught marrying Christian couples and helping persecuted Christians. He was beheaded outside the Flaminian Gate circa 269.
The Ancient Roman Festival of Lupercalia
This ancient festival was disapproved of by the early church and may have been the beginning of the use of St. Valentine for expressing admiration.
- This ancient festival was celebrated on February 15 in honor of the god Lupercus.
- Young men would draw the name of a young woman in a lottery, and keep her as a sexual companion for the year.
- Pope Gelasius changed this lottery. In its place the young men and women picked the names of saints to emulate for the year.
- The patron of this Church feast became Valentine. Young men continued to seek the affection of young women by sending handwritten notes. They often included Valentine’s name.
A Legend of St. Valentine
Legend says that when one of the St. Valentines was in jail, awaiting death, he restored the sight of the jail keeper’s daughter. On the eve of his death, he supposedly sent her a message that was signed, "From your Valentine."
St. Valentine and the Modern Church
In 1969, the Catholic Church dropped St. Valentine’s Day from the Roman calender of official, worldwide Catholic feasts because there was not enough clear historical evidence for the record. Some individual parishes continue to observe the feast day.
There is no doubt that whatever the relationship is between St. Valentine and the Church, the patron saint of love has remained an important part of the secular world.
Sources:
Website - New Advent, 2008, visited December 31, 2008.
Website - Catholic Online, 2008, visited December 31, 2008
Website - American Catholic, 1996-2008, visited December 31, 2008
To read another article about a saint see Saint Francis and the First Christmas Creche.
For other articles about a church holiday see Readings and Activities for Advent and Christmas and Devotions and Ideas for Giving at Christmastime.
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